Wisconsin saw another record-breaking year for the outdoor recreation industry in 2023.
According to the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, outdoor recreation contributed $11.2 billion to the state’s gross domestic product in 2023. It grew 9.4 percent over the previous record set in 2022.
“The increase in outdoor recreation travel is a testament to Wisconsin’s remarkable natural assets, our passionate guides and dedicated tourism professionals that leverage our beautiful state, and our outdoor recreation offerings to attract visitors from near and far to discover the unexpected,” says Tourism Secretary Anne Sayers.
When using updated 2022 U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis data, all topline metrics for the outdoor recreation industry in Wisconsin were record-breaking:
- $11.2 billion contributed to Wisconsin’s GDP—up 9.4 percent
- 2.6 percent share of Wisconsin’s GDP
- 96,867 jobs supported—up 3.4 percent
- 3.2 percent of state employment
- $5.4 billion in employee compensation—up 8.9 percent
“Outdoor recreation is a powerful tool to create vibrant and thriving communities, to improve the health of our residents, and to drive economic impact statewide,” says Office of Outdoor Recreation Director Cassie Mordini. “This growing sector has shown its resiliency in the face of challenges by continuing to grow, and our charge is to harness this potential for Wisconsin.”
Top contributing sectors by activity in Wisconsin’s outdoor recreation industry included:
- Multi-use apparel and accessories: $1.3 billion
- Motorcycling/ATVing: $1.1 billion
- Boating/fishing: $928 million
- RVing: $464 million
- Games Areas: $499 million
- Guided Tours/Outfitted Travel: $450 million
- Hunting Shooting: $320 million
- Bicycling: $157 million
Additionally, travel and tourism spending associated with outdoor recreation trips of more than 50 miles from home also saw impressive growth of 11.7 percent over 2022, and local trips saw a notable increase of 5.8 percent.
When compared with national statistics, Wisconsin’s 9.4 percent growth in the outdoor recreation industry outpaced the national average, which is 9 percent, and outpaced the overall state economy, which grew by 6.9 percent in 2023.
