UW’s WORTH Initiative Releases Report on Economic Benefits of Outdoor Recreation in Wyoming

The Wyoming Outdoor Recreation, Tourism and Hospitality (WORTH) Initiative at the University of Wyoming -- in partnership with the Wyoming Outdoor Recreation Office -- released a report indicating that, in 2022, Wyoming’s outdoor recreation industry contributed more to the state’s gross domestic product than all but three states nationwide.

The Cowboy State’s outdoor recreation industry generated $2 billion in 2022, or 4.1 percent, toward Wyoming’s GDP -- a 33 percent increase from 2021. The percentage contribution is greater than in neighboring states Colorado and Utah, and trails only Hawaii, Montana and Vermont.

The WORTH report documents several key elements of how the outdoor recreation industry contributes to Wyoming’s communities. Access the digital version of the report here.

The report compares the economic contribution of activities such as snow sports, hunting, fishing and off-roading, and underscores how outdoor recreation directly supports more than 16,000 jobs in Wyoming.

The report also describes the work of Wyoming’s outdoor recreation collaboratives -- in the Wyoming Outdoor Recreation Office -- that, in partnership with communities and other local and regional organizations, are creating new outdoor recreation activities or enhancing existing infrastructure. These efforts are helping to make natural spaces more accessible and inclusive for more users, ultimately attracting new audiences to enjoy Wyoming’s outdoors, says Dan McCoy, UW’s interim WORTH director.

“We were excited to, once again, collaborate with the Wyoming Outdoor Recreation Office to underscore the contributions of this important industry to Wyoming,” McCoy says. “The data and other information we have shared in this report demonstrate the support that Wyomingites and visitors have for our natural spaces, while recognizing the necessity of protecting these areas and planning for their future development in sustainable ways.”

WORTH seeks to support, expand and diversify Wyoming’s economy through outdoor recreation, tourism and hospitality industries. The initiative provides a number of services to these industries, including applied research, educational products and outreach. WORTH was initially made possible through Gov. Mark Gordon’s Wyoming Innovation Partnership.

For more information, visit www.uwyo.edu/worth, or call McCoy at (307) 766-5009 or email dan.mccoy@uwyo.edu.