Outdoor recreation brings in $59.4 billion in Texas
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Outdoor recreation contributed 2.1% of Texas' gross domestic product in 2024, according to new U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis data.
The big picture: The outdoor recreation economy accounted for 2.4% of U.S. GDP in 2024, according to recent U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis data.
- That's in current dollars, and equivalent to nearly $700 billion.
Catch up quick: GDP for the outdoor economy was up 2.7% in 2024 — a slowdown from 2023, when it rose 5.3% from the previous year.
Zoom in: Total recreation spending in Texas was more than $59.4 billion in 2024, behind only Florida ($65.3 billion) and California ($87.9 billion).
- The tallies include conventional outdoor activities like hiking, hunting and bicycling, other activities like outdoor concerts, and supporting work, like construction and tourism.
By the numbers: Conventional outdoor recreation added almost $17.8 billion to the Texas GDP.
- 🎶 Other outdoor recreation, including music festivals and amusement parks, added $9.2 billion to the state's GDP.
- 🧳 Tourism and other supporting work added nearly $32.5 billion.
🚤 Stunning stat: Boating and fishing accounted for nearly $3 billion of the state's GDP, closely followed by RVing, which accounted for about $2.7 billion.
- Boating and fishing were the biggest economic drivers nationwide among "conventional activities," adding $38.4 billion to the U.S. GDP.