Outdoor recreation leaders urge $200,000 study to map economic impact and guide investments

Outdoor recreation stakeholders told the House Committee on Commerce & Economic Development on April 1 that Vermont's outdoor economy remains large but is growing more slowly than peer states and would benefit from a targeted economic‑impact study to guide investment priorities.

"For the record, I'm Nick Bennett. I'm the executive director of the Vermont Mountain Bike Association and I am the chair of the Vermont Trails and Greenways Council," Bennett said before summarizing recent Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) data. He told the committee that outdoor recreation contributed about $2.16 billion to Vermont's GDP in 2023 and was updated to about $2.18 billion in 2024, but that the sector lost roughly 300 jobs in the most recent year and Vermont slipped in rankings among states. "If Vermont had merely grown at the national average of 2.8% that would have been another $43 million into Vermont's economy," Bennett said, arguing that a focused study could identify where modest investments would yield the greatest economic returns.

Bennett described the study proposed in S.327 as a regional sampling and extrapolation analysis with several aims: to identify local pathways by which outdoor recreation delivers economic benefits; to quantify stewardship and climate risks (flooding in 2023 and 2024 was cited as a major example); to assess the role of private landowners (who host roughly 70% of trails) and explore how to secure access; and to recommend strategic public and private investments. Bennett said the request was mindful of budget constraints and noted the bill asked for $200,000 to conduct the study.

Kelly Alt, executive director of the Vermont Outdoor Business Alliance (BOBA), reinforced Bennett's testimony and highlighted industry headwinds. "A recent report identified that Vermont companies have paid $10 million in tariffs in 2025," Alt told the committee, saying tariffs and reduced Canadian visitation are suppressing retail and hospitality activity. Alt urged the committee to support both the economic‑impact study and BOBA’s outdoor entrepreneur technical assistance program — a smaller, ongoing program that provides business coaching, capital strategy cohorts and trade show support to early and mid‑stage outdoor companies.

Committee members pressed witnesses on the study's expected return on investment and potential funding sources; witnesses said they were exploring federal and foundation match opportunities but had not identified firm leads. Several members emphasized the need for the study to be action‑oriented, producing investment priorities and concrete recommendations rather than only descriptive analysis.

No appropriations request was adopted by the committee at the April 1 meeting. Committee members said they would continue to consider the study request alongside budget constraints and possible external matches, and they thanked witnesses for the data and for proposing concrete, targeted aims.