Outdoor Recreation Hits $1.3 Trillion
The economic impact of outdoor recreation in the United States has now topped $1.3 trillion, underscoring the sector's massive significance for both lifestyle and the broader economy. This growth is driven by increased participation in hiking, camping, fishing, and other outdoor activities, validating the importance of access to parks and trails.
Data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis reveals the outdoor recreation economy generated a $1.3 trillion economic output in 2024. This sector now accounts for 2.4% of the nation's Gross Domestic Product (GDP), a value of $696.7 billion. The industry supports 5.2 million jobs, which constitutes 3.2% of the total employment in the United States. While the sector's inflation-adjusted GDP saw a 2.7% increase in 2024, this indicates a slowdown from the 5.3% growth experienced in 2023. Boating and fishing were the largest conventional recreation activities, contributing $38.4 billion to the economy. RVing followed, adding $27.5 billion. Among the states, Florida, California, and Texas were the largest contributors to the boating and fishing economy. Participation in outdoor activities reached a record 181.1 million Americans in 2024. Hiking was the most popular activity with 63 million participants. Significant growth in participation was noted among Black (+12.8%) and Hispanic (+11.8%) Americans, as well as seniors (+7.4%).
