Thank God for Republicans, too
The Wisconsin tourism sector had another record-breaking year in 2024 with 114.4 million visits and $25.8 billion in total economic impact, official statistics compiled by research firm Tourism Economics on behalf of the state’s tourism agency show.
The firm’s data are based on modelling that estimates direct visitor spending as well as economic activity related to tourism, such as jobs supported, or tax revenue generated.
In absolute terms, Milwaukee, Dane and Waukesha counties saw the largest increases in economic activity due to tourism. Milwaukee County grew by $154 million, Dane by $88.9 million, and Waukesha by $78.9 million. The largest number of tourists visiting Milwaukee come from Chicago, according to Visit Milwaukee.
Milwaukee was the host of the 2024 Republican National Convention, which alone was estimated to have contributed $320 million in economic impact.
However, in terms of growth rates, Adams, Racine and Rock counties led the way with 6.8%, 5.74%, and 5.69% increases respectively.
The top ten counties with the largest overall tourism industries included the main population centers like Milwaukee and Dane counties, but also major travel destinations like Sauk County, home to the Wisconsin Dells, and Door County.
Sauk County collected the second-most in direct visitor spending after Milwaukee, raking in a total of $1.65 billion from tourists.
Tourism was responsible for supporting over 182,000 full and part-time jobs in the state in 2024. The counties with the largest fraction of jobs supported by tourism were Adams, Sauk and Door counties. Tourism also generated a total of $1.7 billion of tax revenue for state and local governments.
The underlying numbers
| County | Total economic impact, 2024 (millions $) | Impact, YOY change | Jobs supported by tourism | Jobs, YOY change | Percent of county jobs supported by tourism |
| Adams | $267.3 | 6.8% | 1,661 | 4.7% | 39.9% |
| Ashland | $65.3 | -0.4% | 545 | -0.6% | 6.9% |
| Barron | $190.0 | 1.8% | 1,378 | 1.2% | 6.4% |
| Bayfield | $93.1 | 0.3% | 704 | 0.4% | 17.4% |
| Brown | $1,406.7 | 5.4% | 11,261 | 5.5% | 7.1% |
| Buffalo | $29.0 | 1.9% | 223 | 0.2% | 6.3% |
| Burnett | $47.9 | 2.7% | 371 | 1.7% | 7.3% |
| Calumet | $77.4 | 5.1% | 627 | 1.5% | 3.9% |
| Chippewa | $193.5 | 4.9% | 1,440 | 2.7% | 5.4% |
| Clark | $62.2 | -2.8% | 335 | -3.1% | 2.9% |
| Columbia | $214.8 | 1.6% | 1,693 | -0.5% | 7.7% |
| Crawford | $73.1 | 0.3% | 657 | -0.2% | 9.8% |
| Dane | $2,649.4 | 3.5% | 19,337 | 2.8% | 5.3% |
| Dodge | $187.8 | 4.0% | 1,418 | 0.9% | 3.9% |
| Door | $651.2 | 5.1% | 3,524 | 2.3% | 26.4% |
| Douglas | $184.4 | 3.3% | 1,346 | 1.7% | 8.4% |
| Dunn | $102.4 | 1.4% | 802 | 1.2% | 4.4% |
