The number of visitors to Joshua Tree National Park last year increased by its lowest number in a decade, increasing by just under 89,000 people from 2017. A new National Park Service report shows that 2.942 million visitors came to Joshua Tree National Park in 2018.
Those visitors had a great economic benefit for the communities surrounding the park: they spent nearly $146.5 million and supported more than 1,800 jobs, for a total economic benefit of almost $196 million. Park Superintendent David Smith said that tourism in national parks returns $10 for every $1 invested in the park service. Most park visitor spending was for lodging and camping, at more than 38 percent, followed by food and gasoline, at 26 and 22 percent, respectively. Recreation, and retail purchases round out the expenditures.
For more information, go to:
https://www.nps.gov/subjects/socialscience/vse.htm
Click on Park Economies, and then search for Joshua Tree National Park.
