The Great Smoky Mountains National Park brought in an estimated $2 billion in visitor spending to gateway regions in 2024.
The National Park Service released its 2024 National Park Visitor Spending Effects, which found that 12,191,834 park visitors spent $2,041,287 in communities near GSMNP.
According to a news article by 6 news, this spending supported 20,349 jobs and generated a total of $2,857,978 for the economies surrounding the park.
The report shows 95.2% of visitor spending was made by non-local visitors to the Smokies, with 76.3% in Tennessee and 23.7% on the North Carolina side.
Lodging was the most directly affected sector in communities around the Smokies, at $974 million, followed by restaurants at $364 million.
“People come to the Smokies to do many things from hiking to driving to picnicking and camping and end up supporting the US and local economies along the way,” said Acting Superintendent Charles Sellars.
“We’re proud that tourism to Great Smoky Mountains National Park generates more than $2.8 billion for gateway communities near the park,” Charles added.
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park also had the highest cumulative benefit to the local economy of any other national park in the United States.
The next highest was the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, which saw $1.8 billion in visitor spending, followed by the Blue Ridge Parkway, where visitors spent $1.5 billion in gateway regions. However, the Golden Gate NRA saw the most visitors with 17,187,508 in 2024.
Despite leading in spending, the Smokies saw a 7% drop from 2023, when 13,297,647 visitors spent $2,198,538 in surrounding communities.
Spending is also down 3.2% from 2022, but remains 57% higher than 2021. In 2024, Sevier and Blount counties near the park saw local growth despite the overall decline, with Blount County reporting a 6% increase and Sevier County a 2.03% increase in visitor spending compared to the previous year.
The National Park Service also reported visitor spending for the state of Tennessee, where 12.6 million park visitors spent an estimated $1.7 billion in gateway regions while visiting NPS lands in 2024.
This spending supported 17,400 jobs, generated $882 million in labor income, contributed $1.6 billion in value added, and resulted in $2.5 billion in economic output statewide.
The 2024 figures marked an increase from 2023, when $10,545,648 in visitor spending was reported.
There are 13 national sites managed by the NPS in Tennessee, and the data shows steady growth in tourism-related spending across the state, with 2022 recording $1,368.6 million, 2021 at $869.7 million, and 2020 at $698.1 million.
This underscores the vital role national parks like the Smokies play in strengthening nearby economies while supporting the outdoor hospitality and recreation industry through consistent demand for lodging, campgrounds, and related services.