| Eau Claire | $461.3 | 0.6% | 3,905 | 0.3% | 6.6% |
| Florence | $10.8 | 1.6% | 90 | -0.8% | 9.3% |
| Fond du Lac | $289.4 | 2.3% | 2,391 | 1.3% | 5.4% |
| Forest | $24.6 | -1.6% | 186 | -3.1% | 5.7% |
| Grant | $109.0 | -2.8% | 965 | -3.1% | 5.6% |
| Green | $86.4 | 3.7% | 684 | 3.2% | 4.3% |
| Green Lake | $69.4 | 0.9% | 615 | 0.6% | 10.7% |
| Iowa | $76.9 | -0.7% | 443 | -0.4% | 4.0% |
| Iron | $35.4 | -3.6% | 251 | -3.7% | 15.3% |
| Jackson | $66.2 | -0.4% | 467 | -2.1% | 6.3% |
| Jefferson | $207.6 | 0.3% | 1,576 | 0.1% | 4.7% |
| Juneau | $118.1 | -0.8% | 710 | -1.7% | 7.8% |
| Kenosha | $456.2 | 5.0% | 3,194 | 2.7% | 4.2% |
| Kewaunee | $52.2 | 1.1% | 404 | -0.3% | 6.0% |
| La Crosse | $519.4 | 3.4% | 4,016 | 2.2% | 5.7% |
| Lafayette | $28.6 | -0.7% | 206 | -1.3% | 4.0% |
| Langlade | $84.1 | 2.4% | 435 | 2.3% | 6.0% |
| Lincoln | $112.9 | 3.3% | 671 | 0.8% | 6.7% |
| Manitowoc | $227.2 | 0.6% | 1,717 | -0.3% | 5.2% |
| Marathon | $496.8 | 1.4% | 3,617 | 1.2% | 5.1% |
| Marinette | $271.9 | 3.4% | 1,486 | 1.0% | 8.5% |
| Marquette | $42.9 | 1.3% | 298 | 0.5% | 7.6% |
| Menominee | $6.0 | 1.1% | 42 | -0.7% | 2.1% |
| Milwaukee | $4,321.4 | 3.7% | 28,091 | 3.2% | 6.0% |
| Monroe | $164.7 | -0.1% | 1,073 | -0.5% | 5.0% |
| Oconto | $142.1 | 1.5% | 791 | 0.9% | 8.7% |
| Oneida | $393.9 | 3.5% | 2,220 | 3.6% | 13.5% |
| Outagamie | $763.2 | 5.3% | 5,832 | 3.0% | 5.4% |
| Ozaukee | $245.5 | 2.4% | 1,986 | 1.6% | 4.8% |
| Pepin | $15.5 | 4.2% | 122 | 1.7% | 5.1% |
| Pierce | $65.0 | 2.6% | 429 | 0.1% | 4.1% |
| Polk | $167.4 | 0.3% | 1,098 | -0.9% | 6.9% |
| Portage | $269.5 | 4.3% | 2,013 | 2.5% | 6.0% |
| Price | $37.3 | 0.4% | 269 | -2.9% | 5.6% |
| Racine | $555.2 | 5.7% | 3,780 | 3.4% | 4.9% |
| Richland | $43.2 | 1.1% | 325 | 0.9% | 5.3% |
| Rock | $482.1 | 5.7% | 3,796 | 1.9% | 5.4% |
| Rusk | $47.5 | 3.6% | 383 | 0.8% | 8.7% |
| St. Croix | $228.1 | 3.9% | 1,920 | 2.2% | 5.2% |
| Sauk | $1,990.5 | 1.4% | 11,899 | 0.8% | 32.9% |
| Sawyer | $150.6 | 0.7% | 960 | 1.3% | 13.5% |
| Shawano | $116.2 | 1.6% | 806 | 1.2% | 6.6% |
| Sheboygan | $477.0 | 2.5% | 3,410 | 1.0% | 5.6% |
| Taylor | $54.5 | -1.3% | 321 | -2.8% | 4.1% |
| Trempealeau | $69.5 | -1.4% | 419 | -1.1% | 3.4% |
| Vernon | $76.8 | 4.7% | 523 | 3.0% | 6.0% |
| Vilas | $382.5 | 0.6% | 2,105 | -1.5% | 26.3% |
| Walworth | $997.2 | 4.6% | 7,494 | 4.2% | 16.6% |
| Washburn | $56.9 | 0.1% | 495 | -0.4% | 9.0% |
| Washington | $301.1 | 1.7% | 2,252 | 1.4% | 3.9% |
| Waukesha | $1,764.1 | 4.7% | 12,878 | 2.3% | 5.1% |
| Waupaca | $173.1 | 3.3% | 1,161 | 2.0% | 6.3% |
| Waushara | $126.3 | 0.2% | 851 | -1.0% | 14.6% |
| Winnebago | $574.4 | 4.0% | 4,370 | 1.7% | 4.6% |
| Wood | $218.2 | 3.2% | 2,139 | 0.9% | 6.0% |
