GATLINBURG, Tenn. (WATE) — The Great Smoky Mountains National Park brought in an estimated $2 billion in visitor spending to gateway regions in 2024.

The National Park Service released its 2024 National Park Visitor Spending Effects, which found that 12,191,834 park visitors spent $2,041,287 in communities near GSMNP. This spending supported 20,349 jobs and generated a total of $2,857,978 for the economies surrounding the park.

The report shows 95.2% of visitor spending was made by non-local visitors to the Smokies, with 76.3% in Tennessee and 23.7% on the North Carolina side. Lodging was the most directly affected sector in communities around the Smokies, at $974 million, followed by restaurants at $364 million. Take a look at the data available in this link.

“People come to the Smokie

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