Outdoor recreation economy added 2.5% to Arkansas GDP in 2023

The outdoor recreation economy added 2.5% to Arkansas gross domestic product (GDP) in 2023, above the U.S. average of 2.3%, and outdoor recreation jobs were 3% of Arkansas’ total jobs, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA).

The BEA data, posted Thursday (Nov. 21), is most recent federal data providing a picture of the outdoor recreation economy nationwide and in the 50 states.

BEA data shows that the GDP value of Arkansas’ outdoor recreation economy was $4.503 billion in 2023, which was 2.5% of the state’s total GDP.

The data also shows that 40,987 Arkansas jobs were directly tied to the outdoor recreation economy in 2023, which is 3% of total jobs in the state during the year. Salaries and wages tied to outdoor economy jobs were valued at $2.01 billion in the BEA report, which was 2.2% of the state’s total salaries and wages in 2023.

Thursday’s federal report shows that the value added of the outdoor recreation economy accounted for 2.3%, or $639.5 billion, of current-dollar GDP for the nation in 2023. Inflation-adjusted – “real” – GDP for the outdoor recreation economy increased 3.6% in 2023, better than the 2.9% gain for the overall U.S. economy, but a decline from the 10.2% gain in 2022.

“Across all 50 states and the District of Columbia, outdoor recreation employment increased in 49 states and the District of Columbia in 2023, ranging from 7.5 percent in Alaska to −4.8 percent in Indiana,” the BEA noted in the report.

Following are other notes from the BEA report.
• Outdoor recreation activities fall into three general categories: Conventional activities such as bicycling, boating, hiking, and hunting; Other activities such as gardening and outdoor concerts; and Supporting activities such as construction, travel and tourism, local trips, and government expenditures.

• In 2023, conventional outdoor recreation accounted for 31.4% of U.S. outdoor recreation value added, compared with 32.7% in 2022. Other outdoor recreation accounted for 20.1% of value added in 2023, compared with 19.% in 2022. Supporting activities accounted for the remaining 48.5% of value added in 2023, compared with 47.6% in 2022.

• Boating/fishing was the largest conventional activity for the nation at $36.8 billion in current-dollar value. RVing was the second-largest conventional activity for the nation at $26.3 billion in current-dollar value. Hunting/shooting/trapping was the third-largest conventional activity for the nation at $14 billion in current-dollar value added.

• Snow activities for the nation was $7.7 billion in current-dollar value added and was the largest conventional activity in Colorado, Utah, and Vermont.

• For the nation, the arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation, and food services industry group was the largest contributor to U.S. outdoor recreation current-dollar value added in 2023, accounting for $165.2 billion, or 25.8%.

• Retail trade was the second-largest industry group for the nation, at $156.3 billion or 24.4% of value added.

• Manufacturing was the third-largest industry group for the nation, at $86.7 billion or 13.6% of value added.