Welcome to the National Park
Service Commercial Services Program web site
"Scenery is a hollow enjoyment to the tourist who sets out in the morning after an indigestible breakfast and a fitful night's sleep on an impossible bed."
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Stephen T. Mather, first Director of the NPS
Director Mather believed that only well-rested and well-fed visitors would be fully capable of appreciating the wonders of our national parks. The present day concession program is mindful of this legacy, ensuring that park visitors have access to high quality commercial visitor services at reasonable prices.
The concession program of the National Park Service administers over 600 concession contracts that gross over $800 million annually. Our concessioners employ over 25,000 hospitality industry people during peak seasons; providing services ranging from food and lodging, to white water rafting adventures. The National Park Service develops these contracts, and monitors the performance of concessioners.
Concessioners fill a vital role in helping the National Park Service carry out its mission. Private companies are drawn to the national parks to offer services to park visitors, which are not provided by National Park Service personnel. By welcoming the private sector as a partner in park operations, the National Park Service broadens the economic base of the region in general and the communities surrounding the parks in particular.
