03/25/2026
It was a wonderful day at the TN Outdoors Day on the Hill event. Tennessee Paddlesports Association had great representation today and numerous opportunities to speak with Representatives and Senators from across the state. As an Association, we continue to speak up for paddlesports outfitters and advocate for our industry, ensuring our voices are part of the conversation as decisions are made that impact our businesses and the waterways we operate on. It is important to continue to make our voices heard.
Also highlighted today was the importance of outdoor recreation to Tennessee’s economy. Just how big of an impact do we make? Well, here are the numbers…
$15.6 Billion generated for Tennessee’s economy in 2023
2.8% of total state GDP in 2024
114,000 jobs supported statewide
$6.2 Billion in wages and salaries in 2024
$5.9 Billion in travel and tourism spending linked to outdoor recreation in 2024
$1.4 Billion in state tax revenue in 2025
Those are some big numbers and show how important outdoor recreation is to our state and local economies.
