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VICKSBURG, Miss. – A new National Park Service (NPS) report shows that 410,487 visitors to Vicksburg National Military Park spent $27.1 million in communities near the park in 2022. This spending supported 403 jobs in the area and had a cumulative benefit to the local economy of $36.5 million.
“Since 1916, the National Park Service has been entrusted with the care of our national parks. With the help of volunteers and partners, we protect these special places and share their stories with more than 300 million visitors every year. The impact of tourism on national parks is undeniable: it brings jobs and revenue to communities across the state and makes national parks a vital driver of the national economy,” said Chuck Sams, director of the National Park Service.
“Vicksburg National Military Park welcomes visitors from across the country and around the world. It is our honor to help visitors have meaningful and memorable experiences.” said Superintendent Carrie Mardorf. “We are aware that this tourism is a crucial engine for the local economy. WWe value the partnership and support of our neighbors and are delighted to be able to give back by helping to sustain local communities.”
The peer-reviewed analysis of visitor spending was conducted by economists at the National Park Service. The report reveals $23.9 billion in direct spending from nearly 312 million park visitors in communities within 60 miles of a national park. These spending supported 378,400 jobs nationwide; 314,600 of these jobs are found in these gateway communities. The cumulative benefit to the US economy was $50.3 billion.
In terms of the economics of visitor spending, the lodging sector has had the largest direct impact, accounting for a $9 billion national economy. The hospitality sector had the second largest impact with a national economic output of US$4.6 billion.
The report authors are also creating an interactive tool that allows users to examine visitor spending, jobs, labor income, value added, and production effects by sector for national, state, and local economies. Users can also view trend data for each year. The interactive tool and report are available on the NPS Social Science Program website: Impact of Visitor Expenditure – Economic Contribution of National Park Visitor Expenditure – Social Science (US National Park Service) (nps.gov).
To learn more about Mississippi national parks and how the National Park Service works with Mississippi communities to preserve local history, protect the environment, and provide outdoor recreation, go to www.nps.gov/Missisppi.
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