Yellowstone tourists contributed $828 million to the local economy last year

The following is a press release from the National Park Service.

MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS, Wyoming – A new report from the National Park Service shows that 4.5 million visitors to Yellowstone National Park spent $623 million in communities near the park in 2023. That spending supported 8,560 jobs in the region and had a cumulative benefit to the local economy of $828 million.

“I am so proud that our parks and the stories we tell make a lasting impression on more than 300 million visitors each year,” said Chuck Sams, director of the National Park Service. “And I am equally proud that those visitors, in turn, have a positive impact by supporting local economies and jobs in every state across the country.”

The National Park Service report, 2023 National Park Visitor Spending Effects, found that 325.5 million visitors spent $26.4 billion in communities near national parks. This spending supported 415,400 jobs, provided $19.4 billion in labor income, and $55.6 billion in economic output to the U.S. economy. The lodging sector made the largest direct contribution, with $9.9 billion in economic output and 89,200 jobs. Restaurants received the next largest direct contribution, with $5.2 billion in economic output and 68,600 jobs.

An interactive tool is available to examine visitor spending, jobs, labor income, and total economic contribution by sector to the national, state, and local economies. Users can also view trend data for each year. The interactive tool and report are available on the NPS website.