Across the three-county area, state and local taxes generated by visitors were estimated to be $45.1 million last year. Spending by tourists also supported the equivalent of about 4,300 jobs in Eau Claire County and generated $103 million in wages.

From massive music festivals to quiet weekend getaways, tourism is a huge component of the Chippewa Valley’s economy. That’s the story told by new figures released by the state Department of Tourism about spending by visitors last year in Wisconsin. According to the new report, direct spending by tourists in Eau Claire, Chippewa, and Dunn counties hit $363 million last year, a 4.6 percent increase from 2015. In Eau Claire County alone, travelers’ direct spending was $228 million, a 5.7 percent increase from the previous year (and a 16.5 percent increase from just three years earlier). Across the three-county area, state and local taxes generated by visitors were estimated to be $45.1 million last year. Spending by tourists also supported the equivalent of about 4,300 jobs in Eau Claire County and generated $103 million in wages.

“Tourism’s role in our community continues to grow, and from an economic standpoint, the numbers reflect that,” said Linda John, executive director at Visit Eau Claire. “Last year’s numbers show that we are doing the right things to make our community a destination worth traveling to and one where every traveler feels safe.”

Statewide, direct tourist spending was $12.3 billion last year, while total visitor spending was a whopping $20 million.  All those tourists generated $1.5 billion in state and local taxes, which saved the average Wisconsin household $650 each. Just by itself, that sum could buy a nice little tourist trip.