Outdoor recreation brings in $17.1 billion in Indiana

• The outdoor recreation industry accounted for 3.3% of Indiana's GDP last year — up slightly from 3.2% in 2023, when it brought in $15.7 billion.
• It also accounted for 3.3% of the state's total employment with 110,044 jobs.

The big picture: The outdoor recreation industry is valued at $700 billion nationwide, accounting for 2.4% of the U.S. economy and 5.2 million jobs, the BEA report found.

• GDP for the outdoor economy was up 2.7% in 2024 — a slowdown from 2023, when it rose 5.3% from the previous year.

By the numbers: The BEA study finds that the Hoosier State is the top spot in the U.S. for RV enthusiasts.

• Indiana ranks first in the U.S. for economic impact from RVing with $5.7 billion generated by the activity.
• It's also a top spot for boating ($1.3 billion); and sports like golf and tennis ($447 million).
• Cold-weather activities are also a growing economic driver: skiing and snowboarding generated $533 million, up from $383 million the year before.

The other side: Indiana was one of 14 states to see the industry lose jobs in 2024.

• Total outdoor recreation employment declined by 1.3% in Indiana from 2023 to 2024, despite nationwide growth of 1.1%.

State of play: Brandt Baughman, director of Indiana State Parks, told Axios that big investments are being made across the state to keep providing a peak camping experience.

• That includes the construction of a new campground at McCormick's Creek State Park, which was devastated by a tornado in 2023.
• "Campground reservations are increasing, with people camping earlier and later in the season, and we're frequently at full occupancy on holiday weekends," Baughman said.

Zoom in: Indianapolis' park system is poised for a big upgrade in 2026.

• More than 40 facilities are expected to undergo construction or get new amenities in 2026, representing nearly 20% of the city's 218 parks.
• Many of the projects are funded by either the city's $45 million Circle City Forward Initiative or an $80 million Lilly Endowment grant
• That work starts Thursday morning when a groundbreaking ceremony kicks off improvements at WISH Park on the city's northwest side, the first project to break ground this year.
• WISH will be fully renovated with a new playground, shelter, parking lot, sidewalks and more.

What they're saying: Indianapolis Parks and Recreation director Brittany Crone previously told Axios that she sees the city's parks as a "vehicle for wellness," noting that the improvements will raise Indy's profile as an outdoor destination while delivering long-term benefits to the neighborhoods around them.

• "We are actively seeing a resistance to the isolation plaguing our communities through the programming that we offer at our parks," she said. "I take great pride in my team and our ability to fight that (isolation) and reintroduce the idea that community can be together in a healthy way."

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