Gov. Tony Evers, Wisconsin Department of Tourism Secretary Anne Sayers, and Wisconsin Office of Outdoor Recreation Director Cassie Mordin announced another record-breaking year for Wisconsin’s outdoor recreation industry in 2023. According to the latest release of data from the Outdoor Recreation Satellite Account from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, outdoor recreation contributed $11.2 billion to the state’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2023, growing 9.4% over the previous record set in 2022.
Using updated 2022 U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis data, all topline metrics for Wisconsin’s outdoor recreation industry in 2023 were record-breaking, with:
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A 2.6% share of Wisconsin’s GDP;
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96,867 jobs supported — up 3.4%;
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3.2% of state employment; and
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$5.4 billion in employee compensation — up 8.9%.
The report showed that Wisconsin’s outdoor recreation industry grew across the board, with all but one category increasing year over year. Top contributing sectors by activity in Wisconsin’s outdoor recreation industry included:
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Multiuse apparel and accessories — $1.3 billion;
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Motorcycling/ATVing — $1.1 billion;
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Boating/fishing — $928 million;
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RVing — $464 million;
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Games areas — $499 million;
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Guided tours/outfitted travel — $450 million;
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Hunting/shooting — $320 million; and
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Bicycling — $157 million.
Additionally, travel and tourism spending associated with outdoor recreation trips of more than 50 miles from home also saw impressive growth of 11.7% over 2022, and local trips saw a notable increase of 5.8%.
