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Parks Service: ONSR generated $74M last year in tourism dollars for region

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Summertime is a busy season for area outdoor activities like camping, fishing, hiking, kayaking and canoeing.

The National Parks Service (NPS) has released the economic impact from tourism for 2021 in the Ozark National Scenic Riverways (ONSR) park and neighboring communities, including Winona and Eminence in Shannon County and Van Buren in Carter County. ONSR parks include Alley Spring Mill near Eminence, Rocky Falls near Winona, and boating and swimming access points on the Jacks Fork and Current rivers.

Tourism has an impact from dollars spent in “gateway communities,” or those communities within 60 miles of an attraction, where food, lodging and other rentals such as canoes are purchased. 

The NPS reported that last year, there were about 1.33 million visitors to ONSR who spent more than $64.4 million in those communities, supporting 886 jobs and adding a cumulative benefit to the local economy of about $73.9 million. That cumulative benefit reflects an increase of almost $10 million, from $63.4 million in 2020, according to NPS data.

“National parks are a vital part of our nation’s economy, especially for park gateway communities where millions of visitors each year find a place to sleep and eat, hire outfitters and guides and make use of other local services that help drive a vibrant tourism and outdoor recreation industry,” said ONSR Superintendent Jason Lott. “At Ozark National Scenic Riverways, we are excited to share the story of this place and the experiences it provides. We also feature the park as a way to introduce our visitors to this part of the country and all that it offers.”

ONSR officials noted the peer-reviewed spending analysis was conducted by economists at the National Park Service and the U.S. Geological Survey. Nationally, it was reported that $20.5 billion of direct spending was done by more than 297 million park visitors in communities within 60 miles of a national park. The spending reportedly supported 322,600 jobs nationally and 269,900 of them were found in those gateway communities, with a cumulative benefit to the U.S. economy of $42.5 billion. 

In Howell County, West Plains, Willow Springs and Mtn. View also fall within the 60-mile range of ONSR, giving them status as gateway communities.

NPS data shows $24.3 million of profit was made directly in this region on camping, gas, groceries, hotels, recreation industries, restaurants, retail and transportation and are sales, income, and jobs resulting from visitor purchases.

Secondary effects are described by NPS as sales, income and employment resulting from the “ripple effect” of visitor spending, the outcome of local businesses purchasing supplies and labor, and employees spending their incomes locally. For ONSR’s region, secondary effects resulted in profit of $12.4 million in 2021.

Labor income of $22.1 million includes employee wages, salaries and payroll benefits, plus the incomes of business owners supported by NPS visitor spending.    

The total economic output of $73.9 million from visitor spending is the sum of all direct and secondary effects, NPS officials explained.   

West Plains, West Plains Daily Quill, Quill, parks, outdoors, outdoor, summer, explore, Alley Spring Mill, activities, tourism, National Parks Service, NPS, ONSR, Ozarks, rivers, economy


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