Direct visitor spending is the total amount of spending by tourists while either visiting or passing through the region. These data are an excellent proxy for the number of visitors to the area. It is from these data that the economic impacts of tourism are estimated. A very special thanks to the Stevens Point Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (SPACVB) for providing the data.
According to Sara Brish, the Executive Director SPACVB, "The $124.7 million in visitor spending was an increase of 4.27% from the amount visitors spent in Portage County in 2015. Ranked 23 out of all 72 counties for the state, Portage County saw the largest growth in visitor spending when compared to neighboring counties in central Wisconsin."