MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers today delivered his weekly radio address celebrating National Travel and Tourism Week, which extends from May 4 through May 10, 2025, and highlighting his 2025-27 Executive Budget investments to continue uplifting travel and tourism as a critical economic driver in the state.
While 2024 economic impact data will be announced next month, in 2023, Wisconsin’s tourism industry saw a $25 billion total economic impact, an increase of 5.4 percent from the previous year, welcomed 113 million visits—nearly two million more than the previous year, and saw the highest-ever overnight visits, with nearly 46 million overnight visits in 2023. This is the second consecutive year of record-breaking overnight visitation. What’s more, overnight visitors, on average, spend almost three times as much as day-trip visitors.
In total, in 2023, all 72 Wisconsin counties saw economic impact growth, and the industry supported more than 178,000 part-time and full-time jobs across various sectors, which is an increase of two percent, and generated $1.6 billion in state and local tax revenue, up 5.8 percent from 2022.
Gov. Evers’ 2025-27 Executive Budget proposed several investments to continue support for this essential industry, however, on Thurs., May 8, 2025, Republicans on the state’s budget committee voted to gut more than 600 proposals from the governors’ budget, including several tourism-related proposals, such as Gov. Evers’s proposals to direct $10 million for incentives to bring more film productions, TV shows, and creative endeavors to Wisconsin’s doorstep and $1 million to establish a new grant program to support Wisconsin’s rural creative economies.
Gov. Evers’ remaining budget proposals to bolster Wisconsin’s tourism industry include:
- Nearly $34 million for the Department of Tourism to continue promoting Wisconsin as a premier business, cultural, and recreational destination;
- More than $500,000 and several staff positions to make the Wisconsin Office of Outdoor Recreation, created by Gov. Evers in 2019, a permanent hub for our outdoor partners, brands, and the industry;
- $5.9 million to invest in the Wisconsin Arts Board and support nonprofit arts organizations;
Hey there, folks. Governor Evers here!
This week, we’re continuing to celebrate with National Travel and Tourism Week.
Each year, the travel and tourism industry helps bring billions of dollars in revenue for local businesses and our statewide economy.
This included a record-breaking $25 billion in 2023 and supporting more than 175,000 jobs.
But these numbers don’t happen by chance. They happen because of the hardworking people in the industry whose efforts make sure visitors come back year after year.
We’ve been proud to help support that work by making smart, strategic investments over the last several years to support Wisconsin’s tourism industry.
And we’re working to build on our success. My budget makes needed investments to ensure our state’s tourism industry continues to grow and thrive.
My budget works to promote Wisconsin as a premier business, cultural, and recreational destination by directing nearly $34 million in funding for the Department of Tourism.
Additionally, outdoor recreation in Wisconsin is a more than $11 billion industry in our state, so I’m also again proposing to make the Wisconsin Office of Outdoor Recreation a permanent hub for our outdoor partners, brands, and the industry.
Finally, my budget invests in the arts and provides incentives to bring more film productions, TV shows, and creative endeavors to Wisconsin’s doorstep.
This includes creating an Office of Film and Creative Industries to support annual film tax credits that will drive economic growth in Wisconsin’s film and creative sectors.
Folks, the proof is in the pudding, tourism is an economic engine for Wisconsin—plain and simple.
But it’s the hard work of Travel Wisconsin, local partners, and hardworking business owners and hospitality workers across this state that keeps this industry humming.
So, this week, we celebrate with them and look forward to another incredible year for Wisconsin’s travel and tourism industry.
Thank you.
