The economic impact of tourism from national parks is undeniable. These national treasures, in addition to luring millions to their unique beauty and recreational opportunities, bring large numbers of jobs and spending to the local areas in which they are located. A new report reveals just how powerful an economic engine we have in our backyard at Joshua Tree National Park.
In 2022, 3.1 million park visitors spent an estimated $171 million in local gateway regions while visiting Joshua Tree National Park. These expenditures supported a total of 2,037 jobs, $77.1 million in labor income, $125 million in value-added benefits, and $209 million in economic output in local gateway economies surrounding Joshua Tree National Park.
The 2,037 jobs supported by visitor spending generated because of Joshua Tree National Park visitors represent about 4% of total local jobs sustained by tourism. According to Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics company, a total of 49,137 jobs in the Greater Palm Springs region were sustained by tourism in 2022.
Check out a summary of the report here. You can download 2022 National Park Service Visitor Spending Effects Report (PDF – 2.45 MB) to see the full results for National Parks in all regions.
