"Tourism-oriented messaging in the media is likely a main driver of increased national park visitation, according to one study"
In the 2010s, national park media visibility grew by over 3,900 percent, driven mostly by tourism-oriented articles referencing multiple national parks, according to a 2026 research study (attached) looking at 426,000 digital media articles. During the same time period, national park visitation increased by 29 percent, and federal budget support for parks declined by 15 percent.
Because much of the current national park media attention focuses on tourism, the study points out that “ecotourism marketing has displaced public attention from critical issues associated with environmental, wildfire and wildlife management.” This hyper focus on tourism may intensify tensions with the dual mandate of the Park Service to preserve environmental and cultural resources for future generations and to ensure their public accessibility for recreational enjoyment.
The study notes that articles associated with tourism grew dramatically following the 2007–2008 financial crisis, which disrupted the news media industry, giving rise to high-throughput content production and pay-per-click advertising. The researchers did not observe similar media production increases associated with fire, climate, safety, and wildlife management.
The increase in tourism-oriented messaging, which is likely designed primarily to stimulate visitation, according to the study, may increase challenges related to the management of parks by reducing the efficacy of messaging around conservation and responsible park use. The researchers underscore that tourism media messages are overwhelming media topics relevant to effective park management, including those related to natural disasters, recreational safety, and endangered wildlife."
Jennifer Roberts reports for National Parks Traveler May 13, 2026.
