Hatteras, N.C. (WTKR) – A report from the National Park Service is breaking down the impact last year’s government shutdown had on visitation and spending in communities with National Parks.
The report, “Effects of the October 2013 Government Shutdown on National Park Service Visitor Spending in Gateway Communities,” includes the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
According to the report, visitors to the Cape Hatteras National Seashore were down 30% and visitor spending was down $2.4 million.
The report shows that the October average from 2010-2012 had Cape Hatteras National Seashore with 134,892 visitors spending $8 million.
In October 2013, when the government was shut down for sixteen days from October 1-16 , visitation dropped to 94,729 people spending just $5.6 million.
North Carolina ranked third in the report among states most impacted by the government shutdown.
Hatteras Island’s economy was also hit again in December 2013 when the Bonner Bridge, the only highway link to the mainland, was shut down for 12 days after NCDOT determined critical levels of erosion had occurred around bridge pilings.
You can read the complete report from the National Park Service’s Natural Resource Stewardship and Science office by clicking here.
