MADISON, Wis.– Driving around the Dells last weekend, you would’ve seen big crowds, busy hotels, and a resort town seemingly ‘back to normal.’ But looks can be deceiving, and Travel Wisconsin calls this just the start of a long recovery.
2019 was a record year for Wisconsin tourism. More than 100 million people visited the Badger State, bringing in $22.2 billion in revenue.
Then came 2020.
Oxford Economics, the source Travel Wisconsin relies on for its economic impact data, projects the tourism industry won’t see 2019 numbers again until at least 2024. Wisconsin’s 2020 travel data isn’t released until May.
“The Milwaukee Brewers are playing, but they’re going to be at 25% capacity,” Craig Trost, Communications Director for Travel Wisconsin, explained. “Most things are coming back, but it’s slow. It’s a dial, not a switch.”
That’s why Trost doesn’t want to oversell how ‘normal’ travel may appear right now, as many families take spring vacations.
“We are busier than expected,” Karen Terry, Wisconsin Dells Finance Director, told News 3 Now. “But whether I anticipate these numbers to hold, I just don’t know.”
Spring break season typically runs mid-March through mid-April in the Dells. This winter, the busy season started even sooner. Terry said she was surprised by the number of visitors that came in February, typically the slowest time of year.
“When COVID hit, we were expecting to lose 70% of our revenue,” Terry said. “That didn’t happen. We lost 30%.”
She cited ‘revenge travel’ as the likely source of busier resorts, but like Trost, remains cautiously optimistic.
“I think the worst is behind us,” said Trost. “We are the home of the great American road trip. We’re excited to see people start coming back.”
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