Tourists Spent $55 Million Near Mesa Verde National Park In 2015

CORTEZ, Colo. (AP) - The more than 547,000 people who visited Mesa Verde National Park last year spent $55.4 million in nearby communities.

A new report from the National Park Service shows that visitor spending also supported 814 jobs in the area.

Park Superintendent Cliff Spencer says national park tourism is a "significant driver" in the national economy and a "big factor" in the local economy.

The visitor spending report shows that the funds helped support nearly 7,000 jobs throughout Colorado and had a $667 million impact on the state economy. It also says park visitors in 2015 spent the most on lodging, followed by food and beverages, gas and oil, admissions and fees, and souvenirs and other expenses.

(© Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)