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News Release Date: September 5, 2024
WILTON/RIDGEFIELD – A new National Park Service report shows that 36,313 visitors to Weir Farm National Historical Park in 2023 spent $2,432,000 in communities near the park. That spending supported 26 jobs in the local area and had a cumulative benefit to the local economy of $3,508,000.
“I’m so proud that our parks and the stories we tell make a lasting impact on more than 300 million visitors a year,” said National Park Service Director Chuck Sams. “And I’m just as proud to see those visitors making positive impacts of their own, by supporting local economies and jobs in every state in the country.”
“People come to Weir Farm and many other national parks across the northeast supporting the US and local economies all along the way,” said Superintendent Linda Cook. “We’re proud that Weir Farm is an active contributor to job creation and generates $2,432,000 in revenue to communities and businesses around the park.”
The National Park Service report, 2023 National Park Visitor Spending Effects, finds that 325.5 million visitors spent $26.4 billion in communities near national parks. This spending supported 415,400 jobs, provided $19.4 billion in labor income and $55.6 billion in economic output to the U.S. economy. The lodging sector had the highest direct contributions with $9.9 billion in economic output and 89,200 jobs. The restaurants received the next greatest direct contributions with $5.2 billion in economic output and 68,600 jobs.
An interactive tool is available to explore visitor spending, jobs, labor income, and total economic contribution by sector for national, state and local economies. Users can also view year-by-year trend data. The interactive tool and report are available on the NPS
website.
To learn more about national parks in Connecticut and how the National Park Service works with Connecticut communities to help preserve local history, conserve the environment, and provide outdoor recreation, go to www.nps.gov/connecticut.
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About Weir Farm National Historical Park
Weir Farm National Historical Park is a National Park for Art, a place that has been inspiring artists since 1882 when America’s most beloved Impressionist, Julian Alden Weir, made it his summer home. Today, artists and visitors of all ages come to the park to enjoy the stunning landscape, walk in the footsteps of American masters, and create art! Learn more at
www.nps.gov/wefa and visit us on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/WeirFarmNPS, YouTube
www.youtube.com/WeirFarmNHS, and Instagram @WeirFarmNPS.
About the National Park Service
More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 430+ national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov, and on
Facebook,
Instagram,
Twitter, and
YouTube.