Visitor Services

What this funds

The Visitor Services subactivity is central to the National Park Service mission, as it ensures meaningful experiences for park visitors through greater understanding and access to America's natural, cultural, historical, and recreational treasures. These experiences are facilitated through formal and informal experiential and educational platforms, leading to greater protection, appreciation, and enjoyment. Millions of visitors access Interior's public lands seeking inspiration and recreation, helping to grow the tourism and outdoor recreation industries. Visitors also come to learn and share the stories of our natural and cultural history. Visitor Services resources facilitate connecting to the great outdoors at NPS public recreation areas across the country and continue to expand access for the benefit of all Americans. Interpretation and education programming advances the NPS mission by providing memorable interpretive, educational, and recreational experiences that will help the public create and understand the purpose and relevance of park resources and stories and inspire stewardship actions to protect and enhance those resources and stories. Park-based Interpretation and Education programs engage millions of people annually, providing valuable insights into our public lands. This visitor engagement inspires and connects visitors of all ages to America's natural and cultural heritage. The NPS also works hand-in-hand with communities to engage people of all ages in meaningful and mutually beneficial volunteer opportunities. Sustained volunteerism on public lands reflects the interest of the American people to experience and protect national parks. NPS works in partnership with other Federal agencies to promote volunteer recruitment and management through Volunteer.gov; together, these agencies and bureaus using Volunteer.gov manage more than 280,000 volunteers who contribute more than 10 million hours of volunteer service annually, for an annual value of $334 million. Commercial Services oversees concession contracts and leases to ensure quality services and resource protection at park sites. Their collection of franchise fees and cost recoveries benefit the public, and they ensure affordable, appropriate visitor facilities and services. The Department is also considering the development of a future proposal for a new authority to allow the Secretary of the Interior and the Department's bureaus to enter into agreements with appropriate entities to license their owned or controlled intellectual property. The authority proposal will address a gap in the Department's ability to charge licensing fees and to use revenues therefrom to support certain mission- related activities including but not limited to addressing deferred maintenance and reinvesting in DOI properties. Licensing fees retained under this provision would remain available until expended, ensuring sustainable funding to carry out the Department's mission. The Department looks forward to working

Extracted from National Park Service, p. 20. Verbatim; nothing here is paraphrased.

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