If there was any lingering doubt that billboard, park bench and every other sort of outdoor advertising are hot, well, just check out the latest figures.

In the first half of this year, outdoor advertising revenue rose about 8 percent to almost $3.8 billion in the United States, according to an industry trade group. That puts it on pace to match the increases seen in 2005 and 2006.

 Outside the Internet, those growth figures are tough to beat.

Here’s a breakdown of the top categories from the Outdoor Advertising Association of America:
    1. Misc. Services and Amusements $581 million
    2. Insurance and Real Estate $382 million
    3. Public Transportation, Hotels and Resorts $326 million
    4. Communications $311 million
    5. Media and Advertising $307 million
    6. Retail $296 million
    7. Restaurants $232 million
    8. Financial $217 million
    9. Automotive Dealers and Services $199 million 
  10. Automotive Equipment $180 million