MUNISING — A new National Park Service report shows that approximately 781,000 visitors to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in 2017 spent more than $33 million in communities near the park. That spending also supported 425 jobs in the local area.

“Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is an amazing place and we are proud to welcome visitors from across the country and around the world,” said Superintendent David Horne in a news release. “We are delighted to share the rich natural and cultural history of this area, as well as the incredible recreational experiences it provides. We are also honored that the national lakeshore serves to introduce new visitors to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and the many resources it has to offer.

“National park tourism is a significant driver in the national economy, returning $10 for every $1 invested in the National Park Service, and it’s a big factor in our local economy as well. We greatly appreciate the partnership and support of our neighbors and are glad to be able to give back by helping to sustain local communities.”

The peer-reviewed visitor spending analysis was conducted by economists Catherine Cullinane Thomas of the U.S. Geological Survey and Lynne Koontz of the National Park Service, according to the NPS news release.

The report shows $18.2 billion of direct spending by more than 330 million park visitors in communities within 60 miles of a national park. This spending supported 306,000 jobs nationally; 255,900 of those jobs are found in these gateway communities. The cumulative benefit to the U.S. economy was $35.8 billion.

The lodging sector received the highest direct contributions with $5.5 billion in economic output to local gateway economies and 49,000 jobs. The restaurants sector received the next greatest direct contributions with $3.7 billion in economic output to local gateway economies and 60,500 jobs.

According to the 2017 report, most park visitor spending was for lodging/camping (32.9 percent) followed by food and beverages (27.5 percent), gas and oil (12.1 percent), souvenirs and other expenses (10.1 percent), admissions and fees (10.0 percent) and local transportation (7.5 percent).

Report authors also produced an interactive tool that enables users to explore visitor spending, jobs, labor income, value added and output effects by sector for national, state and local economies. Users can also view year-by-year trend data. The interactive tool and report are available at the NPS Social Science Program webpage: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/socialscience/vse.htm

To learn more about national parks in Michigan and how the National Park Service works with Michigan communities to help preserve local history, conserve the environment, and provide outdoor recreation, go to www.nps.gov/Michigan.