Cheyenne, Wyo. – March 5, 2026 – The U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) recently reported that the Outdoor Recreation Industry remained a steadfast economic driver for Wyoming, generating $2.3 billion, representing 4.5% of the state’s GDP, the fifth highest percentage of GDP in the United States, and an increase over 2023. In addition, the outdoor recreation industry in Wyoming increased the number employed from 2023 to over 16,500.

At the national level, the BEA’s data shows that outdoor recreation generated $1.3 trillion in economic output (2.4% of GDP), comprised 3.2% of U.S. employees, and accounted for 5.2 million jobs in 2024.

This is the eighth consecutive year that BEA has released government data on this critical industry. Today’s release confirms the role of outdoor recreation as a central contributor to thriving economies, healthy people, and connected communities, but growth slowed in 2024 as inflation, interest rates, and shifting consumer behavior in the post-COVID recovery impacted participation.

Key highlights from the 2024 data on the outdoor recreation economy in Wyoming:

• Since 2023, Wyoming’s outdoor recreation compensation has matched the national growth at 5.2%.
• The percent of total employment in Wyoming’s outdoor recreation industry was 5.5%, substantially higher than the national average of 3.2%
• Wyoming is tied with Florida in fourth place nationally, with 3.8% of total statewide compensation in the outdoor recreation sector. Nationally, the percentage of total compensation is 2.2%.

However, Wyoming experienced weaker growth in economic impact and employment in outdoor recreation compared with the national trend. Since 2023, economic impact from outdoor recreation and employment each grew only 0.5%, below U.S. growth rates (4.0% for economic impact and 1.1% for employment).

The Wyoming Office of Outdoor Recreation, in partnership with the Jay Kemmerer Wyoming Outdoor Recreation, Tourism, and Hospitality (WORTH) Institute at the University of Wyoming, highlighted key aspects of these recently released statistics.

“The outdoor recreation industry continues to be a significant contributor to Wyoming’s economy,” stated Mark Tesoro, Manager for the Wyoming Office of Outdoor Recreation. “Our Office is focused on helping to reshape where people recreate: educating, dispersing, and reconcentrating user groups ensures the wealth that comes from recreationists is spread to communities across the state.”

Hunting/shooting/trapping generated the largest economic activity in Wyoming, bringing in nearly $109 million. Wyoming’s other top contributing outdoor recreation activities included RVing, boating/fishing, equestrian, and snow activities, including snowmobiling.

Dan McCoy, Director of the Jay Kemmerer WORTH Institute, shared, “Outdoor recreation continues to generate meaningful economic benefits for Wyoming communities. Beyond GDP contributions, these numbers translate directly into employment, local business revenues, and investments that enhance the quality of life across both rural and gateway communities.”

View the full report at www.bea.gov/data/special-topics/outdoor-recreation.

For more information about the Wyoming Office of Outdoor Recreation, please visit wyorec.com. For more information about the Jay Kemmerer WORTH Institute, please visit https://www.uwyo.edu/worth.

Contacts:
Mark Tesoro, (307) 679-2507; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Dan McCoy, (307) 766-5009; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.