About Visit Milwaukee

Our Mission

Visit Milwaukee creates economic impact and supports a stronger, more inclusive community by promoting Greater Milwaukee area as a premier tourism destination.

Company Overview

Through sales, paid advertising, experiential marketing and earned media, Visit Milwaukee promotes the region as a premier destination for business and leisure travel. We are the only local organization solely dedicated to marketing Milwaukee on a national and international scale. We do that by highlighting and promoting our businesses, venues, facilities and family attractions. By telling the story of what our amazing city and region have to offer. By hosting tours and influencer events. And by traveling around the country to bring Milwaukee to meeting and event planners. Even our little brother in Illinois took notice. As part of our experiential leisure marketing campaign, Visit Milwaukee took over Union Station in Chicago to make sure Chicagoland residents knew the best summer festivals are just a train ride away. And in 2024, the Republican National Convention brought a global audience and a large economic impact to our hotels, restaurants and bars over the course of a week.

From hotels, restaurants, bars, retailers, event services and so much more, Visit Milwaukee is also proud to partner with more than 1,000 area businesses that believe in the power of tourism. Our corporate partners believe that making Milwaukee an amazing place to visit can help create an even more amazing place to live and work. Together with our partners, we’re working to make a better Milwaukee every day.

Representing Milwaukee for More Than 55 Years

Visit Milwaukee's roots go all the way back to 1888, when the Association for the Advancement of Milwaukee was founded as an advisory committee to promote "the commercial and the general welfare of the City of Milwaukee." In 1967, the Milwaukee Convention & Visitors Bureau, Inc. was formed as a joint proposal between the Milwaukee Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, the Milwaukee Hotel-Motel Association, and the Wisconsin Restaurant Association to “re-establish Milwaukee as a major convention city.” Our mission and our reach has flourished in the decades since.

Today, Visit Milwaukee markets the Greater Milwaukee area as a top choice for business, convention, and leisure travel to national and international visitors.

Selling the Cream City

We are the only local organization solely dedicated to marketing Milwaukee on a national and international scale. When meeting planners and travelers are determining their next destination, Visit Milwaukee makes our city shine and showcases the very best of our community. Tourism is vital to the success and quality of life for our entire community…and our future.

What Milwaukeeans are Saying About Visit Milwaukee

Don't just take our word for it! Hear from some of Milwaukee's most passionate community advocates about the impact Visit Milwaukee has on the Greater Milwaukee area.

Visit Milwaukee Funding

Visit Milwaukee receives a portion of hotel occupancy taxes from the City of Milwaukee, the County of Milwaukee, and the City of Wauwatosa.
Remaining hospitality taxes (occupancy, food & beverage, and car rental) are retained by the Wisconsin Center District to pay bond debt on convention facilities and the Miller High Life Theatre, and to maintain the facilities with capital improvements.
Other funding includes partnership dues, sponsorships, and other program service revenue.

How Visitors Benefit Our Community

As a destination marketing organization, Visit Milwaukee works to promote the Greater Milwaukee area to both business and leisure travelers. Visit Milwaukee’s efforts attract visitors who spend money on transportation and local attractions, who then invest that money back in local institutions, benefiting all of the community's residents.

What’s a Destination Marketing Organization?

Why Tourism Matters

The health of our community depends upon a strong tourism economy. At Visit Milwaukee, we work to increase the economic impact of tourism in the Greater Milwaukee area by marketing the region as a premier location for business and leisure travel. Tourism is vital to the success and quality of life in our community. Each year, tourism supports over 43,000 full-time jobs and brings in more than $6 billion to our community. Essential to our local and national economy, tourism is a job creator, revenue generator and reputation builder. But just as – if not more – importantly, tourism is a people connector, joy builder and memory maker. Together with our partners, Visit Milwaukee is harnessing the momentum, pushing our travel and tourism industry forward.

Tourism Insights

You Belong in MKE

No matter who you are, you are welcome in Milwaukee. From the largest events to intimate community gatherings, across our great city there truly is something for everyone to experience and enjoy. In Milwaukee, unique truly unites. In 2021, this theme was central to our marketing and communication initiatives. But it also captures how we work and live. From one of the country’s most accessible beaches to festivals that celebrate a multitude of heritages, to being among the most LGBTQ+ friendly communities, Milwaukee is where everyone can be their most authentic self. At Visit Milwaukee, we know that to represent a diverse community, our team must be representative of those we work to support. Simply put, we’re better together.