Wisconsin tourism hits record growth for fourth straight year
MADISON, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Wisconsin tourism is booming. For the fourth year in a row, the state’s tourism industry has reached a record economic impact, topping $27 billion in 2025. Along with that, 117.9 million people visited the state, which is up 3.5 million from the prior year. That’s according to the governor’s office. Those numbers are something even smaller attractions are reaping the benefits of.
Cave of the Mounds
Cave of the Mounds, a popular attraction just outside of Madison, has seen an increase in its numbers, and it is paying off.
When Joe Klimczak started working at Cave of the Mounds 27 years ago, the site only had three full-time employees. But now, the staff and visits to the landmark have grown.
“Now we have 15. The business is about 600% [up] as far as the revenue, so we have really increased quite a lot. We have around double the attendance,” Klimczak said.
Those full-time jobs include benefits, both healthcare and retirement options. That increase in tourism to Cave of the Mounds has allowed the attraction to grow and invest in its future and preservation. They recently built a new visitor center. That allowed them to expand their event offerings, including becoming a popular wedding venue. It’s something staff credits the state for.
“It’s two biennium budgets that they have really increased that with historic increases in the tourism marketing, and we are seeing a direct correlation with a historic increase in the results thanks to that historic investment,” Klimczak said.
During the last budget cycle, the legislature and governor provided $31 million over the biennium for tourism marketing. Events like the NFL Draft and EAA AirVenture also helped bring more people to the state. According to data from the Wisconsin Department of Tourism, Travel Wisconsin expanded its reach to 14 Midwestern markets and delivered strong returns. Visitors spent $148 for every $1 on summer ads.
Milwaukee County had its best year yet, generating $4.431 billion in total economic impact. Direct visitor spending reached $2.507 billion, up nearly $68 million year over year. That’s according to Visit Milwaukee. The county saw increases in tax revenue and local jobs. You can find a breakdown below:
- Total Economic Impact: $4.431 billion (+2.5%)
- Direct Visitor Spending: $2.507 billion (+2.8%)
- Jobs Supported: 27,812
- Labor Income: $1.425 billion (+1.5%)
- State and Local Tax Revenue: $244.9 million (+1.1%)
Milwaukee continues to be a major driver of Wisconsin’s tourism growth. It’s growth they hope to continue in 2026. One way is by highlighting the city’s affordability for visitors attending large events.
“All of these different touch points are all more economical in Milwaukee than our competitive set, so we are finding ways that we can really draw in more convention goers and sports planners as well,” Josh Albrecht, the Chief Marketing Officer at Visit Milwaukee, said.
Visit Milwaukee says the city is off to a good start in 2026. The organization says there are several events this year that will bring people to the city, and their hope is to be celebrating another record-breaking year.
City of Milwaukee