Virtual Briefing on the Outdoor Recreation Economy Set for March 5

On March 5, at 11:00 a.m. ET, the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR) will host a virtual briefing to unveil new economic data from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), offering a fresh look at the performance and resilience of America’s outdoor recreation economy.

The briefing will highlight key national and state economic data and analysis, including how the outdoor industry continues to bolster local economies, create jobs and demonstrate strength despite ongoing headwinds. The new dataset for 2024—delayed due to the government shutdown last year—offers the most up-to-date insights on the sector’s economic footprint and its importance to communities across the country.

Industry leaders from ORR, BEA economists and policymakers will participate in the discussion, providing expert analysis. Additional panelist information is forthcoming.

Register for the Zoom Here

The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) will release statistics measuring the outdoor recreation economy in 2024 for the nation, all 50 states, and the District of Columbia. This will be the eighth consecutive year that the BEA has released government data on the outdoor recreation economy.

Prior to 2017, the federal government did not measure the economic impact of outdoor recreation. The bipartisan Outdoor Recreation Jobs and Economic Impact Act (Public Law No: 114-249) was signed into law in 2016, which required the federal government to measure the sector’s impact on the economy to help inform policy makers and business leaders about the number of jobs created and consumer spending driven by outdoor recreation industries. The law also requires that the Commerce Department submit a comprehensive analysis to Congress capturing the outdoor recreation sector’s contribution to the economy.

This annual data is vital to showing how the outdoor recreation industry has a significant impact on the national economy and job creation and contributes to the health and vitality of the nation.