More than 900,000 people visited the Klondike Gold Rush Historical Park in Skagway and spent about $180 million in nearby communities last year, according to a new report by the National Park Service.
Visitor spending led to the creation of 3,390 jobs in the region, ranging from Whitehorse to Juneau, and gave the region economy a $264 million boost.
“National park tourism is a significant driver in the national economy, returning $10 for every $1 invested in the National Park Service, and it’s a big factor in our local economy as well,” the park’s Superintendent Mike Trannel wrote in a recent press release about the report. “We appreciate the partnership and support of our neighbors and are glad to be able to give back by helping to sustain local communities.”
The Visitor Spending Effects Report didn’t just focus on the Klondike Gold Rush Historical Park. It examined visitor spending at all NPS parks and found that nationwide, more than 300 million visitors spent $16.9 billion in towns within 60 miles of each park.
Economists Catherine Cullinane and Lynne Koontz, of the U.S. Geological Survey and the NPS respectively, conducted the peer-reviewed study. They discovered that lodging accounted for most visitor spending. Souvenirs and other expenses were the smallest spending category.
