WHY DOES TOURISM MATTER?
In all, nearly 25 million people visit Milwaukee each year for convention, events, business, and leisure travel. All of these visitors support local business and the local economy, which supports local jobs. Every year, tourism is responsible for over $5 billion in economic impact to the area. That means visitors bring new money to the community, which keeps over 50,000 people employed full-time and keeps our hotels, restaurants, theaters, and attractions full of people. Then these people go home to tell even more people about how much fun they had in Milwaukee, which brings even more people to our destination.
WHY DON’T I SEE MORE OF VISIT MILWAUKEE AROUND TOWN?
You are probably already in Milwaukee, which means we don’t need to advertise to you! VISIT Milwaukee focuses its advertising efforts in cities within a six-hour drive, which is most of the Midwest. We do this through a variety of marketing and earned-media efforts (online, print, TV, radio, etc.), promotional activities (contests, giveaways, newsletters, etc.) and social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.). Are you following us?
But you might catch one of our Communications Team members on local TV talking about all of the great events happening in the area. Our PR team also welcomes travel writers from around the world to Milwaukee and shows them the best our city has to offer. This year-round effort has resulted in some big media mentions for us, including stories in The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, VOGUE, Lonely Planet, Boston Globe, UK Guardian, Women’s Health, Reader's Digest, Travel + Leisure, Conde Nast Traveler, Runner's World, and Better Homes & Gardens.
VISIT Milwaukee also markets around the nation to lure meeting planners, like Martin, to Milwaukee, and with them, their convention attendees. We have a dedicated sales force that has long-standing relationships with meeting planners from all over the country. This team travels to tradeshows, conventions, and events year-round to sell Milwaukee and attract business to the Wisconsin Center, area hotels, and other meeting facilities. Plus, they host their own site visits in Milwaukee to showcase all of our amenities first-hand.