Our 423 national parks are a vital part of our nations economy especially for gateway communities where millions of visitors each year find a place to sleep and eat, hire outfitters and guides, and make use of other local services that help drive a vibrant tourism and outdoor recreation industry.
In 2021, visitor spending in communities near national parks resulted in a $42.5 billion benefit to the nation’s economy and supported 322,600 jobs.
A new National Park Service report shows that 270,716 visitors to Bandelier National Monument in 2021 spent $18,963,000 in communities near the park. That’s been in support of 254 jobs in the local area and had a cumulative benefit to the local economy of $24,794,000.
Where is Valles Caldera National Preserve during all these positive additions to the local economies? Why aren’t they contributing to the local communities? What kind of visitation does Valles Caldera have? What kind of opportunities and experiences does Valles Caldera provide the local and international communities? They are an International Dark Sky Park. Valles Caldera National Preserve (U.S.) – International Dark-Sky Association (darksky.org) . Do they allow visitation within the preserve to experience the Dark Sky? Do they limit access, hours and number of visitors?
The parks in the southwest with International Dark Sky Park (IDSP) designations are a huge contributor to their local economies due to the daytime and nighttime draw for visitors. Half the park is after dark.
Astrotourism, a branch of travel that has a disproportionately high economic impact because it necessitate an overnight stay and benefits from the long nights in winter, which is typically the off-season for many tourist areas. It brings in dollars to less-visited regions. Of the three national park units in the area, Valles Caldera is the only one with the IDSP designation. It should be pulling in people from around the country and around the world not only during the day but during the night hours as well. The IDSP designation should have helped elevate Valles Calderas visibility as a destination and also a way to connect with their local communities. These activities draw more tourists and tend to increase the length of stay and corresponding economic benefit to those communities.
The Valles Caldera boasts that visitation is exploding over the past few years when they say they get 76,000 visitors a year (compared to Bandelier’s 270,716 visitors right next door). In actuality, the park released that they only had 10,000 vehicles enter the preserve, past the entrance booth, last year. Why?
– Guest editorial
