REGION – A new National Park Service report shows that over 300,000 people visited the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River in 2024, the highest in recent years. According to the report, this amounts to over $19 million in spending in communities near the park, which had a cumulative benefit to the local economy of $24 million.

“People come to Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River to recreate on the river whether fishing or boating and end up supporting the U.S. and local economies along the way,” said Acting Superintendent Jessica Weinman. “We’re proud that Upper Delaware S&RR generates $24,211,000 in revenue to communities near the park.”

The lodging sector had the highest direct contributions with $5.7 million in economic output. Restaurants received the next greatest direct contributions with $4.7 million in economic output, followed by groceries and gas. These expenditures supported a total of 146 jobs.

Nationwide the 2024 National Park Visitor Spending Effects finds that visitors spent $29 billion in communities near national parks. This spending provided $18.8 billion in labor income and $56.3 billion in economic output to the U.S. economy. 

An interactive tool is available to explore visitor spending, labor income, and total economic contribution by sector for national, state and local economies. Users can also view year-by-year trend data. The interactive tool and report are on the NPS website, www.nps.gov.