As Yellowstone National Park opens for its summer season, the Wyoming Office of Tourism’s latest report is a reminder as to how important tourism is to the Park County and state economies. 

The Wyoming Office of Tourism released the 2025 Wyoming Economic Impact of Travel report last week, revealing that the state’s visitor economy has reached a historic milestone in spending: Total travel spending reached $5 billion statewide, a 2.8% increase over 2024. 

In Park County, direct travel spending increased from $519 million in 2024 to $538 million in 2025. That’s second only to Teton County, where spending rose from $1.759 billion to $1.847 billion. Spending in third-place Laramie County rose from $464 million to $485 million.

While sectors like manufacturing, mining and oil and gas still generate the most overall output, the report says travel has seen the strongest long-term growth, expanding its GDP by an average of 6.1% per year since 2019.

The analysis was conducted by Dean Runyan Associates.

“Wyoming’s visitor economy continues to prove that when we focus on what’s authentic, people take notice,” Gov. Mark Gordon said in a release. “This record level of spending is more than a number, it reflects real support for our communities, our small businesses and the livelihoods of thousands of Wyoming families. Travel plays an important role in funding essential services like schools and infrastructure, while showcasing the very best of what makes Wyoming special.”

The outlook for Wyoming’s travel industry remains positive heading into peak travel season.

“Wyoming’s strength as a destination comes from the experiences it offers that others can’t,” said Domenic Bravo, executive director of the Office of Tourism. “That’s reflected in the state's continued growth, and it gives us confidence heading into the summer season and beyond.”

The impact is felt directly at the household level. In 2025, travel-generated tax revenue contributed approximately $1,200 per Wyoming household, the report says.

In Park County, direct spending from tourism has risen 14.4% since 2019, while earnings from those employed in the industry rose 26.7% over the same time period. 

Locally, the spending represents $138.5 million in earnings and employs 4,230 people — nearly 20% of the county’s workforce and more than double the state average, the report says. The employment number is actually down from 4,460 people the year prior. 

Local tourism spending also resulted in $25.5 million in tax revenue, with accommodation and food service the top two costs for travelers.

Across the state, 75% of visitors were non-Wyoming residents, with 9% being international visitors.  

As the Park County Travel Council prepares its new marketing campaign for the tourism season, it is also making a point to take care of international tourists with pamphlets and guides in a variety of languages, from French and German to Mandarin and Japanese. 

“It’s a great resource for international travelers and we've already spoken to a few partners about it; they're absolutely just out of their mind excited,” Marketing Manager Katrina Southern said. “So we hope to continue that program in the future, but it’s a great stepping point for everyone.”

In all, 2.767 million overnight visitor nights were recorded in Park County in 2025, up from 2.747 million in 2024, with visitors spending an average of $487 and 2.7 days per trip.