National Parks Bring in Tourist Dollars

In terms of the share of international tourism expenditure linked to national parks, South Africa leads the world. 23% of all international visitor spending in the country is tied to its parks, according to data from the Mastercard Economics Institute. Zambia follows at 15%, making sub-Saharan Africa the clear global hotspot for park-driven tourism revenue. Finland ranks third at 7%, ahead of Argentina (6%), while Canada, Costa Rica, Switzerland, and Japan each sit at 5%. The remaining countries on the list cluster near the bottom. Brazil and New Zealand each record 4% of international visitor spending linked to national parks, despite both countries' reputations as nature-tourism destinations.