In 2017, the growth rate in national park visits within the Tucson MSA was 16.2 percent, double the previous year’s growth. Tucson ranked second among peer western MSAs behind El Paso. Colorado Springs and Portland posted a decline in the number of visitors to national parks located in their respective regions, while the growth in visitors to national parks across the U.S. remained flat. Recreational land and outdoor leisure opportunities attract visitors to a region which can serve as an important input for local retail and service sectors. Additionally, recreation land provides communities with direct social and economic benefits and has been linked to amenity driven economic development, increased real estate values, and positive public health outcomes.
