The MIC (Irvine, California) says that motorcycling, ATV riding and side-by-side driving are among the country’s five largest traditional or conventional outdoor recreation activities in the United States - when ranked by economic output - according to U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis data.
This was the first time that the BEA provided preliminary data on economic contribution in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, demonstrating how important outdoor recreation is to both local business as well as the nation’s gross domestic product.
According to the BEA release, its Outdoor Recreation Satellite Account “shows that inflation-adjusted (real) GDP for the outdoor recreation economy grew by +3.9 percent in 2017, faster than the +2.4 percent growth of the overall U.S. economy. Real gross output, compensation and employment all grew faster in outdoor recreation than for the economy as a whole.”
The bureau defines “conventional” outdoor recreation as activities done for pleasure, such as camping, hiking, hunting and fishing, and involving some physical effort.
“We have long known that motorcycling, ATV riding and side-by-side driving are major contributors to the economy, to our country’s GDP, in so many ways,” said Tim Buche, outgoing President and CEO of the MIC. “We boost local economies, too, and not just through powersports dealers and retailers. Our enthusiasts book hotel stays, pay park fees, buy food, supplies and other gear they need for all sorts of great outdoor adventures. All of that makes them, and our industry, a powerful economic engine that merits the attention of policymakers and those who manage public lands.”
The BEA data reveals that outdoor recreation accounts for +2.2 percent of U.S. GDP, creating $778 billion in gross output, supporting 5.2 million jobs. Outdoor recreation in the United States is responsible for a larger share of GDP than many major industries, including chemical products manufacturing, farming and ranching, mining, and utilities.