May 03--Visitors to Wisconsin spent $10.4 billion in 2012, a 4.7% increase from the previous year, according to a study released Friday by the state Department of Tourism.

The spending, by both business and leisure travelers, directly supports over 130,000 jobs, according to the study conducted by Philadelphia-based Tourism Economics, a firm hired by the department.

Most of those jobs -- nearly 47,000 -- are in the food and beverage business. The travel spending also supported over 32,000 jobs in the lodging industry; over 24,000 jobs in recreation and entertainment, and over 15,000 jobs in retail trade.

Wisconsin visitors spent $9.9 billion in 2011, compared with $9.2 billion in 2010 and $8.5 billion in 2009, the study said.

Visitors spent $2.7 billion on Wisconsin lodging services last year, and $2.6 billion in the food and beverage sector. Another $2.2 billion was spent on retail, and $1.3 billion on recreation, according to the study's estimates.

Leisure travel accounts for 88% of spending by visitors in Wisconsin. Overnight visitors spent $7.1 billion in Wisconsin, 68% of last year's total.

Milwaukee County led the state in visitor spending, with $1.64 billion.

Rounding out the top 10 counties were Dane, $971 million; Sauk, $857 million; Waukesha, $631 million; Brown, $551 million; Walworth, $455 million; Door, $289 million; Outagamie, $286 million; Marathon, $217 million; and Racine, $209 million.

"The travel and hospitality industry continues to be a strong performing sector for Wisconsin's economy," Gov. Scott Walker said in a statement. "Investing in tourism promotion and marketing at the national, state and local level is an effective way to attract visitors and keep the economy growing."

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