Gov. Evers Delivers Radio Address Celebrating Third Record-Breaking Year in a Row for Wisconsin Tourism, Shattering Records for Visitors and Revenue

Audio File of Radio Address.

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers today delivered his weekly radio address highlighting the recent release of Wisconsin tourism’s annual economic impact report, which showed Wisconsin tourism had a hat trick year in 2024, breaking records in total economic impact, number of visits, and state and local revenue generated.

According to 2024 economic impact data, the tourism industry generated a record-high $25.8 billion in total economic impact, or about $70 million per day, surpassing the previous record of $25 billion set in 2023, which itself was a record year. This is the third consecutive record-breaking year of economic impact under the Evers Administration.

Additionally, Wisconsin also welcomed a record-breaking 114.4 million visitors in 2024—a 1.4 million increase from the previous year and eclipsing the former record of 113.2 million visitors in 2019, and the state’s tourism industry generated a record amount of state and local revenue, generating a record $1.7 billion that goes back to local communities and essential state services.

The 2023-25 Biennial Budget signed by Gov. Evers included a historic $34 million investment over the biennium for the Department of Tourism to promote Wisconsin as a premier destination for leisure, business, and group travel, amounting to the largest increase in tourism marketing and advertising funds in state history. These funds ensured the department could run strategic campaigns and remain competitive with neighboring states, helping to make 2024 another successful, record-breaking year.

To build upon this work, Gov. Evers’ 2025-27 Executive Budget proposed several investments to continue support for this essential industry, including:

• 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;
• Creating an Office of Film and Creative Industries and providing $10 million for incentives to bring more film productions, TV shows, and creative endeavors to Wisconsin;
• $1 million to establish a new grant program to support Wisconsin’s rural creative economies; and
• $5.9 million to invest in the Wisconsin Arts Board and support nonprofit arts organizations.

Unfortunately, last month, Republicans on the state’s budget committee voted to gut more than 600 proposals from the governor’s budget, including several tourism-related proposals, including the governor’s proposal to create an Office of Film and Creative Industries and provide $10 million for incentives, as well as the $1 million grant program to support rural creative economies.

Hey there, Wisconsin! Governor Tony Evers here.

This week, we were pretty excited to announce that for the third year in a row, Wisconsin’s travel and tourism industry had a record-high economic impact in our state.

In 2024, travel and tourism brought in a whopping $25.8 billion to Wisconsin. And that’s not all, folks!

We pulled off a hat trick last year, folks.

In 2024, we not only had record-high economic impact, we also had a record-high number of visitors with 114.4 million visits to Wisconsin, which generated a record $1.7 billion in state and local revenue.

That’s money that goes right back into our state and our communities. That’s a big deal!

Over the last several years, I’ve been proud to help support our state’s tourism industry by making smart, strategic investments.

We created the Office of Outdoor Recreation, supported building projects in communities across the state, and bolstered support for marketing at the Department of Tourism—and more!

And I’m committed to building on this work in our next state budget to ensure our state’s tourism industry continues to grow and thrive.

Because we’ve seen what’s possible when we invest in this critical industry.

Because at the end of the day, it’s the hardworking folks in the industry that make record-breaking years happen.

It’s the marketing professionals and folks at the Department of Tourism, it’s the small business owners, brewers, and restaurateurs, and the tour guides and servers whose friendly faces keep folks coming back year after year.

And it’s the hundreds of thousands of Old Fashioneds sold and cheese curds consumed, the miles of trails hiked and biked, and it’s the unforgettable memories made at the State Fair, AirVenture, or while trying to break the record for the world’s largest polka.

So, as we celebrate another record-breaking year, we’re also celebrating all that makes Wisconsin the special place it is to live, work, and, of course, visit.

Thank you.

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.