MINOCQUA, WI (WSAU-WXPR) – Northwoods counties saw visitor spending increase by millions of dollars in 2021 from 2020.
Several even beat 2019 which was a record setting year.
Oneida and Vilas counties both fall into that category. In 2019, visitors spent more than $241 million in Oneida County. In 2021, they spent $254 million. Vilas County went from$ 241 million in 2019 to more than $268 million in 2021.
Let’s Minocqua Chamber and Visitor Center Executive Director Krystal Westfahl attributes the increase in visitors to major marketing campaigns over the last several years. Her biggest challenge going forward is how to maintain those numbers. “As a marketing organization, our job really is to keep that message strong so that when the plateau happens, when the decrease eventually comes, cause we all know it’s going to come at some point, that our messaging is still strong to make people still curious and still want to come to the Northwoods.”
Until that point comes, local businesses are making the most of it.
Waters of Minocqua says they’re nearly fully booked for July and for weekends in August. General Manager Tamra Anderson says she expects visitor numbers to surpass last year. “Probably through mid-October when the colors are done we’ll be busy. Even with the gas prices the way they are now, I don’t think that’s going to stop people from coming to the Northwoods. They might not go on those longer family trips, but I think they’ll still go to the Northwoods.”
In 2021, tourism generated nearly $21-billion in total economic impact in Wisconsin.
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