Devil’s Lake State Park (File Photo: Jackie Johnson)
Tourism continues to be a big contributor to the state’s economy, according to a report released Friday by the Wisconsin Department of Tourism.
Over 105 million visits were made to the state last year, up about 12.7 million over the past five years. Visitor spending climbed by about $500 million over 2015 and the industry directly and indirectly supported almost 191,000 jobs.
Overall, tourism had an economic impact on the state of $19.3 billion last year, which is a 4.4 percent increase over 2014.
Governor Scott Walker was making stops around the state Friday to tout the report, where he said “Investing in tourism promotion and marketing at the national, state, and local level is not only an effective way to attract visitors and grow the economy, it also enhances the image of the state as a place to live and do business. With over 10,000 inland lakes and numerous other tourist destinations, like classic Wisconsin supper clubs, it’s no wonder Wisconsin is a leading tourist destination for people across the nation.”