Center for the Outdoor Recreation Economy
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VALUE OUTDOOR INDUSTRY PROVIDES

CONSUMER SPENDING ON OUTDOOR RECREATION

According to the Outdoor Industry Association’s 2017 National Recreation Economy Report, the outdoor recreation economy includes $887,000,000,000 in annual consumer spending, which includes the spending on outdoor products, trips and travel.

In response to the Outdoor Recreation Jobs and Economic Impact Act of 2016, the Bureau of Economic Analysis, in collaboration with outdoor industry stakeholders and other federal agencies, developed the Outdoor Recreation Satellite Account. This group provides valuable information on the outdoor recreation economy of the United States and the attributable effects on the overall U.S. economy, including employment in this sector. While ORSA does not provide data specific to Oregon, it does reveal the robust growth in the outdoor recreation economy.

887

billion dollars
Consumers spend $887 billion annually on the outdoor recreation economy nationally.
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IMPACT OF OUTDOOR RECREATION ON THE ECONOMY

In 2016, outdoor recreation accounted for 2.0% of current-dollar national GDP, comparable in size to both the mining and utilities industries. Additionally, the outdoor recreation economy grew 3.8% in 2016 dollars, faster than the 2.8% growth for the overall economy. Similarly, the average annual growth rate in 2012-2016 using current-dollars was 4.4% for the outdoor recreation economy versus 3.6% for the overall economy.

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The outdoor recreation economy generated similar number of jobs to the hospital sector and the transportation and warehousing sector.

JOBS IN THE OUTDOOR RECREATION ECONOMY

The outdoor recreation economy generated 4.3 million in-sector jobs in 2016, similar to the hospital sector (4.7 million) and the transportation and warehousing sector (4.7 million). Outdoor recreation is no longer a “nice to have.” It is a “must have” that provides a strong outlook for employment opportunities and an increase in demand for access to outdoor experiences.

people
$16.4 BILLION
in Oregon consumer spending
money%20(1)
$5.1 BILLION
in wages
+28%25
$749 MILLION
in state and local tax
revenue
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175,000
in Oregon jobs
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Discover What's Out There for You

About OREI

The outdoor industry is a powerhouse of meaningful job creation and a driving force of Oregon’s economy, creating a unique quality of life in rural and urban areas and attracting new businesses and professional talent to our communities.
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Workforce Training

Oregon State University has a proven track record of building custom and non-credit workforce trainings, from self-paced learning opportunities to online continuing education classes, and is uniquely positioned to do this work for the outdoor recreation economy.
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Career Pathways

There are many job opportunities in the outdoor recreation economy for those with the right skills and experience. We are currently building a database of job openings along with various pathways to help you build out your credentials and get to work.
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OREI

Who We Are

OREI was created to join forces with private and public partners to strategically address a critical need for workforce development identified in Oregon and beyond.

Learn more about the OREI team.

Get Involved

Take the first step to get involved with accelerating the growth of this rapidly expanding industry.

Contact us

We’d love to hear from you! Let us know if you have any questions or comments about the initiative!
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