Fox Cities Tourism Takes Major Hit in 2020, Already Seeing Track for Recovery in 2021 By Casey Nelson
May 3, 2021 4:08 PM
APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) â Ten years of growth in visitor spending was brought to an abrupt halt in the Fox Cities last year. Tourism brought in $333 million in 2020 across the Fox Cities. Thatâs down a bit from the record-high of $511 million in 2019.
While the $333 million is still a substantial amount, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic was evident.
âAbsolutely all of this spending decline was pandemic-related. Here in the Fox Cities, our tourism is really based on large group activities,â said Pam Seidl, Executive Director of the Fox Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau. â[It was a] perfect storm with this pandemic being a disease where you they donât want groups of people gathering, and our tourism economy is based on large groups like meetings, conventions, sports tournaments.â
Fox Cities Tourism Takes Major Hit in 2020, Already Seeing Track for Recovery in 2021
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Fox Cities Tourism Takes Major Hit in 2020, Already Seeing Track for Recovery in 2021 By Casey Nelson
May 3, 2021 | 4:08 PM
APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) – Ten years of growth in visitor spending was brought to an abrupt halt in the Fox Cities last year. Tourism brought in $333 million in 2020 across the Fox Cities. That’s down a bit from the record-high of $511 million in 2019.
While the $333 million is still a substantial amount, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic was evident.
“Absolutely all of this spending decline was pandemic-related. Here in the Fox Cities, our tourism is really based on large group activities,” said Pam Seidl, Executive Director of the Fox Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau. “[It was a] perfect storm with this pandemic being a disease where you they don’t want groups of people gathering, and our tourism economy is based on large groups like meetings, conventions, sports tournaments.”
Photos courtesy of Wisconsin OYF
OUTSTANDING FARMERS: Five couples competed for Wisconsin’s 2021 Outstanding Young Farmer Award. They are (front, from left) runners-up Joe and Ashley Dudkiewicz, Crivitz, and winners Jennifer and Shane Sauer, Waterloo. In back (from left) are Leslie and Scott Svacina, Deer Park, and Jenny and Michael Jenson, Elk Mound. Clint and Erin Hodorff, Eden, are not in the photo. Shane and Jennifer Sauer farm 650 acres and milk 150 cows.
Shane and Jennifer Sauer of Waterloo, Wis., were selected as the Wisconsin 2021 Outstanding Young Farmers during the 67th annual OYF awards weekend, held Jan. 22-23 in Neenah, Wis.
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