Mesa Verde National Park brought far more tourism to the region in 2014 than 2013.

The government shutdown that closed the park for 16 days in October 2013 hurt tourism regionally, but the park came back strong in 2014, said Carol Sperling, chief of interpretation and visitor services.

The park drew about 502,000 visitors who spent about $50 million in 2014. The previous year, about 460,000 people spent about $45 million in the region, according to a report from the National Park Service.

The Park Service estimates all the money was spent in communities within a 60-mile radius of Mesa Verde.

A growth in visitation was seen in most parks across the county, and it is expected to continue, said Jeff Olson, a spokesman for the National Park System.

Nationally, 292.8 million park visitors spent $15.7 billion in communities near parks in 2014.

Locally, Mesa Verde is one of the three largest drivers of tourism for Durango along with the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad and Purgatory Resort, said Bob Kunkel, executive director of the Durango Area Tourism Office.

Despite Mesa Verde’s closure, Durango’s monthly revenue from a lodgers tax continued to increase in 2013 and have maintained steady growth ever since, he said.

“Durango is not a one-attraction destination,” Kunkel said.

Durango could have yet another strong summer for tourism if gas prices remain low and there are no natural disasters, like wildfire, he said.

Mesa Verde staff members are also hoping for good visitation, but it’s still early in the season to say anything definitive, Sperling said.

“It’s on track at least for average,” she said.

mshinn@durangoherald.com