GATLINBURG, Tenn.—A new National Park Service report shows that approximately 12.2 million visitors to Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 2024 spent more than $2 billion in communities near the park. That spending had a cumulative benefit to the local economy of more than $2.8 billion.
“People come to the Smokies to do many things from hiking to driving to picnicking and camping and end up supporting the US and local economies along the way,” said Acting Superintendent Charles Sellars. “We’re proud that tourism to Great Smoky Mountains National Park generates more than $2.8 billion for gateway communities near the park.”
Great Smoky Mountains National Park has a higher cumulative benefit to the local economy than any other national park in the country.
The National Park Service report, 2024 National Park Visitor Spending Effects, finds that visitors spent $29 billion in communities near national parks. This spending provided $18.8 billion in labor income and $56.3 in economic output to the U.S. economy. The lodging sector had the highest direct contributions with $11.1 billion in economic output. Restaurants received the next greatest direct contributions with $5.7 billion in economic output.
An interactive tool is available to explore visitor spending, labor income, and total economic contribution by sector for national, state and local economies. Users can also view year-by-year trend data. The interactive tool and report are available on the NPS website.
To learn more about national parks in Tennesse and North Carolina and how the National Park Service works with these communities to help preserve local history, conserve the environment, and provide outdoor recreation, go to Tennessee and North Carolina.
