Tourism to War in the Pacific NHP creates $14.7M in economic benefit

HAGATNA, Guam—A new National Park Service report shows that 266,268 visitors to War in the Pacific National Historical Park in 2013 spent nearly $14.7 million in communities near the park. That spending supported 174 jobs in the local area.

“War in the Pacific NHP is proud to welcome visitors from around the world,” said Superintendent Jim Richardson. “We are delighted to share with them the stories of the Pacific Theater of World War II and the diverse, unique natural resources throughout the park. And in addition to War in the Pacific’s contribution to the economy, American Memorial Park, an NPS affiliated area on Saipan, contributes significantly to that island’s economy, even though it is not reflected in this study. National park tourism is a significant driver in the national economy—returning $10 for every $1 invested in the National Park Service—and clearly 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.”

The peer-reviewed visitor spending analysis was conducted by U.S. Geological Survey economists Catherine Cullinane Thomas and Christopher Huber and Lynne Koontz for the National Park Service. The report shows $14.6 billion of direct spending by 273.6 million park visitors in communities within 60 miles of a national park. This spending supported more than 237,000 jobs nationally, with more than 197,000 jobs found in these gateway communities, and had a cumulative benefit to the U.S. economy of $26.5 billion.

According to the 2013 economic analysis, most visitor spending was for lodging (30.3 percent) followed by food and beverages (27.3 percent), gas and oil (12.1 percent), admissions and fees (10.3 percent) and souvenirs and other expenses (10 percent).

The largest jobs categories supported by visitor spending were restaurants and bars (50,000 jobs) and lodging (38,000 jobs).

To download the report visit http://www.nature.nps.gov/socialscience/economics.cfm

The report includes information for visitor spending at individual parks and by state. To learn more about War in the Pacific National Historical Park visit www.nps.gov/wapa or to learn about American Memorial Park visitwww.nps.gov/amme.

To learn more about the national park on Saipan and how the National Park Service works with Northern Mariana Islands communities to help preserve local history, conserve the environment, and provide outdoor recreation, go to www.nps.gov/mp. (NPS)