In its quest for respect on Capitol Hill and state houses across the country, Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) released last week reports estimating the economic impact of outdoor recreation in all 50 states.

The reports, which tally direct spending, jobs, salaries and tax revenue, are meant to demonstrate how outdoor recreation is an important driver of state economies, supporting jobs, businesses and communities.
 
Outdoor recreation is a growing American industry that produces significant economic benefits, said Will Manzer, chair of the OIA Board of Directors and former CEO of Eastern Mountain Sports. For example, Americans spend almost twice as much on outdoor recreation as they spend on pharmaceuticals each year. And outdoor recreation supports more than twice as many jobs as the oil and gas industry.
The top 10 states for spending on outdoor recreation were reported as:
  • California: $85.4 billion in consumer spending, $27 billion in wages and salaries and 732,000 direct jobs.
  • Florida: $38.3 billion in consumer spending, $10.7 billion in wages and salaries and 329,000 in direct jobs.
  • New York: $33.8 billion in consumer spending, $12.4 billion in wages and salaries and 305,000 direct jobs.
  • Texas: $28.7 billion in consumer spending, $8.9 billion in wages and salaries and 277,000 in direct jobs. 
  • Georgia: $23.3 billion in consumer spending, $7.0 billion in wages and salaries and 231,000 direct jobs.
  • Washington: $22.5 billion in consumer spending, $71. Billion in wages and salaries and 227,000 in direct jobs.
  • Illinois: $22.0 billion in consumer spending, $6.7 billion in wages and salaries and 204,000 in direct jobs.
  • Pennsylvania: $21.5 billion in consumer spending, $7.2 billion in wages and salaries and 219,000 in direct jobs.  
  • North Carolina: $19.2 billion in consumer spending, $5.6 billion in wages and salaries and 192,000 in direct jobs. 
  • Michigan: $18.7 billion in consumer spending, $5.5 billion in wages and salaries and 194,000 in direct jobs.

Nine of the top 10 states that made the list are among the ten most populous states in the country. The one outlier was Washington, which is the 13th most populous state, according to U.S. Census estimates as of July 2, 2012. Ohio, the nations seventh most populous state, ranked 11th in the OIA report with $17.4 billion in consumer spending, $5.1 billion in wages and salaries and 196,000 direct jobs.

For purposes of the study, consumer spending includes all spending on gear, vehicles, trips, travel-related expenses and other expenses, such as instruction. As a result, many of the jobs attributed to spending on outdoor recreation occur outside the industry itself.
For instance, Southwick Associates, which prepares OIA economic impact studies, estimates that 2.33 million, or nearly 20 percent of the 12.0 million direct and indirect U.S. jobs it attributed to spending on outdoor recreation in 2011 were in the Accommodation and Food Services sector. Another 2.09 million jobs were in the Arts, Entertainment and Recreation sector, followed by 2.03 million jobs in Retail Trade, 608,248 in Manufacturing, 607,692 in Health Care and Social Assistance and 594,098 in Transportation and Warehousing.
Southwick prepared its estimates after analyzing data from a specially commissioned survey by Harris Interactive in 2011-12 and existing data from the 2006 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation commissioned by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Harris Interactive survey focused on participation and spending on human-powered and motorized outdoor recreation. OIA, the Motorcycle Industry Council, the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the American Sportfishing Association and the Western Governors Association (WGA) all helped sponsor the research. 
One of OIAs core missions is to represent the human-powered outdoor recreation industry in Washington D.C. But it lacks the resources needed to work effectively at the state and local levels, where many of todays critical public lands decisions are being made. For instance, many states, counties and municipalities have been closing parks and slashing funding for public lands in a bid to balance their budgets. In several western states, outfitters and sportsmen are fighting to private landowners seeking to cut off their access to waterways running through their property. With support from Utahs Congressional delegation and many of its rural counties, Gov. Herbert sued the U.S. government to gain jurisdiction of federal lands, including roads in national parks, he argued were ripe for oil and gas extraction or other development.
It is OIAs hope that industry executives and employees, local and regional activists and others will use its state-level economic impact data as they engage state legislators, their Congressional delegations and local elected officials on public policy issues.
OIA has been focusing on the industrys economic contributions since 2008 as the focus in Washington has shifted to creating jobs. The association argues that with nearly 140 million Americans participating in outdoor activities each year, outdoor recreation is a larger and more critical sector of the American economy than most people realize.

The outdoor industry can continue to generate jobs and be an economic driver in the United States if parks, waters and trails are managed as a system designed to sustain these economic dividends for America, OIA said in releasing its state-by-state breakdown last week.

Outdoor recreation is good for the American economy and our future, added Frank Hugelmeyer, president and CEO of OIA. When we invest in the nations network of public lands and waters, we are protecting and enhancing outdoor experiences for the benefit of the thousands of businesses, communities and families whose livelihoods depends on the outdoor recreation economy.

The national report as well as a one page fact sheet for each U.S. state is available on the OIA website at www.outdoorindustry.org/recreationeconomy alongside case studies and videos illustrating how OIA members and outdoor recreation in general have helped create jobs and reinvigorate communities.