Great Smoky Mountains Natl. Park — Communities near the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area could have seen a boost in their economies in 2021, according to a report from the National Park Service.
They said visitors spent a total of around $29.3 million in communities near the park. They also said 834,724 visitors stopped by the park to spend time in the sun and experience the mountains.
The economic impact follows a national trend, according to the NPS. They said that visitors in parks across the U.S. spent a total of around $20.5 billion in communities within 60 miles of a national park. Most of that money was spent on lodging, according to the report. The second-highest sector visitors spent money in was restaurants.
That number is also just under 2019 levels, when park visitors spent around $21 billion. People only spent around $14.5 billion in nearby communities during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, in 2020.
Visitors also spent the most they ever have in Tennessee — a total of $870 million.
Big South Fork encompasses around 125,000 acres of the Cumberland Plateau. Several events are held there throughout the year.