Report: Portage Co. rakes in $137.5 million in 2019 tourism
By Patrick Lynn
Visitors spent $137.5 million in Portage County in 2019, according to figures released this week by the Wisconsin Department of Tourism.
Since 2012, traveler spending in Portage Co. has grown by 35 percent. The $137.5 million in visitor spending marks the eighth year in a row that traveler expenditures topped $100 million in the county, an increase of 1.56 percent from 2018.
Ranked 23 out of all 72 counties for the state, Portage County has sustained steady, incremental growth in visitor spending, according to the Stevens Point Area Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB).
“This year, more than ever, the importance of tourism to the local economy is on display,” said Sara Brish, executive director of the CVB. “We know the importance that visitors traveling to the region have—and even more so, the impact they have to directly support the numerous businesses across the area.”
Brish attributes the increase to several factors, including successful marketing campaigns, hosting numerous sports events, and a strong meeting and convention market. The region also tracks other benchmark indicators, that extend beyond the report by Tourism Economics, which also indicated growth. In 2019, Average Daily Rates (ADR) saw a 4.5 percent growth over 2018 and average occupancy at local hotels grew by 5.3 percent, based on Smith Travel Research data. Room tax revenue grew by nearly 6.6 percent during the same time frame. The CVB booked and/or serviced 272 meetings and sports events in 2019, up 3 percent over the previous year.
Last year was a memorable one for the Stevens Point Area tourism industry, marking the first time that the U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship golf tournament was held in Wisconsin in its 71-year history. It also included; the addition of the Behnke Olson Outdoor Recreation Center at Standing Rocks, the opening of new trail segment along the Green Circle Trail and the Schrader connection, the construction of the Pankowski Friends Amphitheater, the official opening of the Village of Plover Band Shell at Lake Pacawa, and completion of Phase 1 for the Cultural Commons interactive garden.
Development will continue in 2020, with the new Green Circle Trail Trailhead Facility at Schmeeckle Reserve, the start of construction of the boutique hotel at SentryWorld (slated to open in 2021), and the Stevens Point Curling Club in Plover.
To celebrate National Travel & Tourism Week (May 3-9), the CVB will be heading online to “honor the spirit of travel in recognition of the industry’s strength, selflessness, and resiliency,” Brish said.
Virtual celebrations will be held on Instagram and Facebook to help select the stops for a perfect #StePoWknd (with gift-card giveaways) and thank the local tourism industry.
On Wednesday, May 6 at 1:30 p.m., Wisconsin Department of Tourism Secretary Designee Sara Meaney and SPACVB Executive Director Sara Brish will be guest presenters for the Portage County Economic Recovery briefing, open to the public. Zoom details will be available at PortageEconRecovery.org prior to the event.
Find more information about the 2020 celebration in the Stevens Point Area here: https://bit.ly/nttw20
For more information about the Stevens Point Area, visit StevensPointArea.com.