Milwaukee visitors' spending continues to rise

Spending by tourists and other people visiting Milwaukee County increased nearly 4% in 2016, compared with the previous year, according to a new study.

The Milwaukee area accounts for around 24% of spending by travelers in the state, according to the study commissioned by the Wisconsin Department of Tourism.

Travelers in Wisconsin spent $12.3 billion in 2016, up 3.4% from $11.9 billion in 2015.

Visitors spent $2.9 billion at hotels, restaurants, attractions, events, retailers and other businesses in the four-county Milwaukee area last year.

That includes $1.93 billion spent in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin's top destination for travelers, the study said. That was spent by vacationers, business travelers and other visitors, and was up 3.8% from $1.86 billion in 2015.

Last year's decline in gas prices resulted in lower transportation costs for visitors and increased spending on lodging, restaurants and recreation, said the study, conducted for the Tourism Department by Longwoods International.

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