Last week, we celebrated the launch of a key report showcasing the importance of outdoor activity on the economy, communities and national wellbeing.
Commissioned by members of the Sport and Recreation Alliance's Water Recreation and Outdoor Pursuits divisions, of which we’re proud to be involved, the Reconomics 3.0 report was launched in at Westminster on Monday 26 January.
The findings clearly show that outdoor recreation is not only a major economic driver – especially in rural areas – but also a vital contributor to mental and physical health, community connection and environmental awareness.
Some headline points include:
- 34 million people use outdoor recreation, including 1.9 million children (3.1 million more people than were participating 10 years ago)
- 1 million jobs are generated by outdoor recreation, with the total value to the UK economy sitting at £22 billion
- Outdoor participation & volunteering produces healthcare savings of about £5 billion.
The report also highlighted that almost £5 billion of the total £22 billion value is contributed by the horse industry. Additionally, jobs related to the equestrian industry have been identified as the second greatest employer in rural areas, after farming.
Our Director of Access, Mark Weston, was there to mark the occasion: “It’s incredibly important to us that we’ve been able to input into this report and represent the equestrian community. These findings come at a critical time, as we face growing challenges around public health and environmental sustainability.
“It shows just how truly powerful outdoor recreation is and why we must continue to do all that we can to make horse-related activities as accessible as possible for everyone. We hope this report will be a vital tool when it comes to carrying out future lobbying activity that supports this mission.”
The research for the new report was undertaken by the Sport and Recreation Alliance in partnership with Leeds Beckett University.
You can view the summary of the Reconomics 3.0 here, and the full report is available here.