How does outdoor recreation impact the economy?

[bikehikeskifish]

Saw this link today: http://www.outdoorindustry.org/advocacy/recreation/economy.html

Contained therein is the breakdown by all 50 states. I'll quote a few:

Nationally:
$646 BILLION in consumer spending
6.1 MILLION direct American jobs
$39.9 BILLION in federal tax revenue
$39.7 BILLION in state and local tax revenue

In New Hampshire OUTDOOR RECREATION GENERATES…
$4.2 BILLION in consumer spending
49K direct New Hampshire jobs
$1.2 BILLION in wages and salaries
$293 MILLION in state and local tax revenue

In New York OUTDOOR RECREATION GENERATES…
$33.8 BILLION in consumer spending
305K direct New York jobs
$12.4 BILLION in wages and salaries
$2.8 BILLION in state and local tax revenue

NOTE: This is very interesting in light of the every-popular SAR funding debate, but I would prefer this thread not descend into that. Feel free, however, to use this data and continue discussion in the recent thread on this topic..

Tim

 

[Guthook]

That's pretty cool! I wish I'd had that link to point to during an argument I had with someone last summer on the trail about the value of outdoor recreation...

Also, I shouldn't be surprised that Maine's numbers are higher than New Hampshire's, but I still am. That's pretty cool.

 

[Brambor]

It would be nice to see a comparison to an appropriate/opposite industry.

For those who oppose outdoor recreation development what would be their alternative use of the resources? Logging? Fracking? not sure ... just throwing ideas onto the web canvas

 

[Chugach001]

It's very interesting and publicly I'll support the numbers but between us, they seem stretched; they count the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally for $800million and Central Park for $400million plus about 4,000 jobs.