2021 was an incredible year for the $689 billion outdoor recreation industry. Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR) convened the cross-sector collaboration that allowed for huge industry wins while the sector continued to overcome pandemic-related challenges. ORR’s 2021 Annual Report outlines how the organization and its members provided breakthrough innovation, secured increased funding, worked for greater access to the outdoors for all Americans, and helped make critical infrastructure reform at a time when Americans’ desire to get outdoors surged.
Highlights of the year include:
- Momentum for the first-ever Outdoor Recreation Package that will streamline and improve the management of recreational opportunities across the country;
- Building a stronger bridge with federal and state agency partners with Partners Outdoors 2021, the conference’s largest iteration in decades, bringing industry, agency and other outdoor leaders together;
- Supporting a more inclusive outdoors by partnering with THOR Industries to create Together Outdoors, an initiative aimed at making outdoor recreation more welcoming and representative of the diversity of the United States;
- Spearheading major wins in the infrastructure package and federal relief bills;
- Creation of the Rural Economic Toolkit and grant program to support communities seeking to diversify their economies through outdoor recreation; as well as
- Meetings with agency leadership to advance outdoor recreation, hosting informative webinars to advance the media and public’s knowledge of outdoor recreation economy, supporting states’ efforts to build outdoor recreation economies, and much more.
As for 2022 and beyond, “The ORR team is enthusiastic about building out the next important growth phase of the organization with emphasis on industry thought-leadership and convenings, ensuring recognition of the recreation economy and policy developments at all levels that support a healthy business environment and recreation economy for the benefit of all Americans. This next year will be critically important for both our organization and the recreation economy at large and we are excited to dig into another year of dedication to our amazing members and the lands and waters that serve as the backbone of our strong sector,” – Jessica Turner, ORR President.