The view of the Provincelands from the top of Race Point Lighthouse.
WELLFLEET – A new report released by the National Park Service says that the Cape Cod National Seashore supported over 2,400 jobs in the local area and had an economic benefit exceeding $232 million to the local economy in 2014.
The report also stated that there were over 4 million visitors to the seashore last year, and that visitors spent over $185 million in communities near the park.
“The primary responsibility of Cape Cod National Seashore is to protect resources and serve visitors,” said Seashore Superintendent George Price.
“However we also recognize that we are tourism partners in both the local and the larger region. Visitors to the National Seashore have the opportunity to visit all six towns and a wide variety of businesses on the Outer Cape, as well as explore the whole Cape and Islands. We appreciate the partnership and support of the travel and tourism industry, the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce, the chambers of commerce of each of the six towns, and the Provincetown Business Guild. We are glad to be able to contribute by helping to sustain local communities.”
The visitor spending analysis was conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey and National Park Service.
The report shows $15.7 billion of direct spending by 292.8 million park visitors in communities within 60 miles of a national park.
This spending supported 277,000 jobs nationally, with 235,600 of those jobs found in the gateway communities.
The cumulative benefit to the U.S. economy was $29.7 billion.
According to the 2014 report, most park visitor spending was for lodging (30.6 percent) followed by food and beverages (20.3 percent), gas and oil (11.9 percent), admissions and fees (10.2 percent) and souvenirs (9.9 percent).
To download the report, visit www.nature.nps.gov/socialscience/economics.cfm
