Report: Visitors to national parks add $252M to isle economy

Visitors to seven national parks in Hawaii pumped more than $252 million into the community and supported about 3,420 jobs in the state, according to a recent report from the National Park Service.

Haleakala National Park, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Kalaupapa National Historical Park, Kaloko-Ho­nokohau National Historical Park, Pu’uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park, Puukohola Heiau National Historic Site, and World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument were included in the report, which analyzed economic data from 2010, the most recent year available.

The report confirms the economic value that "the people and businesses owners in communities near national parks have always known," said NPS Pacific West Regional Director Chris Lehnertz.

"In Hawaii communities, national parks are clean, green fuel for the engine that drives the economy, Lehnertz said.

According to the report, the World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument is Hawaii’s most popular national park attraction. Some 1.37 million visitors toured the free monument in 2010 and spent $53.6 million in the community.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park welcomed the second-highest visitor count among NPS sites in the state. Some 1.3 million visitors spent nearly $88.3 million there in 2010, according to NPS statistics.

"Our 2011 figures were up 3.6 percent over 2010," said Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Superintendent Cindy Orlando. "As many as 1.352 million visitors came here last year — that is consistent with visitation to the island."

The economic benefits of increasing visitors spread throughout the community, Orlando said. Only 20 percent of the 1,000 people who work in Hawaii Volcanoes are NPS employees, she said.

"All of that payroll spending is multiplied many times over," Orlando said. "The traditional parks are also in our local communities in other ways. The park service administers grants to states and provides technical assistance to states and counties that enhance the economic value."

For example, an NPS grant to Waiohinu Park in Ka‘u upgraded its infrastructure, she said.

Maui also reaped the benefits from Haleakala National Park, which was the third-most-popular Hawaii NPS site in 2010. That year, Haleakala welcomed 1.1 million visitors and generated $74.9 million in spending.

"We’re up 3 percent for 2011," said Sarah Creachbaum, Haleakala National Park superintendent. "We had 1.13 million arrivals last year. We tend to follow the flight patterns, so as Hawaii welcomed more visitors from the Asia-Pacific so did we."

About 100 full-time employees work at Haleakala, which is one of Maui’s major employers, Creachbaum said. However, the park currently supports about 906 jobs, she said.

"There are all sorts of jobs and spending sources," Creachbaum said. "Some of the most familiar are the tour bus drivers and the folks that lead the guided hikes and horse rides. We also have interpreters and food suppliers."

Lodging, food and beverage services, which was the biggest contributor to park service jobs and spending in Hawaii, accounted for 52 percent of the 2010 economic impacts at NPS sites statewide. Other retail supplied about 29 percent of NPS spending and jobs in Hawaii, while entertainment and amusements totaled 10 percent, local transportation contributed 7 percent and groceries 2 percent.

While the 2010 results were good, Hawaii’s national parks and historic sites are expecting to get a boost from an executive order signed in January by President Barack Obama establishing visa and foreign visitor processing goals and a task force on travel and competitiveness. A task force goal will encourage international and domestic visitors to check out national treasures, including national parks, wildlife refuges, cultural and historic sites, monuments and other public lands that attract travelers.

"Any time we have assistance in highlighting all the things that the national parks have to offer, that assistance is welcome," Creachbaum said.

To further bolster international arrivals, Haleakala also is exploring a sister-park relationship with Halimun Guunung Salak National Park in Indonesia, she said.

"Sister partnerships are good for generating international business," Orlando said. "We help promote each other."