The Wisconsin Dells area, which saw a number of attractions close for the season this weekend, seems to have had a jump in tourism this year.
Labor Day marked the end of summer at Noah’s Ark water park. Mark Whitfield, the park’s general manager, said it’s been “a good year.”
“I believe most businesses in the area did well,” he said.
News with a little more humanity
WPR’s “Wisconsin Today” newsletter keeps you connected to the state you love without feeling overwhelmed. No paywall. No agenda. No corporate filter.
Whitfield said that three conditions helped create an ideal summer in Wisconsin Dells: “People are feeling more comfortable traveling, gas prices are down, and weather has been good.”
Romy Snyder, the director of the city’s Visitors and Convention Bureau, said spending by tourists has been on the rise. “For the past couple of years, our estimated visitors’ expenditures have been increasing anywhere from 5 to 8 percent,” she said.
Figures on the economic impact of this year’s spike in tourism will be released in May.
Wisconsin Public Radio, © Copyright 2026, Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System and Wisconsin Educational Communications Board.





