A new National Park Service report shows that in 2015, 316,270 visitors to Bradenton's De Soto National Memorial spent $16 million in communities near the park, a total that supported 253 jobs and had a cumulative benefit to the local economy of $22.5 million. The visitor spending analysis was conducted by economists Catherine Cullinane Thomas of the U.S. Geological Survey and Lynne Koontz of the National Park Service. According to the report, most park visitor spending was used for lodging (31.1 percent), followed by food and beverages (20.2 percent), gas and oil (11.8 percent), admissions and fees (10.2 percent) and souvenirs and other expenses (9.8 percent).