---
title: Signs of Recovery for the Outdoor Economy
description: Latest findings from an outdoor industry survey by the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable in partnership with OREI shows signs of a promising, if fragile recovery.
---

[Blog insights from the Outdoor Recreation Economy ](https://blog.orei.oregonstate.edu)

# [Signs of Recovery for the Outdoor Economy](https://blog.orei.oregonstate.edu/outdoor-rec-recovery)

 Written by [Sarah Costello](https://blog.orei.oregonstate.edu/author/sarah-costello) | Sep 23, 2020 4:50:34 PM

In partnership with the [Outdoor Recreation Roundtable](https://recreationroundtable.org/) (ORR), we have been surveying the industry since April and aggregating data to measure the impacts of COVID-19 on the recreation economy as a whole. [Our most recent findings ](https://recreationroundtable.org/covid-19-impacts-survey/)tell the story of an impressive, if still fragile, recovery.

In **May, 50% of responde****nts reported temporary**** furlough****s, 29% were lay****ing off employees and 8% had closed their doors permanently.** After weathering that storm, things began to improve for the industry over the summer, and **by August, a full 36% were hiring again**.

The road ahead is still difficult. Layoffs are still happening at a high level, and while business closures have slowed, they have not stopped. But the resilience we're seeing now gives us every reason to believe that with the right support, the outdoor economy and all of the small, regional businesses that give it its unique character, will come out of this downturn an a strong footing.

<https://recreationroundtable.org/covid-19-impacts-survey/>

 

 

<https://recreationroundtable.org/covid-19-impacts-survey/>

 

[View full post](https://blog.orei.oregonstate.edu/outdoor-rec-recovery)

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