How much visitors spend
Estimate visits and visitor spending at lodging, restaurants, retail, and outfitters, and separate local residents from visitors who travel from outside the region.
Economic impact analysis
We estimate how parks, trails, waterways, and recreation projects support local businesses, jobs, income, and tax revenue. Public agencies use our economic impact and contribution studies in master plans, funding requests, and public discussions.
What an economic impact study tells you
We work with park agencies, state recreation offices, water and flood agencies, and planning teams at local, regional, and statewide scales across the United States.
Jobs, income, and tax revenue
Trace how visitor spending, park operations, and capital investment support jobs, labor income, value added, and state and local tax revenue in your county, region, or state.
What a proposed project could add
Build visitation scenarios for new or improved facilities based on comparable sites, regional population, and travel patterns, and estimate construction effects.
Economic impact or economic contribution?
The two terms are often used interchangeably, but they answer different questions. We help you choose the measure that fits your decision.
Economic contribution
Measures all economic activity associated with a park or recreation system, including spending by local residents. It shows the role a place plays in the local economy today.
Economic impact
Measures only the activity that would not happen without the park or project, such as spending by visitors from outside the region or new visits a proposed facility would attract. It is the right measure for evaluating a new investment.
Why the difference matters
Contribution estimates are usually larger than impact estimates for the same place. Reporting the right one, with sources and assumptions, keeps findings credible with budget officers, funders, and the public.
How we do it
We combine data science with economic analysis and share findings through reports, concise summaries, maps, and web-based tools. Our studies make sources, assumptions, and limitations clear.
Visitation
Combine visitor counts, reservation records, and anonymized mobile location data to estimate visits, visitor origins, and seasonal patterns, including at sites with little existing data.
Visitor spending
Build spending profiles from published research and visitor surveys, matched to activities and trip types.
Regional economic modeling
Use input-output models such as IMPLAN and RIMS II to translate direct spending into jobs, labor income, value added, and supply-chain effects.
Tax revenue
Estimate the state and local tax revenue that recreation spending supports.
Economic impact and contribution projects
All projects- Yolo Bypass Recreation AnalysisSacramento Area Flood Control Agency · Yolo Bypass, California $3.62 million in business activity and 20 jobs from visitor spending
- St. Anthony Whitewater Park Economic AnalysisCity of St. Anthony · St. Anthony, Idaho $3.2 million a year in local spending in a 35,000 visitor-day scenario
- Outdoor Recreation in the Upper American River WatershedEl Dorado Water Agency · Upper American River Watershed, California Spending, jobs, wages, and tax revenue from 7 million visitor-days
- ICON Water TrailsICON Water Trails · Des Moines, Iowa Jobs, wages, and tax revenue in Polk County from 252,000 visits
- Statewide Analysis of Outdoor Recreation in NevadaNevada Division of Outdoor Recreation · Nevada County-level contributions from about 1,500 recreation sites
- Chesapeake Parks, Recreation and Tourism Master PlanCity of Chesapeake · Chesapeake, Virginia Contributions of park operations, capital projects, and visitor spending
Common questions
Can you estimate the impact of a park that hasn’t been built yet?
Yes. For proposed facilities we develop visitation scenarios from comparable sites, regional population, and travel patterns, then estimate spending and construction effects for each scenario. Our St. Anthony Whitewater Park analysis is one example.
What if we don’t have reliable visitor counts?
Many sites don’t. We combine the records you have, such as counters, permits, or reservations, with anonymized mobile location data to estimate visitation and where visitors come from. See visitor use studies.
What area does the analysis cover?
We define the study area with you. It is usually a county, a multi-county region, or a state. Our statewide Nevada study, for example, gives each county its own results.
Does economic impact include the value of recreation itself?
No. Economic impact measures spending and the jobs and income it supports. The value people receive from recreation beyond what they spend is measured separately. See recreation value and public benefits.
Where do you work?
Across the United States. Recent clients include public agencies in California, Idaho, Iowa, Nevada, Ohio, and Virginia.
Discuss your project
Tell us about the park, trail, or investment you need to evaluate.
Contact Radbridge