NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – New Mexico’s 23 state parks brought in $266 million to boost the state’s economy in fiscal year 2024, according to the New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department.
“These impressive numbers demonstrate that New Mexico State Parks are essential to our state’s economic vitality and quality of life,” State Parks Division Director Toby Velasquez stated in a news release.
The State Parks Division of Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department partnered with The Arrowhead Center at New Mexico State University to analyze the state park system’s influence from 2019 to 2024.
The analysis found New Mexico State Parks made the following contributions in 2024:
- 5,120 jobs supported statewide
- $266 million contributed to the state economy
- $511 million in revenue generated for New Mexico businesses
- $162 million in labor income
- $40 million in state and local taxes.
“It is notable that New Mexico State Parks’ economic contribution is significantly higher than their expenditures due to the follow-on effects from visitor spending—which are very large,” Dr. Kramer Winingham, director of economic analysis at Arrowhead Center, said in the release.
The New Mexico State Parks Division manages over 190,000 acres across 35 parks in 23 counties. The division receives 25% of its operating budget from the state general fund and primarily relies on federal grants, user fees, dedicated taxes, and revenue from concessionaires to fund its work.
The division plans to invest an additional $56 million in capital improvements during fiscal years 25 and 26.
See the complete study and learn more state parks’ economic impact here.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
