The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce, released national and state economic data for 2023, revealing that outdoor recreation, including the outdoor hospitality sector, continues to be a major driver of the U.S. economy, jobs and local communities. This is the seventh consecutive year that the BEA has released government data on this critical industry sector.
“The Outdoor Hospitality Industry, including private RV parks, campgrounds and glamping businesses, undoubtedly plays a vital and growing role in the outdoor recreation economy and this is evident in this latest BEA data,” said Paul Bambei, president and CEO of OHI (Outdoor Hospitality Industry).
“Camping is often the catalyst for other outdoor recreation activities, including fishing, boating, hiking, biking, and many more,” Bambei continued. “And a growing number of younger generations, families and diverse campers are creating lasting memories together while on these adventures. These campers are spending an average of $50 per person, per day in communities where they are camping, which helps fuel economic growth locally and nationwide.”
This new government data shows outdoor recreation generated $1.2 trillion in economic output, comprised 2.3% of U.S. GDP and supported 5 million jobs — 3.1% of all employees in the country. This is the largest recorded measure since the BEA started calculating the size of the outdoor recreation economy in 2012.
According to newly revised data in this year’s release from the BEA, the outdoor recreation economy has grown 36% in real terms since 2012. These new figures reveal that the outdoor recreation economy contributes more to the U.S. economy than farming, mining, and utilities.
Specifically, RVing and camping was the second-largest conventional activity for the nation at $26.3 billion in current-dollar value added and was the largest conventional activity in 11 states. The states with the largest contributions were Indiana ($4.7 billion), Texas ($2.5 billion) and California ($2.0 billion).
OHI’s Government Affairs team has been actively meeting with members of Congress in Washington advocating for the value that small businesses in the Outdoor Hospitality Industry, including RV parks, campgrounds, glamping and supplier businesses, provide for our nation’s overall outdoor recreation economy, as well as partnering with the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable, a coalition of more than 40 outdoor recreation organizations.
“With over $1.2 trillion in economic output and generating 5 million jobs, this marks another year of growth for the outdoor recreation economy, underscoring its resilience and importance across the nation,” said Jessica Turner, president of Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR). “The new BEA data highlights outdoor recreation as a cornerstone of our economy, generating jobs, supporting small businesses, and providing essential opportunities for Americans to engage with the outdoors for health, connection, and quality of life. This new data should signal to policymakers and leaders across the country that investing in outdoor infrastructure and access must remain a national, bipartisan priority.”
