BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY (NC) — The Blue Ridge Parkway has just reached a tourism peak and is contributing more money to the local economy than ever before.
In 2023, nearly 17 million visitors to the Parkway contributed nearly $1.4 billion to the local economy and over 19,000 jobs, according to a press release.
Since hitting the billion dollar mark in 2017, numbers on the Parkway have continued to rise, with 2023 set to be the largest local increase yet. Since riding on the Parkway is free, the money comes from other areas.
The biggest expenses are for accommodation, restaurants and gasoline.
You can see this here: Impacts of Visitor Spending – Economic Contributions of National Park Visitor Spending – Social Sciences (US National Park Service) (nps.gov)
The accommodation sector also provides the most jobs.
Speaking to Blue Ridge Parkway External Relations Specialist Leesa Brandon, she tells News 13 how important the Blue Ridge experience is: “The importance of the relationship between local communities and the Blue Ridge Parkway cannot be overstated. Visitors spend money in the local community, they enjoy outdoor recreation and the beauty of the scenery on the Blue Ridge Parkway. They eat at restaurants, they stay at hotels. They visit attractions and that relationship, that Parkway experience, happens both on the Parkway and off it.”
It is also important to note that while the Parkway directly contributes about $1.4 billion to the local economy, this amount goes even further, totaling $1.8 billion.
So far, their numbers are on par with 2023, but to know for sure, we’ll have to wait until after their most popular time, the leaf-color season.
