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Hawaii News

Parks give big bump to islands’ economy

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Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor, overall and detail views. For upcoming 50th anniversary of the Arizona Memorial. Honolulu Star-Advertiser photo by FL Morris2012 May 17_ CTY Arizona _ Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor, overall and detail views. For upcoming 50th anniversary of the Arizona Memorial.

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Snow on the summit of Haleakala, Maui.

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Aerial view of Kalaupapa National Historic Park. The park is run by the National Park Service and several Hawaii State Agencies. Access is restricted by permits issued by the State Department of Health, a local commercial tour agency or by special invitation by one of the residents in Kalaupapa. The only way to get to the park is by charter flight or by trekking the switch back trail by foot or mule.

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In Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, darkness falls on Kilauea Crater revealing a red glow from the lava on the crater’s floor. People brave the cold and drizzle to watch the red glow.

In 2015 visitors spent an estimated $364.5 million in local areas while stopping at National Park Service lands in Hawaii — a total up $24 million from the previous year, the U.S. government said.

The expenditures supported 4,500 jobs in Hawaii, $170.5 million in labor income and $448.3 million in total economic output. A total of 5.4 million people visited eight parks in the state, with a ninth, Honouliuli National Monument, not yet open to the public.

BY THE NUMBERS

Visitors spent $364.5 million in 2015 during their stops at national parks in Hawaii. The number of visitors includes:

1.57 million

USS Arizona Memorial

67,891

Kalaupapa National Historic Park

1.2 million

Haleakala National Park

1.8 million

Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park

Source: U.S. government

America celebrates the 100th anniversary of the creation of the national park system this year.

A new report found that national parks, national wildlife refuges, national monuments and other public lands managed by the U.S. Department of the Interior hosted an estimated 443 million recreational visits in 2015 — up from 423 million in 2014 — supporting $45 billion in economic output and 396,000 jobs nationwide.

“This report sends a strong signal to everyone that the Department of the Interior is a powerful, indispensable, economic engine,” Interior Secretary Sally Jewell said in a news release.

Jewell also said that many of Interior’s activities, such as scientific research and conservation of parks, wetlands and wildlife habitat, have economic values that are not easily calculated.

Among the parks in Hawaii, the World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument’s USS Arizona Memorial had 1.57 million visitors in 2015 which translated into $90 million in spending and $110 million in total economic impact factoring in park service, partner site and transportation jobs, and other contributors.

“We are honored to welcome visitors to WWII Valor in the Pacific National Monument and to share with them the incredible history of this sacred place,” said Superintendent Jacqueline Ashwell. “People come from all across the country and around the world to visit the USS Arizona Memorial and the Pearl Harbor Historic Sites. While they’re here they stay in hotels and eat in restaurants and take in other visitor attractions, infusing tens of millions of dollars into the local economy. We appreciate the partnership and support of our neighbors, and are glad to be able to give back to the people of Oahu in this way.”

2 responses to “Parks give big bump to islands’ economy”

  1. leino says:

    Parks are a huge part of what people in Hawaii do with their prime time. They are an important measure of our quality of live which significantly transcends a dollar valuation as the prime metric. Park goers really do not give two twits if it is Federal,State or City owned/operated. What they do care about is the basics : Is there a place to park, it it clean, [or as so often the case with restrooms in Hawaii how filthy is it … or if it is raining how many houseless bums are spending the night]. Is it safe or will i get ripped off? The only mayor who really got how important all Parks were was Frank Fasi. Our current Mayor has not made Parks a priority and it help to defeat him in the up coming election. We deserve better. Parks are one of our most important assets.

  2. Macadamiamac says:

    Thank the Feds for running those parks! Couldn’t imagine how neglected and abused they’d be if run by the city or state.

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