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VITAL TO HEALTHY PEOPLE AND A HEALTHY ECONOMY!

The U.S. recreation industry is large and diverse, totaling well in excess of $400 billion in conomic activity annually. And it is consumer driven – only about 5% of this spending is by federal, state or local governments. It has many important characteristics including:

1. a predominance of small businesses providing recreation services – campgrounds and guides, dealers and marina operators;
2. a solid U.S.A.-based manufacturing component, especially in two key segments: recreational boats and recreational vehicles (RVs); and
3. an essential role in allowing the American public to benefit from its shared legacy of public lands and waters.

Some 1,700 boat builders, engine manufacturers, and marine accessory manufacturers are represented by the National Marine Manufacturers Association. They produce more than 80% of U.S.-produced recreational marine products. With more than 59 million boaters nationwide, the recreational boating industry is a major consumer goods industry with expenditures on recreational marine products and services of $37.5 billion in 2007 alone.  Recreational boating has an overall economic impact in the country of over $100 billion annually. The U.S. boating industry is comprised mostly of small- and medium-sized businesses, and its products are primarily made in America by American workers. In 2007, recreational boating directly and indirectly impacted 337,758 U.S. jobs with a labor income of $10.4 billion. Nearly 19,000 boating businesses employ more than 154,000 U.S. workers.  Additionally, boaters are middle-class Americans – 75 percent of boat owners earn an annual household income of less than $100,000, and 95 percent of boats in use are less than 26 feet in length (in other words, trailerable boats). (Source: National Marine Manufacturers Association)

The importance of the RV industry is similar. There are an estimated 12,300 RV-related businesses in the nation with combined revenues of $37.5 billion in 2006, including a combined payroll of nearly $5 billion for American workers in the manufacturing, retail and service sectors – employment which, as with boating, totals some 150,000. One out of every 12 American households owns an RV – a category that ranges from inexpensive popup tent campers to large, self-propelled motorhomes. Today, there are 8.5 million RVs in operation. Seventy percent (70%) of RV production is located in Indiana, and another 15% is located in Oregon and California. Retail and service employment is more evenly dispersed across the nation. There were 98 manufacturers of recreation vehicles in 2006; 11 have ceased operation in the last year and a half, contributing to dramatic regional impacts. Elkhart County, Indiana, now has the highest unemployment rate in the United States. (Source:
Recreation Vehicle Industry Association)

Sales of RVs and boats and related products are also important underpinnings for federal, state and local government operations. State and local sales tax receipts from industry sales exceed several billions of dollars annually. Registration and other fees linked to these activities also generate billions of dollars annually for state transportation, boating and water safety programs and are vital to operations of countless state and federal recreation sites. 

Another large segment of the U.S. recreation industry is the horse industry. The economic impact of the U.S. horse industry surprises many people. Based upon a 2005 report by Deloitte Consulting LLP on behalf of the American Horse Council Foundation:

• There are 9.2 million horses in the United States
• 4.6 million Americans are involved in the equine industry as horse owners, service providers, employees and volunteers – which means that 1 out of every 63 Americans is involved with horses.
• 2 million Americans own horses.
• The horse industry has a direct economic effect on the United States of $39 billion annually – and non-racing aspects of the horse industry constitute 73% of that activity.
• The industry provides 460,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs and spending by suppliers and employees generates additional jobs for a total employment impact of 1.4 million FTE jobs.
• The horse industry pays $1.9 billion in taxes to all levels of government
• There are horses in every state, and 45 states have at least 20,000 horses.

The Deloitte study shows that the horse industry is highly diverse and supports a wide variety of activities in all regions of the country. It combines the primarily rural activities of breeding, training, maintaining and riding horses with the more urban activities of operating racetracks, horse shows and public sales. The study further disproves assertions that the horse industry involves only wealthy individuals. Approximately 34% of horse owners have a household income of less than $50,000 and 28% have an annual income of over $100,000. In fact 46% of horse owners have an income between $25,000 and $75,000. (Source: American Horse Council)

Another key segment in recreation is $10+ billion snow sports industry. There are more than 10 million active skiers who make some 60 million visits each year to the nation’s ski areas. They spend about $3 billion annually on ski and snowboarding equipment, accessories and clothing. U.S. ski area employ well over 300,000 persons nationally, seasonally and full-time – and the National Ski Areas Association reports average spending per skier visit of nearly $80 for lift tickets, rentals, lessons and food – or $5 billion in annual spending at the nation’s ski resorts alone. There are 480 ski areas in 35 states – and enthusiasts in all 50 states. US ski resorts are also significant lures for visitors from overseas – about 6% of the total number of skier visits. And ski resorts are typically in rural counties with otherwise limited economic bases. 

The snow sports market contains more than 1,200 suppliers and 2,800 specialty and chain retail establishments. In fact, about 30,000 jobs are associated directly with the snow sports market for hard and soft goods, many of them small manufacturing jobs.  According to the “multiplier effect” of manufacturing jobs, more than 100,000 jobs are created in the U.S. economy by the snow sports market for equipment apparel and accessories. (Source: National Ski Areas Association and SnowSports Industries America) 

In addition to the many ski areas on national forests, many other businesses operate on federally managed lands and waters: concessioners in national parks; outfitters and guides on lands managed by a number of federal agencies; marinas and campgrounds, again on lands managed by multiple agencies; tour companies serving domestic and international groups.

Concessioners in national parks have been attracting and taking care of park visitors for over 100 years. Annual economic activity is nearly $1 billion annually – generating tens of millions of dollars in franchise fee payments to the parks. Like the National Park Service itself, concessioners are committed to long-term protection of park resources and sustainability. Concessioners employ 25,000 full-time and seasonal employees and serve more than 100 million visitors to the national park system each year, operating rustic cabins, campgrounds and legendary lodges, providing transportation on classic "red buses" and new-technology trams and offering pack trips into the backcountry, houseboat rentals, food, raft trips and retail shops. Similarly, outfitters and guides on federally managed land employ more than 50,000 full and part-time workers and are an important component of the economic fabric of rural economies. In Montana 1,000 outfitters employ 4,300 guides and serve 318,670 guests with a combined economic impact of $167.6 million. In Colorado 950 outfitting businesses employ over 7,000 full and part-time employees. Most are dependent upon permits for access to federally-managed lands. Over 500,000 people take guided whitewater raft trips in Colorado each year. (Sources: National Park Hospitality Association and America Outdoors)

America’s 34 million hunters and anglers are an economic powerhouse, driving the economy. They’re passionate about their pastimes and they spend passionately too: $76 billion annually. If a single corporation grossed as much as hunters and anglers spend, it would be among America’s 20 largest, ahead of Target, Costco and AT&T. But hunters' and anglers’ influence goes even further. They directly support 1.6 million jobs. They spend more than a billion dollars just on licenses, stamps, tags and permits. And they generate $25 billion a year in federal, state and local taxes. (Source: Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation)

Annual retail sales of recreation equipment at sporting goods stores and the sporting goods departments of major retailers are monitored by the National Sporting Goods Association.  Key annual sales for selected recreational activities include:

(Source: National Sporting Goods Association)

The recreation industry is proud of its leadership on environmental matters. We have actively supported protection of public lands and waters, clean air and more. We can document that the environmental consequences of recreation related to greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental issues are often less than those associated with other leisure activities, and there is clear evidence that participation in outdoor fun is linked positively to active lifestyles, combating chronic illnesses which now represent 75% of the nation’s healthcare costs.