Tourism to Whitman Mission National Historic Site creates $3.3 million in Economic Benefits

WALLA WALLA— A new National Park Service (NPS) report shows that 49.3 thousand visitors to Whitman Mission National Historic Site in 2018 spent $2.9 million in communities near the park. That spending supported 37 jobs in the local area and had a cumulative benefit to the local economy of $3.3 million,” according to a National Park Service media release.

“Whitman Mission National Historic Site brings people from across the country to learn about the park’s story,” said Superintendent Mike Gauthier. “National park tourism is a significant driver in the national economy and it’s a big factor in our local economy as well. We 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 and Egan Cornachione of the U.S. Geological Survey and Lynne Koontz of the National Park Service. The report shows $20.2 billion of direct spending by more than 318 million park visitors in communities within 60 miles of a national park. This spending supported 329,000 jobs nationally; 268,000 of those jobs are found in these gateway communities. The cumulative benefit to the U.S. economy was $40.1 billion.

Lodging expenses account for the largest share of visitor spending, about $6.8 billion in 2018. Food expenses are the second largest spending area and visitors spent $4 billion in restaurants and bars and another $1.4 billion at grocery and convenience stores.

 Visitor spending on lodging supported more than 58,000 jobs and more than 61,000 jobs in restaurants. Visitor spending in the recreation industries supported more than 28,000 jobs and spending in retail supported more than 20,000 jobs, according to the release.

 Whitman Mission National Historic Site is located eight miles west of Walla Walla, Wash. on Whitman Mission Road. The Visitor Center is open 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Wed. – Sun. Admission is free. For more information, please contact Whitman Mission National Historic Site at 509-522-6360, or visit www.nps.gov/whmi.