The 2020 economic figures have been released, and here in Montana the data shows again that outdoor recreation is an engine that drives the state’s economy. An article in the Flathead Beacon reports that Montana’s $2.2 billion outdoor recreation industry accounted for 4.3% of the state’s GDP last year — a higher percentage than any other state. The next closest was Hawaii, with 3.8%. The report also found that Montana is toward the head of the pack for employment in the outdoor recreation sector, with employment topping 26,000 jobs, or 5.4% of the state’s total employment.