Report: Wis. visitors spent $12.3 billion in 2016

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Visitors spent more than $12 billion in Wisconsin last year, marking the seventh straight year of tourism spending growth, according to reports the state Department of Tourism released.

Milwaukee County, which boasts Major League Baseball’s Brewers, the NBA’s Bucks and Wisconsin’s largest public museum, saw the most tourism spending of any county at $1.9 billion, up nearly 4 percent from 2015. Dane County, which features the state Capitol building and a popular weekend farmer’s market, was second at $1.2 billion, up about 5 percent. Sauk County, home to massive water parks and resorts in Wisconsin Dells and Lake Delton, was third at a little more than $1 billion.

Overall, tourism accounted for $19.9 billion in total business sales in 2016 — up 3.5 percent from 2015 — as visitors’ dollars moved across the state’s economy. Visitor spending generated $1.5 billion in state and local taxes, up 2.5 percent, helping support 193,454 jobs. Visitors spent the most money — $3.2 billion — on food in 2016. Lodging was second at $2.7 billion. 

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