GREEN BAY (NBC 26) — Gov. Tony Evers announced a new funding initiative to help Wisconsin's tourism recover from the pandemic while at Hinterland Brewery on Tuesday.
In a statement from the Governor's office, Gov. Evers announced $10 million of American Rescue Plan Act funds will be used to provide grants to local governments and tourism-entity nonprofits for tourism-related investment projects.
These projects are intended to help promote, maintain or bolster Wisconsin's tourism industry and have a substantial capital component. The Governor's Office said grants of up to $3.5 million will be awarded to regional entities through a competitive application process to eligible infrastructure projects such as convention centers, travel infrastructure, public or nonprofit attractions, and more.
“Wisconsin's tourism industry was one of the hardest-hit throughout the coronavirus pandemic, but these folks are innovative, dedicated, and resilient, and we're working to make sure our tourism industry can bounce back from this pandemic,” said Gov. Evers. “These investments in tourism infrastructure are not only critical to ensuring that recovery continues, but that our investments help build a strong future for the industry to continue to grow.”
According to the Governor's statement, Wisconsin’s tourism industry supported more than 157,000 jobs across the state and had a $17.3 billion impact on the state economy in 2020. So far in 2021, the industry is seeing recovery above 2020 numbers, Evers says.
