Vermont Business Magazine An Economic Impact Report conducted by Consulting EconomistCharles Lawton, PhDon behalf of the American Camp Association, Northeast Region reveals that the youth camping industry provides economic benefits to the Northeast and has a direct financial benefit of$3.2 billionannually on nine states includingConnecticut,Maine,Massachusetts,New Hampshire,New Jersey,New York,Pennsylvania,Rhode IslandandVermont. There are over 6,000 licensed camp programs in the Northeast that employ almost 175,000 people seasonally and 10,000 full-time.
A similar study in 2012 indicated thatVermont'sapproximately 148summer youth camps account for over $57.5 million in direct impact on the state's economy. In that study, the economic impact of summer camps in the nine-state region also was estimated at $3.2 billion.
The direct economic impact of the youth summer camp industry comes from three main sources:
- Employment
Almost 175,000 seasonal workers and 10,000 full-time workers in the regions camps receive more than$1.1 billionin wages. The 16-to-24 age group holds most of the seasonal jobs, helping a demographic with a national unemployment rate of 8% (2016 statistic). Besides the economic impact, youth camps also foster the non-academic life skills that U.S employers seek when hiring for jobs. These are the skills that aren't learned in school and can't be measured on standardized tests including creativity, communication, leadership, resilience and teamwork. - Spending
Including payroll, camps spend more than$2.5 billionon goods and services in the Northeast including food, supplies, fuel, marketing, banking, maintenance and repair in small, local communities who rely heavily on this income. - Camps as Tourist Destinations
Each summer, millions of young people go to day and overnight camp in the Northeast. As a result, there is a great deal of intra-regional, out-of-region and out-of-country tourism. Family trips surrounding drop-off day, pick-up day, visiting day, and visits from prospective campers are common. The communities surrounding camps see increased spending on lodging, meals, transportation, shopping and recreation by families visiting camps and campers. According to the American Camp Association, Northeast Region's Economic Impact Study, when theindirecteconomic impact, which includes tourism, is added in, the total economic contribution to the Northeast rises to$8 billion.
Combining payroll, operational and capital spending, the total annualdirecteconomic impact of the youth camping industry in the Northeast is more than$3.2 billion.
ACA New England (www.acanewengland.org) & ACA New York &New Jersey(www.acanynj.org) are 501(c)3 organizations that ensure the quality of summer camps and serve as a primary source of summer camp information and resources. Both organizations are affiliated with the American Camp Association headquartered in Martinsville, Indiana.
SOURCE LEXINGTON, Mass.andNEW YORK,June 6, 2017/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --ACA, New England; ACA,New YorkandNew Jersey