$96 million spent in communities bordering Shenandoah Park

A new National Park Service (NPS) report shows that nearly 1.5 million visitors to Shenandoah National Park in 2017 spent $95.8 million “in communities near the park.”

That spending also supported 1,204 jobs in the area and had a cumulative benefit to the local economy of $126 million.

“Shenandoah National Park welcomes visitors from across the country and around the world,” said Superintendent Jennifer Flynn. “We are delighted to share the story of this place and the experiences it provides.

“We also feature the park as a way to introduce our visitors to this part of the country and all that it offers. National park tourism is a significant driver in the national economy, returning $10 for every $1 invested in the National Park Service, and it’s a big factor in our local economy as well. We appreciate the partnership and support of our neighbors and are glad to be able to give back by helping to sustain local communities.”

More than 31 percent of the expenditures ($320 million) were for hotels and other lodging options — in Rappahannock County, for example, inns, cabin rentals, B&Bs, airbnbs and guesthouses — over 22 percent ($231 million) for restaurants, gasoline 14 percent ($142 million), and retails 11 percent ($111 million).

The peer-reviewed visitor spending analysis was conducted by economists Catherine Cullinane Thomas of the U.S. Geological Survey and Lynne Koontz of NPS.