The Power of Tourism

We've gathered some tools to help you unleash the Power of Tourism.

The Power of Tourism

The mission of the Wisconsin Department of Tourism is to motivate travelers to choose Wisconsin and in doing so drive the economy by creating jobs and revenue for the state.

TOURISM WORKS FOR WISCONSIN

Measuring only those travelers who would not otherwise have chosen Wisconsin, the Department’s summer and fall 2010 ad campaign generated a 7:1 return on investment in state and local tax dollars.
Based on an ongoing study of American travelers, Wisconsin tourism comprises over 87 million overnight and day outings.
For every $1 million in traveler spending, 12 jobs are created in Wisconsin.*
Without jobs generated by travel, Wisconsin’s 2008 unemployment rate of 4.7% would have been 8.5%.*
1 out of 9 jobs depends on travel and tourism.*
Largely comprised of small businesses, travel and hospitality jobs can’t be outsourced or exported.

TOURISM GRANT PROGRAMS

In fiscal 2011, $1.1 million in Joint Effort Marketing (JEM) funds generated an estimated $20 million for local communities.
The “Ready, Set, Go” helps destinations attract national and regional competitive sports events to their communities.
The Tourist Information Center (TIC) Grant program awards $160,000 per year to help non-profit organizations operate regional visitor centers.

STATE-WIDE SUPPORT FOR TOURISM

A recent statewide public opinion survey showed that 93% of Wisconsin voters agree that "tourism is important to the Wisconsin economy” and that 89% said “promoting tourism helps strengthen Wisconsin’s economy.”