Study: State parks have $95M impact on Maine

CAMDEN – Not surprisingly, the 2 million annual visitors to Maine’s state parks are boosting the state economy as well as filling admission fee coffers.

“We’ve always known we had a big impact on the Maine economy,” Conservation Commissioner Pat McGowan said Wednesday in a gathering at Camden Hills State Park.

Now, a recently completed study quantifies that impact, he said.

Within Maine’s $7.5 billion tourism economy, the state park system is contributing every bit of its share, McGowan, Gov. John Baldacci and Maine State Chamber of Commerce President Dana Connors said during a barbecue lunch for a dozen state park employees.

Visitors to the 42 developed and staffed state parks and historic sites from June to October of last year were given a mail-back survey, and 2,328, or almost 69 percent, responded.

The survey revealed those visitors spent $58 million during their stays, which, when coupled with $8.7 million spent by the state on park operations, spurred an additional $28.9 million in spending that rippled through the economy.

According to the study, which was prepared for the Department of Conservation by the Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center at the University of Maine, some $95 million in economic activity could be linked to the state parks.

The spending and multiplier effect support 1,449 jobs and create $31 million in personal income, the study concluded.

In addition, $5.9 million in sales, income, property and other tax revenues and fees were generated by visits to the parks, along with $2.2 million in admission fees.

Looking at the direct spending of $58 million alone, the study found that $48 million was spent on trip-related items like gas, groceries, restaurant meals, lodging, souvenirs and other things. Almost $7 million was spent on outdoor recreation equipment like clothing, coolers, packs, beach toys, binoculars and watercraft. About $2.5 million was spent on camping equipment.

“The parks make a great difference in the state of Maine,” McGowan said, and “help thousands of small businesses.”

Dana Connors, president of the Maine State Chamber of Commerce, said the role of the park system is often overlooked by Mainers.

“It’s too often we take for granted what we have,” he said. “Now that we know, we’re going to tell the rest of the world.”

Connors said in touting Maine as a place to do business when he travels, he advocates for the state’s quality of people and products.

“It’s also the quality of place,” he said.

“It’s so important to us,” Baldacci said. “We need to share [the results of the study] with other people in Maine.”

Dave Miramant, a retired airline pilot who operates a scenic glider business in Owls Head, lives near Camden Hills State Park.

“Every day I get to see it through fresh eyes,” he said, as he observes visitors enjoying the area.

In addition to its economic benefits, the park system should be valued for “what it brings to our hearts,” he said.

McGowan said he believes the tendency to dismiss tourism – the state’s largest business sector – as seasonal and providing only part-time jobs is diminishing. Businesses like Maine Sport in Rockport and L.L. Bean in Freeport, as well as kayak touring businesses, rely in large part on tourism-related spending.

Other information that came from the survey included:

. 95 percent of respondents rated their park visit as good or excellent.

. Nearly 85 percent expected to visit a state park or historic site more than once, and over half expected to visit four or more times.

. Nearly half indicated the park as a destination was the primary purpose of their trip.

. About two-thirds of the respondents were from Maine and just under one-third from out of state.