PHOENIX – The Arizona Office of Outdoor Recreation, which serves as a hub of strategy, support and collaboration for the success of the state’s $11.7 billion outdoor recreation industry, is expanding its capabilities by establishing a full-time program administrator at Arizona State Parks and Trails (ASPT) with continued support and coordination from the Arizona Office of Tourism (AOT).

The outdoor recreation office was created within AOT in Nov. 2022 as a response to conversations with several public and private stakeholders who expressed a desire for state-level guidance on issues impacting the use, fair access and conservation of Arizona’s wide array of multi-use public lands.  

Going forward, Neil Large, program administrator at Arizona State Parks and Trails, will lead the office. Its efforts include positioning Arizona’s outdoor offerings as a top choice for residents, visitors and industry partners while ensuring businesses, land managers and other stakeholders are empowered and all the beautiful state assets are conserved for future generations to enjoy.  

“Establishing an Arizona Office of Outdoor Recreation within Arizona State Parks and Trails is essential for us to coordinate at the federal level to ensure we bring opportunities to our state’s outdoor recreation industry to Arizonans and visitors alike,” said Lena Allen, director of sustainability for the Arizona Office of Tourism and founding director of the Arizona Office of Outdoor Recreation. “This evolution of the office opens bandwidth, expands support opportunities and positions our outdoor industry for long-term success. We look forward to continued support for this work and watching it grow.” 

Investing in the success and ongoing competitiveness of Arizona’s outdoor industry is a win not only for outdoor enthusiasts, but for all Arizonans.  

Outdoor recreation delivers an $11.7 billion annual economic impact to Arizona and a $563 billion economic impact to the U.S. as whole according to Bureau of Economic Analysis 2022 data, which supports the need for the Office of Outdoor Recreation and its mission supporting the industry and delivering a competitive advantage for Arizona. 

The Arizona Office of Outdoor Recreation efforts are guided by five pillars: Environmental Conservation & Stewardship; Education & Workforce Development; Economic Development; Exercise, Health & Wellness; and Equity, Access & Inclusion. These pillars align with priorities identified in the Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) completed by Arizona State Parks and Trails in 2023.  

“Arizona is known as a destination with amazing outdoor recreation options,” said Neil Large, the new program administrator. “We want people to understand that outdoor recreation benefits the state’s economy, job market, and rural communities. Our goal is to expand the reach of our outdoor-related grants program, tell Arizona’s unique story, and entice more people to build memories in the outdoors.”

More About State Parks:

In 2025, Arizona State Parks and Trails will begin work on its five-year visitor survey, which will feed into a new economic impact report. Data from 2020 shows that the statewide economic contribution of visitor spending in and around Arizona State Parks, including multiplier effects, was $449 million in sales. Arizona State Parks contributed an estimated $272 million to Arizona’s Gross State Product. Through visitor spending in local economies, Arizona’s state parks supported an estimated 4,200 jobs statewide. The news for trail use statewide is even better. The economic value from non-motorized trail use in Arizona by in-state residents, based on a midpoint estimate, is $8.3 billion per year. The economic value from motorized trail use in Arizona by in-state residents is an estimated $5.2 billion per year.

About the Arizona Office of Tourism: The Arizona Office of Tourism works to strengthen and grow Arizona's economy through travel and tourism promotion, positioning Arizona as the leading tourism destination for domestic and international travelers. In 2023, tourism employed more than 187,000 Arizonans and contributed over $4.2 billion in tax revenue to our federal, state and local economies. 

PRESS CONTACTS

Arizona State Parks and Trails - Michelle Thompson (480) 589-8877 - pio@azstateparks.gov 

Office of Tourism: Josh Coddington (480) 438-4700 - jcoddington@tourism.az.gov