Oneida County visitor spending surpassed $291 million in 2023

Oneida County continued to be one of Wisconsin’s favorite vacation destinations in 2023, according to figures released by the Wisconsin Department of Tourism.

Visitors spent $291.9 million in Oneida County in 2023, an increase of 4.5% over 2022 — a boost of $12.5 million year-to-year.

“We love to see the Northwoods continuing to be one of the state’s favorite places for visitors,” Krystal Westfahl, president of the Oneida County Tourism Council (OCTC) and Executive Director of the Let’s Minocqua Visitors Bureau said in a press release announcing the latest tourism figures. 

“Generation after generation, families have been returning to Oneida County to enjoy our trails and lakes, beautiful lodging properties and delicious restaurants, and we can’t thank them enough for their continued support,” Westfahl added.

More than 2,100 jobs attributed to tourism

Tourism accounted for 2,144 jobs in Oneida County in 2023, about 20 more than the previous year, according to the release.

Oneida County also collected $23.6 million in state and local taxes in 2023, taxes that otherwise would have been paid by Oneida County residents. Tourism directly supports one out of every 21 jobs in the state, though that number is higher in tourism destinations like Oneida County.

“Visitor spending is what helps our residents, and their businesses and families thrive,” Westfahl said. “They are family-run operations, with every dollar spent helping our communities to grow and flourish. We know people have a choice when it comes to where they spend their hard-earned money and vacation days, and we’re so grateful to everyone who chose Oneida County last year.”

Overall, the total economic impact of tourism topped $25 billion in Wisconsin in 2023, an increase of 5.4% over 2022, besting the previous record of $23.7 billion set just last year. Tourism accounted for 178,000+ jobs and $1.6 billion in state and local taxes collected.

Visitors can find more information about Oneida County at www.oneidacountywi.com or on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube.