New Government Report Provides Further Evidence of the Power of the Outdoor Recreation Economy across the United States
Visitors Spend $472.2 billion on Outdoor Recreation, Outdoor Recreation Economy Outpaces overall U.S. Economic Growth
Annapolis, MD – The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis has released a new report that provides updated data on the economic power of outdoor recreation. “The U.S. outdoor recreation economy accounted for 2.2 percent ($427.2 billion) of current-dollar gross domestic product (GDP) in 2017. The Outdoor Recreation Satellite Account (ORSA) also shows that inflation-adjusted (real) GDP for the outdoor recreation economy grew by 3.9 percent in 2017, faster than the 2.4 percent growth of the overall U.S. economy.”
Chesapeake Conservancy President & CEO Joel Dunn issued this statement following the release.
“The Bureau of Economic Analysis report provides even further evidence that outdoor recreation is a major economic driver, in Chesapeake Bay states and in all states across the United States. The report shows that outdoor recreation contributes billions of dollars each year to the economies of the six Chesapeake Bay watershed states and Washington, D.C., and it shows that on average, outdoor recreation GDP grew by 13% in Chesapeake Bay states from 2012 to 2017. Access to outdoor recreation opportunities through parks and trails delivers triple bottom line returns – for our health, for the environment, and for the economy. Chesapeake Conservancy looks forward to continued work with partners and our local and state governments to expand public access to outdoor recreation opportunities in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.”
Charts of Economic Value-Added (GDP) attributed to Outdoor Recreation and the Employment and Employment Compensation Attributed to Outdoor Recreation for states in the Chesapeake Bay watershed are provided below. Core activities are direct outdoor recreation activities and retail spending, and supporting activities include travel and tourism, construction, and governmental spending.
| State | Outdoor Recreation (Core and Supporting) Employment, 2017 | Outdoor Recreation Employment Compensation, 2017 |
| Pennsylvania | 173,588 | $ 6,826,124,000 |
| Maryland | 92,683 | $ 3,746,066,000 |
| Virginia | 128,407 | $ 4,795,163,000 |
| New York | 293,447 | $ 14,178,838,000 |
| West Virginia | 22,202 | $ 688,507,000 |
| Delaware | 18,485 | $ 611,026,000 |
| Washington, D.C. | 23,651 | $ 977,279,000 |
| Totals | ||
| Total Employment 2017 | 752,463 | |
| Total Compensation 2017 | $ 31,823,003,000 | |
| State | Value Added by Outdoor Recreation (Core and Supporting Activities), 2017 | Value Added by Outdoor Recreation (Core and Supporting Activities), 2012 | Growth 2012 – 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | $ 13,173,567,000 | $ 11,397,994,000 | 15.58% |
| Maryland | $ 7,058,582,000 | $ 6,145,402,000 | 14.86% |
| Virginia | $ 9,285,508,000 | $ 8,035,053,000 | 15.56% |
| New York | $ 26,299,866,000 | $ 22,665,105,000 | 16.04% |
| West Virginia | $ 1,497,706,000 | $ 1,477,273,000 | 1.38% |
| Delaware | $ 1,309,865,000 | $ 1,166,235,000 | 12.32% |
| Washington, D.C. | $ 1,623,489,000 | $ 1,402,232,000 | 15.78% |
| Totals | |||
| Total Value Added | $ 60,248,583,000 | $ 52,289,294,000 | 15.22% |
| Average Growth Across All States | 13.07% | ||
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Chesapeake Conservancy’s mission is to conserve and restore the natural and cultural resources of the Chesapeake Bay watershed for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. We empower the conservation community with access to the latest data and technology. As principal partner for the National Park Service on the Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network and the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail, we helped create 153 new public access sites and permanently protect some of the Bay’s special places like Werowocomoco, Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park, and Fort Monroe National Monument.