Picture perfect: Arizona’s most popular Instagram spot of 2016 is the Grand Canyon
Dec 22, 2016, 3:40 PM | Updated: Dec 23, 2016, 11:20 am
(Instagram Photo/@grandcanyonnps)
(Instagram Photo/@grandcanyonnps)
PHOENIX — An annual breakdown of Instagram’s photo data showed the most popular place in Arizona where a photo is shared on the app is the Grand Canyon.
A post from BuzzFeed listing each state’s most popular Instagram spot did not disclose the total number of photos taken there or any other data, but we’re not surprised to see the Grand Canyon as the top spot for Arizona.
After all, it not only is one of the seven natural wonders of the world, but is a huge tourism draw. Earlier this month, Grand Canyon National Park set an annual record for visitors, topping 6 million people for the first time.
Last year, the park welcomed 5,520,736 visitors through its gates.
Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey’s office said, while the Grand Canyon is clearly a large tourism attraction, it is also a big job driver in the state. The area around the canyon employs nearly 9,000 people.
Earlier this year, a report from the National Park Service said the canyon had a cumulative benefit of $813 million to Arizona’s economy in 2015.
“The visitors that come to this World Heritage Site have a positive impact on the local economy, the economy of Arizona, and our national economy, returning $10 for every $1 invested,” Park Superintendent Dave Uberuaga said in a release at the time.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
