Wisconsin tourism bouncing again after pandemic slowdown

WISCONSIN DELLS, Wisconsin (WMTV) – The last weekend of July 4th is a major holiday for tourism, an industry that has taken a heavy blow in 2020 recovery is better than expected.

Kalahari Resorts in Wisconsin Dells said their summer season in 2021 will be even busier than it was before the pandemic, and according to the Department of Tourism, that trend is being reflected across the state.

“Everyone just wants to go to the Dells and make up for the lost year,” said Kalahari managing director John Chastan.

Chastan said business is booming at his resort and across Wisconsin Dells.

“For our summer season we are doing better than we did in 2019,” he explained.

Chastan added that this surge is exactly what the resort needed after the pandemic slowed.

“It was very slow, the rates were low, things like that, so we’re just trying to make up for all the lost revenue,” he said.

The entire Dells community benefits, he added, from the attractions such as boat tours to the various resorts and water parks.

Wisconsin Dells isn’t the only region that’s making a big comeback. Tourism and travel are recovering across the state.

“We see that overnight stays increased in the pandemic year 2020, but also in 2019,” said the acting Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism, Anne Sayers.

According to the ministry, trips with two or more nights have increased by almost 5 percent compared to April 2019. These trips create more business for hotels, restaurants, and local attractions.

“These are the livelihoods that tourism supports, and it’s just really good to see travelers out there supporting these local businesses,” said Sayers.

Chastan admitted that staffing shortages are still one of the biggest struggles across the industry.

“Getting the workforce that you want to achieve because we’re so busy is definitely a big challenge,” he said.

The Dells in particular rely on international labor, and those numbers have decreased significantly due to restrictions on J-1 visas.

“Not even half and many of them were late,” Chastan explained.

Still, Chastan and Sayers said they are committed to providing the best experience possible and are happy to welcome every traveler.

“The travelers are pursuing these plans, they will not miss the vacation time this year,” says Sayers.

Chastan added, “Hopefully the families get one last hurray with the kids and come to the Dells.”

Later in the year, Chastan said the Kalahari would rely more on large indoor events like conventions to attract travelers. These events came back more slowly, but he said they still await a busy fall season.

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