Yosemite National Park and local business say tourism is down amid overcrowding concerns

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK (KFSN) -- It was concern arsenic accustomed astatine the Yosemite Visitor Center successful Oakhurst connected Friday.

But officials inactive accidental tourism is down by 10 percent this year.

"Tourism is 1 of our largest economical drivers successful Madera County and successful the Southgate Yosemite. About 4,500 jobs successful Madera County trust connected tourism. So, this is simply a large manufacture for america here," Brooke Smith with Visit Yosemite says.

Smith believes the cognition of an overcrowded parkland is wherefore radical are staying away.

But section businesses say, adjacent if overcrowding becomes an issue, determination are plentifulness of different spectacular sights to spot successful the Sierra.

"The thrust up to Mariposa Grove is amazing. You spell done a fewer creeks, there's a tiny waterfall that you get to see, there's immoderate beauteous meadows," Mimi Beck with Yosemite Adventure Company says.

She says she has noticed a diminution successful visitors this twelvemonth compared to erstwhile years.

"Last year, for example, determination was a 2 hr hold to get into the park. And so, this twelvemonth we person not been experiencing that, truthful it is simply a large clip to travel up to Yosemite," Beck says.

One of those taking vantage of the shorter lines is Leandro Previsdomini. He and his woman traveled much than 6,100 miles from Italy to sojourn Yosemite.

"I americium precise fascinated of trees and nature, of this beauteous large state due to the fact that I person lone seen successful the movie," Previsdomini says.

After years of seeing the United States connected TV, Previsdomini is yet visiting.

He says traveling to the United States is costly but getting to acquisition quality and each that Yosemite has to connection is genuinely priceless.

"To spot a small squirrel, to spot a small bird, the emotion is precise important to me. And I deliberation this beauteous onshore tin springiness maine a batch of emotion, truthful I'm precise happy, Yosemite is precise famous," Previsdomini says.

Officials accidental aft Friday, August 15, reservations volition nary longer to beryllium required to sojourn Yosemite National Park.

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