WYOMING —U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis recently released statistics on the outdoor recreation economy nationally for 2021.
The analysis claimed outdoor recreation industry continued to thrive in 2021 as a strong economic driver across the nation and in Wyoming. According to the report, outdoor recreation accounted for $1.5 billion and 3.6% of the state’s gross domestic product (GDP), the sixth-highest percentage in the nation. This represented a $3 million or .2% overall increase to the state’s GDP from 2020 to 2021.
“I think what we are seeing is the inherent value that the outdoor recreation economy has in a state like Wyoming,” said Patrick Harrington, manager of the Wyoming Outdoor Recreation Office. “People across the state are looking towards this industry as a means of economic diversification and vitality for our local and state economies.”
In 2020, Wyoming’s outdoors saw a rise in visitation throughout the state and those high numbers have continued through 2021. Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks both saw record numbers and hosted a combined 8,745,787 recreation visits. Wyoming State Parks and Historic Sites also hosted a combined 5,755,184 visitors in 2021, a 2% decrease from 2020, but 25% above the five-year average.
According to the report, snow activities saw an increased value added of $108,258 and jumped from the 13th to 12th ranked state in value added. RVing, motorcycling and ATVing, climbing, equestrian, bicycling and recreational flying also saw steady increases across the board contributing a combined $166,423 in value-added or an 11% increase.
“The work we do to bring in millions of visitors around the world to experience Wyoming’s beauty and outdoor experiences would not be possible without our partnership with the Wyoming Outdoor Recreation Office,” said Diane Shober, executive director of the Wyoming Office of Tourism. “Their team continues to provide exceptional cultural and recreational opportunities that retains visitors longer and overall brings them back for many years to come.”
On July 1, Wyoming Outdoor Recreation announced the launch of the first Wyoming Outdoor Recreation Grant Program that will award funding to public outdoor recreation projects throughout the state. The program received nearly $72 million in requests for the $14 million in available funding.
The full report is available here.
