Wyoming’s outdoor recreation industry sets new record

CHEYENNE (WNE) — The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis recently reported that the outdoor recreation industry remained a significant economic driver in 2023, contributing $2.2 billion to Wyoming’s economy — equivalent to 4.1% of the state’s GDP — placing Wyoming fifth nationally in this sector.

The total value added by outdoor recreation rose from $2.02 billion or 4.1% of state GDP in 2022, representing a $132 million overall increase to the state’s GDP from 2022 to 2023.

Compared to other states, Wyoming’s recreation sector is nearly double the national average in terms of percentage of state GDP. Employment in the sector saw a 0.4% increase from 2022 to 2023, accounting for 15,798 jobs or 5.3% of the state’s total employment.

Many outdoor recreation activities saw continued growth in 2023.

Hunting/shooting/trapping was the third-largest conventional activity for the nation at $14 billion in current-dollar value added and was the largest conventional activity in Wyoming.

Wyoming’s top five contributing outdoor recreation activities also included RV’ing, boating/fishing, snow activities and equestrian activities.

Nationwide, the outdoor recreation economy accounted for $1.2 trillion, or 2.3% of the U.S. GDP. Outdoor recreation accounts for 3.1% of all U.S. employment, or 5 million total jobs.

This story was published on November 21, 2024.