Parks generate $485M for Utah, national study says

December 9, 2008

Judy Fahys, Salt Lake Tribune
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Excerpts:

Parks infuse more than 11,000 jobs and nearly $485 million into the Utah economy, says a new study. Nationally, the parks accounted for 188,000 jobs and more than $18 billion in economic activity.

That's about $4 in benefits for every taxpayer dollar spent on the park system, said Park System Director Mary A. Bonar.

…The report, National Park Visitor Spending and Payroll Impacts, looks at what more than 275 million nonlocal visitors spent on their trips in 2007. It was conducted by the park service's social science division and a Michigan State University economist.