Tourism-related sales in Milwaukee County increased 4 percent from 2014 to 2015 with an estimated $3.3 billion spent, according to the latest numbers released from the Wisconsin Department of Tourism.
Tourism supported 31,300 full-time jobs in Milwaukee County last year and generated $223 in state and local tax revenue, according to the report. The total labor income from the county’s tourism industry was $1.1 billion.
In the greater Milwaukee area, which includes Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Waukesha and counties, total business sales related to tourism increased 4.1 in 2015 to $5.1 billion.
Tourism supported 50,000 full-time jobs in those counties last year and generated $339 billion in sales and local tax revenue.
All of the figures are estimates from The Economic Impact of Tourism in Wisconsin, an annual tourism impact study commissioned by the state and conducted by Tourism Economics.
“VISIT Milwaukee is proud to report continued growth in leisure, convention and business travelers staying in the region and look forward to seeing that growth continue,” Paul Upchurch, president and CEO of VISIT Milwaukee, “ said in a statement.
In addition, Milwaukee area hotels saw increased hotel revenues of 5.3 percent in downtown Milwaukee, 6.3 percent in Milwaukee County, and 7.6 percent in Milwaukee West/Wauwatosa, according to VISIT Milwaukee.
“As Greater Milwaukee is in the news more and more for its outstanding attractions, restaurants, and events, we will continue to see these numbers improve,” Upchurch said.
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