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SALT LAKE CITY — Utah's outdoor wonders continue to boost the state's economy. Still, Gov. Spencer Cox and leaders of other Western states say more needs to be done to address overcrowding concerns in the region's natural spaces.
The National Park Service recently released its annual economic contributions report, finding the 325 million people who visited national parks last year generated $26.4 billion in visitor spending and $55.6 billion in total economic output for the U.S. It's a 10% increase in spending from the previous year and highest on record.
Utah was a major player in spending and economic output. Its national parks, monuments and other spaces managed by the Park Service drew in 15.7 million visits in 2023, generating an estimated $1.9 billion in visitor spending. The spending contributed to over 26,000 jobs statewide and nearly $3 billion in economic impact last year, according to the report.
Total visitation was sixth among all U.S. states and the District of Columbia, but final economic output was third, behind California ($5.1 billion) and North Carolina ($4.1 billion).
"Whether it's science, adventure, history or scenery, Utah's national parks leave the more than 15 million visitors marveling," Kate Hammond, director of the Park Service's intermountain region, said Wednesday. "Investments into Utah national parks give back to communities, and these visitors support the state's economy."
However, Cox and other members of the Western Governors Association say more federal funding is needed to address the adverse effects tied to the popularity of national parks and other outdoor spaces.
The organization sent a letter — co-signed by Cox, the group's vice chairman — to Senate leadership on Tuesday, urging them to pass bills they said would handle the growing visitation at "world-class outdoor recreation destinations" across the West.
"The West has always welcomed visitors who flock to its iconic landscapes. Increased visitation puts additional pressure on the entire recreation system, from infrastructure needs to maintenance backlog to the amenities and services provided by local communities," the letter reads, in part.
Western Governors Association members prefer public-private partnerships and they believe the legislation would encourage "recreational facilities and services are maintained and expanded in line with their growing use." They add that strategies that "reduce the concentration of visitors rather than limit the total number of visitors" are also needed to improve the outdoor visitation experience.
Improvements would go toward federal land managed by the National Park Service and the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. All four agencies dealt with record visitation after the COVID-19 pandemic led to major interest in the outdoors. The states argue that the aging infrastructure on public land is inadequate and threatens the future of outdoor spaces.
"Those areas need support, infrastructure and tools to manage increasing levels of recreation while maintaining these resources for the enjoyment of all, and for future generations," the association wrote, adding that the areas need help to "improve, modernize and expand visitor services and facilities" before they are damaged or lost from impacts of overcrowding.
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, chairwoman of the Western Governors Association, also signed the letter.
