Assateague Generates $84M In Economic Impact, Report Finds

ASSATEAGUE — A new National Park Service report released last week revealed Assateague Island National Seashore created $84.3 million in direct and indirect economic impact last year.

The report conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey and National Park Service economists showed the two million plus visitors to Assateague Island National Seashore in 2013 spent $84.3 million in communities near the park. The direct and indirect spending supported 1,052 jobs in areas around the barrier island.

“Assateague Island National Seashore is proud to welcome visitors from across the country and around the world,” said Superintendent Debbie Darden this week. “We are delighted to share the story of this place and the experiences it provides and to use the park as a way to introduce our visitors to this part of the country and all that it offers.”

Darden said the trickle down impact in spending by visitors to Assateague Island National Seashore benefited the local communities surrounding the barrier island.

“National Park tourism is a significant driver in the national economy, returning $10 for every one dollar invested in the National Park Service,” she said. “It’s a big factor in our local economy as well. We appreciate the partnership and support or our neighbors and are glad to be able to give back by helping to sustain local communities.”

The study released last week painted a rosy picture of the economic impact of national parks all over the country including Assateague. The peer-reviewed visitor spending analysis also showed $14.6 billion in direct spending by the nearly 274 million park visitors within 60 miles of a national park. The spending supported 237,000 jobs nationally, with more than 197,000 jobs found in the gateway communities around the parks, with a cumulative economic benefit to the U.S. economy of $26.5 billion.

According to the economic impact study, most visitor spending was for lodging at 30 percent, followed by food and beverages at 27 percent, gas and oil at 12 percent, admissions and fees at 10 percent and souvenirs and other expenses at 10 percent. The largest job categories supported by visitor spending at the national parks were restaurants and bars at 50,000 jobs and lodging at 38,000 jobs.