Gov. Evers Announces Wisconsin Outpaces National Average for Travel Spending 24 Months in a Row
MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers, together with Wisconsin Department of Tourism Secretary-designee Anne Sayers, today announced Wisconsin has outpaced the national average for travel spending compared to 2019 for the past 24 months, according to data from the Travel Recovery Insights report released by the U.S. Travel Association (USTA) in collaboration with Tourism Economics. This news comes as the state and industry recognize National Travel and Tourism Week, celebrating the strength of Wisconsin’s travel and tourism industry and the critical role it plays in the state’s economy.
In February 2022, Wisconsin was down one percent compared to 2019 travel spending while the national average was down 6 percent. Wisconsin also fared better than tourism powerhouses like Texas (-4), Michigan (-4), North Carolina (-4), Hawaii (-9), California (-12), Minnesota (-14), Illinois (-15), and New York (-18) compared to February 2019.
While final 2021 economic impact data won’t be available until June, this data from USTA and Tourism Economics uses data sources including lodging demand, air travel, and auto trip activity to provide directional guidance for travel spending compared to competitors. The preliminary data is subject to change as more data is reported over time, but the directional trends have remained consistent during the last 24 months.
Wisconsin’s tourism industry sustained $17.3 billion in business sales in 2020, supporting more than 157,000 jobs. While 2021 economic impact data is expected to be released in June 2022, monthly visitor spending compared to Wisconsin’s record-setting 2019 has been above zero percent for four of the past six months, showing Wisconsin’s recovery continues to trend in a positive direction despite ongoing challenges.
An online version of this release is available here.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
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