MIC, ROHVA, SVIA help with recreation study
The Motorcycle Industry Council, the Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association and the Specialty Vehicle Institute of America are partnering with the Outdoor Industry Association and the Western Governors’ Association to create a comprehensive report documenting the recreation industry’s contribution to jobs and the economy in the Western states and throughout the nation.
The announcement about the study came last week from Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire, chair of the WGA. She was joined by Kathy Van Kleeck, senior vice president of government relations for the MIC, SVIA an ROHVA; and Frank Hugelmeyer, president and CEO of the OIA.
“In the past, the motorized and non-motorized groups have published their own reports and analyses using different methodologies,” Gregoire said. “With this joint effort, policymakers and the public will get a more complete picture of the positive impacts these industries have on the Western economy.”
The study will build upon the methodologies used in the 2006 Active Outdoor Recreation Economy Report produced by OIA’s non-profit supporting arm, the Outdoor Foundation. The study falls under an umbrella WGA initiative launched by Gregoire called “Get Out West!” which focuses on tourism and the recreation economies in the West. The report is expected to be completed by late summer.
“We are delighted to partner with WGA and OIA to finally produce comprehensive data on the contribution that the entire recreation community provides to the U.S. and state economies,” Van Kleeck said. “We expect this study to validate previous less extensive analyses that have shown the enormous beneficial impact that both motorized and non-motorized recreation have on the economy and on U.S. employment.”
