The Milwaukee Post

May 12, 2017 • Milwaukee County Post • 11 255317155 ENTRY DEADLINE BELOW. Name: ________________________________________________________ Address: ______________________________________________________ City:____________State:_____Zip:______Phone:__________ Drop Off or Mail your entry to: MILWAUKEE POST Attn: Dining Out 3397 S. Howell Avenue • Milwaukee, WI 53207 Please fill out completely to be eligible to win. One entry per envelope, per person, per month. Faxes are not acceptable. Winner must call the office of the Milwaukee Post at 414-744-6370 ext. 17 by Friday, 6/2/17. Enter to win a $25 Gift Certificate to one of our advertising partners! ENTRY DEADLINE is Noon, Tuesday, May 23• 2017 Tourism: Indirect spending adds up and Old World Wisconsin, but Marshall said there are a number of other factors that play into that figure. "There is what we refer to as indirect spending, which contributes to many things, including hotels, restaurants and marketing firms," Marshall said. "The tourism money trickles down into these industries." The services required to meet tourists' needs on a local level also play an important role in employment statistics, Marshall said. In a recent news release announcing last year's statistics, Gov. Scott Walker said tourism had a role in supporting 193,500 jobs across Wisconsin last year. Marshall said several factors contributed to the increased tourism spending across the state, including a decrease in gas prices and an increase in consumer confidence. Kristin Settle, director of communica- tions for VISIT Milwaukee, said interest in visiting the city has increased in recent years because of a confluence of different factors. "People come here on business, and they're pleasantly surprised by how much Milwaukee has to offer," Settle said. "They go back home and tell people about their experience." Convention and other business-related spending plays a large role in Milwaukee County's tourism economy, Settle said, but local attractions are also an important part of the equation. Milwaukee hosts the only Harley- Davidson Museum, for instance, and Settle said that distinction is a powerful draw. "Oftentimes, it's the tried and true that keep bringing people here," Settle said, when asked about specific attractions that impact tourism. In the years ahead, Settle said she is opti- mistic about Milwaukee's tourism economy, pointing to recent recognition in national publications. Conde Nast Traveler, for instance, placed Milwaukee on its list of six U.S. cities to watch in 2017, while U.S. News and World Report this year listed the city as one of three up-and-coming places to live. Tammy Tritz, executive director of the Waukesha Pewaukee Convention and Visitors Bureau, attributed corporate-level decisions to some of the increased tourism spending in Waukesha County. "Corporations and associations have been spending more," Tritz said. "So much of the tourism spending (in Waukesha County) comes from conventions." The business-related functions, Tritz said, help in other areas of the local econo- my. "People want to go out when they're at these conventions," she said. "They go shop- ping and they're out dining. They want to explore the area. The increase in spending just happens naturally." Tritz said there are a number of reasons to be optimistic about Waukesha County's tourism economy. Venerable attractions such as The Ten Chimneys and Old World Wisconsin, for instance, notched strong sea- sons last year and continue to grow. Regional developments, such as The Corners and The Corridor, both in Brookfield, are also expected to help in the years ahead, she said. continued from Page 1 Submitted photo Old World Wisconsin in the Town of Eagle is part of the Milwaukee-Waukesha counties one-two punch that contributes 25 percent of all tourism dollars in the state.

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