COVID-19 and its impact on visitation and management at US national parks

Purpose National Park Service (NPS) units generate a significant economic impact for states and local gateway communities across the USA. Utah is home to 13 NPS with visitation accounting 18% of state's US$9.75bn tourism economy in 2018. Twelve units, including five national parks, are located Southern Utah, driving an that heavily dependent on tourism. This paper examines challenges opportunities visits parks post-COVID-19, generally specific context Utah. Although assumption will recover quickly, this critically examine how may change what adaptive measures alternative forms unit management be necessary. Design/methodology/approach By adopting holistic-inductive paradigm, utilizes descriptive case study approach. Data were collected variety mediums focusing interviews key stakeholders around Findings The results from highlight various faced vis-à-vis changing patterns visitation, necessary due COVID-19 their future marketing touristic purposes. Originality/value impacts often-neglected yet area within tourism, yielding implications industry, visitors destination communities.