Overview
- The Wisconsin Department of Tourism released figures showing more than 117 million visits and $27 billion in economic impact for 2025, continuing a four-year run of record totals.
- State leaders point to those numbers to justify $34 million in new budgeted tourism measures that include a permanent Office of Outdoor Recreation and a $5 million film tax credit.
- The statewide totals come from Tourism Economics, a private marketing and research firm whose methods have been publicly criticized by economists who say the work reads like promotional material rather than peer-reviewed analysis.
- Local event and county data back increased activity in places such as Oshkosh, where EAA AirVenture drew more than 700,000 visitors, and Door County, which reported more than a 5 percent rise in spending last year.
- Officials say outdoor recreation already produced a record $12 billion in 2024 and high gas prices could shift travel toward in-state trips, creating uncertainty about whether the growth streak will continue and how budget choices will pay off for local workers and businesses.