Economic contribution of outdoor recreation

Published: Saturday, Aug. 12 2006 12:00 a.m. MDT

Summary

Total contribution is $730 billion annually nationwide. That includes $289 billion in retail sales (cost of recreation trips and gear), plus a $441 billion "ripple effect," which includes suppliers, vendors, employers, etc.

• Total contribution is $730 billion annually nationwide. That includes $289 billion in retail sales (cost of recreation trips and gear), plus a $441 billion "ripple effect," which includes suppliers, vendors, employers, etc.

• The outdoor industry generates $88 billion annually in state and federal tax revenue.

• 65 million jobs can be traced back, in some fashion, to the outdoor industry.

• The average day trip costs $61 (food, fuel, other expenses), while the average overnight trip costs $115.

• The average American spends $185 per year on recreation-related equipment/gear.

• In the eight-state Mountain Region, which includes Utah, the U.S. Census Bureau found that the outdoor industry's total economic contribution approached $61.5 billion. The industry generated 617,186 jobs and generated $8.9 billion in federal and state tax revenue in the region.

Source: Outdoor Industry Foundation

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