Gov. Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. (WEDC) requested the release of $10 million in already-approved funding for the Opportunity Attraction and Promotion Fund, according to a press release today. The fund is aimed at promoting Wisconsin as a premiere host and major destination for large-scale events, and the news comes as Evers is on a statewide tour highlighting National Travel and Tourism Week and Wisconsin’s tourism jobs and economy.
The Evers administration submitted a formal s. 13.10 request to the Republican-controlled Joint Committee on Finance to release the investment, which was created and funded in the 2023–25 biennial budget.
This year’s National Travel and Tourism Week follows a record-breaking year for Wisconsin tourism in 2022. According to 2022 economic impact data, the tourism industry generated $23.7 billion in total economic impact, surpassing the previous record year of $22.2 billion set in 2019. Economic impact data for the state in 2023 is expected to be announced in the coming weeks.
