Great Smoky Mountains Natl. Park — A new report from the National Park Service shows millions of visitors to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park forked over billions in 2022 during their visits to nearby communities in Tennessee and North Carolina.
The NPS said 2022 was the second-busiest year on record for the park for visitation, and people spent $2.1 billion in communities near the park during their visits.
The peer-reviewed NPS report said that spending supported close to 33,000 jobs in the area and made a $3.3 billion cumulative impact on the local economy.
The GSMNP ranked at the top of the list for visitor spending compared to other national parks, which is not unexpected because it has long been the most-visited national park in the U.S. The Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina had the second-largest impact in the country, and both Tennessee and North Carolina ranked in the top five of states for visitor spending in the NPS report.
“Since 1916, the National Park Service has been entrusted with the care of our national parks. With the help of volunteers and partners, we safeguard these special places and share their stories with more than 300 million visitors every year. The impact of tourism to national parks is undeniable: bringing jobs and revenue to communities in every state in the country and making national parks an essential driver to the national economy,” said National Park Service Director Chuck Sams.
The NPS said the 2022 spending analysis used new survey data to determine the impact visitors had on the surrounding economy. Previously, the NPS said it used generalized trip and spending data from other parks in the National Park System. The new data showed that people stayed longer in gateway communities to the park -- such as Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Cherokee, N.C. -- and spent more money during those visits compared to the generalized estimates.
The NPS said the new data also gives a more conservative portion of time and spending if the GSMNP was not the primary reason for visiting the area, saying the overall spending estimates for 2022 more accurately reflect spending patterns and changes in inflation and visitation.
"This data gives us an even clearer picture of the positive economic impacts of Great Smoky Mountains National Park in both Tennessee and North Carolina," said Superintendent Cassius Cash. "We're proud to care for a national park that provides incredible opportunities for learning and recreation, creates jobs in nearby communities and contributes to local economies."
Across the country, the report showed visitors spent a combined $23.9 billion directly in communities within 60 miles of a national park. The economic sectors that benefitted the most: lodging and restaurants.