When people think about tourism, they often picture visitors filling hotel rooms, attending events, or stopping into local restaurants and shops. But behind every visitor experience are the people of Natrona County whose jobs, businesses, and livelihoods are connected to a strong tourism economy. From servers and store owners to museum staff, outfitters, and event organizers, tourism supports the people and places that help make our community vibrant year-round. It also helps fuel the events, attractions, public spaces, and essential services that residents rely on every day. Simply put, tourism doesn’t just benefit visitors, it helps strengthen the quality of life for everyone who calls Natrona County home. And who better to share that message than some of the 3,000 workers whose jobs are supported by tourism?
Chanel McCash – Operations Manager at Advanced Casper
Working in Economic Development, Chanel knows how important tourism is when it comes to attracting new businesses and industries to Natrona County. If tourism and visitation to the area were to radically drop, Chanel said, “it would hurt both our economy and quality of life. Businesses like hotels, restaurants, and recreation providers create jobs and generate tax revenue that support schools, infrastructure, and community services. Without them, it would be harder to attract investment and keep our community growing.”
Kaycee Witta – Fly Casper Alliance Board Chair
“Support everything tourism: training, marketing, transportation options, infrastructure, beautification projects, and arts & cultural centers/projects. Bring another airline to Casper. Minimum Revenue Guarantees paid by the state & community far outweigh the cost. People move to places they visit and like, and tourism is helping us get out of our boom and bust economy by attracting new people and other businesses” is what Kaycee wants the Natrona County community and any elected official to know.
Ryan & Mike Stepp – Owners of Donells Candies
Donells Candies is a local business that has operated in Casper since 1956. If anyone is qualified to speak on the importance of tourism and the visitor economy to local businesses, it’s them: “With tourism being one of the largest industries in the community, the contribution to the Casper area tax base and livelihood of many varied businesses should be obvious, but let’s break it down. Would we have a regional medical community if no one from outside the area came for treatment? Would there be a need for vibrant hotels and restaurants without travelers? In the case of Donells Candies, visitors from outside the community represent more than 10% of our sales, not counting the many corporate sales we have acquired from businesspeople traveling through Casper. Not only that, many of our customers are also dependent on tourism and visiting guests. This would bring a large dent to our bottom line and mean reducing the number of employees and our own lifestyle.”
The Takeaways
Tourism touches far more corners of our community than many people realize. It supports jobs, helps local businesses grow, strengthens our tax base, and contributes to the amenities and experiences that make Natrona County a great place to live. Whether it’s attracting new investment, supporting transportation and infrastructure, sustaining long-standing local businesses, or helping fund community services, a healthy visitor economy creates benefits that extend well beyond the tourism industry itself.
The people featured here represent just a small sample of the thousands of Natrona County residents whose livelihoods are connected to visitation. Their stories reinforce an important truth: Tourism isn’t only about welcoming visitors, it’s about investing in our community’s future. Every traveler who stays in a hotel, attends an event, shops locally, or explores our outdoor spaces helps support the people, businesses, and opportunities that keep Natrona County thriving year-round.
Tourism Keeps the Lights On is more than a slogan. It’s a reminder that when tourism succeeds, our entire community benefits. Learn more at visitcasper.com/tourism-keeps-the-lights-on/.
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