Ozark Riverways gives big boost to regional economy

VAN BUREN, Mo. -- Matt Jackson expects to see a 20 percent increase in business during the summer recreation season as people flock to the Current River for floating, boating and fun.

Jackson owns Scenic River Cabins, which is lodging located just minutes from the heart of Van Buren and one of two rivers that flow through the Ozark National Scenic Riverways.

Visitors to the national park spent an estimated $16 million on lodging in 2015, according to a recently released report.

The annual National Park Visitor Spending Effects catalogues economic contributions to local communities.

Communities within 60 miles of the Riverways, a more than 80,000-acre park, saw an economic effect of $58.4 million.

That comes from nearly 1.3 million visitors, who rented cabins, ate in restaurants, bought gas and spent money in towns such as Van Buren and Eminence.

"Ozark National Scenic Riverways welcomes visitors from across the country and around the world," superintendent Larry Johnson said in a news release. "National park tourism is a significant driver in the national economy, returning $10 for every $1 invested in the National Park Service, and it's a big factor in our local economy as well."

At more than one-third of visitor spending, lodging is affected the most. Food and beverage follows that at about 20 percent, according to the report. Gas, admission fees, souvenirs and other expenses each make up between 9 percent to 12 percent of the remaining spending.

Tourism has grown in the area around the Riverways in the last decade, spurred by the four-lane expansion of U.S. 60, Jackson said.

Travelers see the beautiful river and want to come back to stay, he said.

Jackson was born and raised in Van Buren. He started with five cabins in 2013 and will add three before the season starts.

He expects to make 80 percent of his cabin rental income in the busy months between May and September, weather permitting.

Mother Nature plays as much of a role in generating visitor spending as the highway or national park, according to cabin operators.

The year recorded by this report also saw a recreation season dominated by cool temperatures and frequent flooding.

Jackson estimated July storms alone cost him as much as $18,000 in weekend bookings that had to be refunded. That doesn't count lost revenue from walk-ins during the weekdays, he said.

Other operators described it as one of the worst tourism seasons on record for businesses that have eight to 12 weeks out of the year to make the majority of their income.

The Riverways still reported 835 jobs generated by the presence of the Riverways and more than $19 million in labor income for 2015.

The Riverways appreciates the partnership and support of its neighbors and are glad to help sustain local communities, Johnson said.

"We are delighted to share the story of this place and the experiences it provides," he said. "We also feature the park as a way to introduce our visitors to this part of the country and all that it offers."

Visits to the Riverways made up almost 40 percent of all 3.2 million visits to a national park in Missouri. Spending by visitors to the Current and Jacks Fork rivers equaled about 23 percent of the statewide total of $233.9 million, the report states.

The peer-reviewed visitor spending analysis was conducted by economists Catherine Cullinane Thomas of the U.S. Geological Survey and Lynne Koontz of the National Park Service, according to a news release. The report shows $16.9 billion of direct spending by 307.2 million park visitors in communities within 60 miles of a national park. This spending supported 295,000 jobs nationally; 252,000 of those jobs are found in these gateway communities. The cumulative benefit to the U.S. economy was $32 billion.

For more information, call (573) 323-4236 during business hours from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, or visit the park's Facebook page or website at nps.gov/ozar.