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Blue Ridge Region National Parks Lead in $$ to Local Economies

The Blue Ridge Parkway’s signature structure, the Linn Cove Viaduct, helps lure visitors.
The story below is from our July/August 2018 issue. For more like it subscribe today, log in to read our digital edition or download our FREE iOS app. Thank you!

Of all our national parks, the Blue Ridge Parkway and Great Smokies contributed the most to local economies last year. The parkway’s 16.1 million visitors spent $1 billion, supporting 15,400 jobs, and the Smokies’ 11.3 million visitors spent $923 million, supporting about 13,900 jobs. Between 2012 and 2017, visitation at all national parks grew by 17 percent, visitor spending increased by 23.8 percent, and jobs supported grew by 26 percent, a total of 306,000 jobs. “The investments we make in our national parks protect cherished places while promoting community and economic development,” said Will Shafroth, president of the National Park Foundation. nationalparks.org

The story above is from our July/August 2018 issue. For more like it subscribe today, log in to read our digital edition or download our FREE iOS app. Thank you!

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