A just-released National Park Service report for 2011 states that the roughly 9 million visitors to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park spent $818 million in communities near the park.

In addition, the spending also supported 11,732 jobs.

“Visitors from across the U.S. come to Great Smoky Mountains National Park to experience the unique natural and historic attractions, which has a tremendous economic impact on eastern Tennessee, western North Carolina, and especially the park’s gateway communities,” said Superintendent Dale Ditmanson.

The statistics are part of a report conducted by Michigan State University for the National Park Service which studies the spending of national park visitors across the country.

Nationwide, there was $13 billion of direct spending by 279 million visitors to communities within 60 miles of a national park. Overall, the spending contributed $30 billion to the U.S. economy and helped support 252,000 jobs.

To view the full report click here and then and click on “Economic Benefits to Local Communities from National Park Visitation, 2011.”