WAUPACA COUNTY NEWS

October 25, 1923

Tourist Trade Is Asset; Leave millions In State

            Tourists spend $45,000,000 a year in Wisconsin, the state highway commission estimated on Monday, following final tabulation of the state highway count made on August 3^rd.

            There were 29,409 foreign cars in Wisconsin on that day.  Every state was represented, as well as Hawaii and three Canadian provinces.  Though some cars were counted as often as fifteen times, duplications were eliminated by statisticians after a careful check.  Some cars were not counted at all, it is thought.

            “From information secured through tourists, it is estimated that occupants of the average tourists automobile spend at least $15 daily in Wisconsin,” the commission stated.  “This would mean an average daily expenditure by tourists of $450,000, or approximately $45,000,000 for the year.  If 20 per cent of this represents profit, it means an annual profit to the state of $9,000,000 through this source alone.

            “Many other tourists come into the state by train.  Though it is currently reported that the passenger business is being rapidly cut down through automobile traffic, the principal railroads of the state still continue to run special trains to tourist centers.

            “In addition to the out of state tourists are the Wisconsin people who choose to do their touring in their home state.  It is conservatively estimated that this is more than double the touring by out of state residents and that the total profits resulting through the tourist business is in excess of $25,000,000 annually.  This is more than three times the total amount expended annually by the state in all of its highway activities.”

            The ten states having the largest representation are as follows:  Illinois, 15,532 cars; Minnesota, 4,505; Michigan, 2,367; Iowa, 1,870; Indiana, 1,159; Ohio, 700; Missouri, 638; New York, 344; California, 242; and South Dakota, 221.