Outdoor Travel Reference
A current snapshot of the public numbers shaping time outside, overnight escapes, and the places people travel to experience them.
Updated August 21, 2026
The figures below draw from public federal releases. Each statistic includes its source and reporting period so readers can follow the number back to the original publication.
$696.7 billion
The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis reported this current-dollar value added for the outdoor recreation economy.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Outdoor Recreation Satellite Account, 2024 data released in 2026 ↗2.4%
Outdoor recreation accounted for 2.4% of national economic output, according to the same federal release.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024 data released in 2026 ↗2.7%
Real gross domestic product for outdoor recreation increased 2.7% in 2024.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024 data released in 2026 ↗$174.4 billion
This was the largest industry group within the outdoor recreation economy, accounting for one quarter of its value added.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024 data released in 2026 ↗29.5%
The federal measure groups activities such as hiking, boating, bicycling, and hunting in this category.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024 data released in 2026 ↗331.9 million
National Park Service sites welcomed more than 331 million recreation visits across the year.
Source: National Park Service, 2024 Visitor Use Statistics ↗Method & Sources
This page uses published U.S. government data only. Economic figures are reported in the terms used by their original source. Visitor counts reflect recreation visits, not individual people, because one traveler may visit more than once.
Cite This Page
“Camping & Glamping Statistics.” The Haven at Cooke County, updated August 21, 2026, https://thehavenatcooke.com/camping-glamping-statistics.