GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) – The year 2022 was a record-breaking year of tourism for the Greater Green Bay area and the entire state of Wisconsin.
Through an independent study from Tourism Economics, Discover Green Bay says Brown County saw a twenty percent increase in visitors and money spent. In 2022, Brown County welcomes six million people who spent $765 million dollars.
Discover Green Bay says the total economic impact in 2022 is an estimated $1.3 Billion breaking the previous record from 2019 by more than $100 million.
“When hard work and perseverance are combined with a community of people proud of their destination, great things happen. The team at Discover Green Bay, along with our friends and community partners have made the Greater Green Bay Area a destination on the rise. We look forward to continuing this work towards breaking more records with exciting plans for the future.” -Brad Toll, President/CEO of Discover Green Bay
Door County saw a record-breaking year in 2022. Destination Door County says tourism in the area increased by $51.7 million and totaled $582 million.
Destination Door County says the county’s visitor economy supported a total of 3,335 jobs while creating $113.3 million in labor income. As a way to replace the visitor taxes received by state and local governments, each household would need to be taxed an additional $2,000.
“Not only did local businesses and workers earn more to support their families last year, but the increase in tax collections has given us a special opportunity to invest in our parks, in local infrastructure projects, and in other ventures that residents will see and benefit from.” -Julie Gilbert, President/CEO of Destination Door County
The Green Greater Green Bay area and Door County added to what was reportedly a record-breaking year for the entire state of Wisconsin. In a release, Officials from the state say the tourism industry across Wisconsin created $23.7 billion in total economic impact.
“I’m so excited to be celebrating a record-breaking year for Wisconsin’s tourism industry. This is tremendous news and a testament to the hard work of the business owners, workers, and marketing partners across the industry and our strategic investments to bolster the industry at an especially difficult time.” -Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers
Officials say the state saw 111.1 million visits in 2022, including a record 45.4 million overnight visits. That is an increase of 8.7 percent or 8.8 million visits more than what Wisconsin saw in 2021.
“Tourism is vital to the economic health of local communities, businesses, and workers across our state, and I’m proud of our work to support this critical industry and its success over these past few years. We must continue to make key investments in Wisconsin tourism to ensure it continues to be a key part of our economy for generations.” -Gov. Evers
