West Virginia (WOAY)- A new National Park Service report shows a significant boost in both visitation and local spending around West Virginia’s national parks.
In 2024, more than two million people visited the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, Bluestone National Scenic River, and Gauley River National Recreation Area.
Visitors spent over $108 million in surrounding counties, representing a nearly 12% increase from the previous year.
Acting Superintendent Eric LaPrice says that since the redesignation of New River Gorge as a national park, tourism has been on a steady rise, and local businesses are feeling the benefits.
Nationwide, national park visitors spent nearly $29 billion last year, generating more than $56 billion in economic impact for the U.S. economy.
Lodging and restaurants saw the largest gains, with lodging alone generating over $11 billion in economic output.
You can explore more on spending trends and park data using an interactive tool now available on the NPS website.
To learn more, visit nps.gov/westvirginia.
