MADISON (WKOW) – After a difficult year for the tourism industry, Wisconsin officials are looking for ways to boost spending in 2021.

According to the Wisconsin Department of Tourism, visitor spending, which was $ 1.4 billion in 2019, declined nearly 43 percent in Dane County, 50 percent more than the state average of tourism’s economic losses.

In downtown Madison, spending declined from more than $ 300 million to just over $ 100 million, falling more than 62 percent in 2020, more than twice the national average. Downtown housing was hit hardest, with spending falling 78 percent. Food and beverages fell 58 percent and retail sales fell 50 percent.

With tourism in Dane County’s slump in 2020, Destination Madison, a marketing organization for the Madison area, recommends six ways to accelerate local recovery.

The first part of her recovery plan includes a year-long marketing storytelling program to get people noticed about Madison websites. The second recommendation was for a sales plan that would ensure a competitive advantage in the marketplace.

The third priority is helping restore and revitalize downtown Madison.

“Total downtown spending decreased 62%. And nearly half of the downtown hospitality jobs were lost only about 2,000,” said Ellie Westman Chin, president and CEO of Destination Madison Back Downtown. It is a driver for tourism on the growth side and on the leisure side. “

Chin said Destination Madison’s final three priorities include building connections between public institutions, private partners and stakeholders to rebuild the economy, increase diversity and equity, and secure funding for regional hospitality partners.

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