With the government shutdown imminent, many travelers are wondering what this means for planned visits to national parks and usage of government-funded programs and services.
In Utah, Governor Spencer Cox and the Office of Tourism have announced that the state’s so-called Mighty 5 national parks will remain open.
To make this possible, the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity has encumbered $5 million to ensure parks remain open, despite the government shutdown.
Utah plans to provide earmarked funds to cover basic operating expenses to various national parks foundations affiliated with the national parks. The foundations will not operate the parks—but will transfer state funds to the parks to underwrite basic operations. Essential services that will be covered include visitor centers, permitting, trash pickup, and bathroom cleanup.
Discussions are also underway with the Department of Interior to ensure plans are in place for shuttle operations in Zion and Bryce Canyon national parks.
“Our first priority is watching out for visitors who have traveled from all over the world to have once-in-a-lifetime experiences. We are also mindful of communities that rely on the visitor economy, and of course, protecting the natural environment of these beautiful places,” said Vicki Varela, managing director of the Utah Office of Tourism.
The Utah Office of Tourism provided some statistics on the impact of visitation to the state’s national parks:
- According to US Travel, the shutdown will cost the U.S. travel economy as much as $140 million a day and impact access to national parks and federal lands.
- The 2022 National Park Service Visitor Spending Effects Report revealed that Utah is among the top three states for total economic output from national park visitor spending, with a $2.6 billion contribution to the economy.
- Utah ranks among the top three states for jobs supported by national park economic output, with 23,300 livelihoods depending on the visitor economy.
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