Outdoor Recreation is a Major Economic Driver

Outdoor recreation is a big business. (We already knew that here in the Roanoke Region, that’s why the Roanoke Regional Partnership and Roanoke Outside have been talking about the outdoors for more than 10 years.)

But a new report shows just how significant the impact is.

The analysis by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis found that outdoor recreation contributed $373.7 billion to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product in 2016, making up 2 percent of the total GDP. And the industry is growing all over the country.

Compare it to other industries:

• $373 billion – Outdoor industry
• $360 billion – Management of companies and enterprises
• $293 billion – Utilities
• $288 billion – Mining
• $208 billion – Educational services
• $196 billion – Arts, entertainment, and recreation
• $172 billion – Agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting

Learn more about the report from The Spokesman-Review.