Mayor proclaims National Travel and Tourism Week; Visit Madison previews 2025 report

Mayor Bob Courtourtney read a proclamation on May 6 declaring May 3–9 National Travel and Tourism Week for Madison and Jefferson County and invited residents to recognize the economic role of travel, he said.

Andrew Forser of Visit Madison told the council the organization saw an excellent year and previewed the 2025 tourism annual report. Forser said tourism spending in Jefferson County exceeded $64 million in 2024 and supported more than 687 jobs; he said Visit Madison welcomed more than 35,000 visitors into the visitor center and 30,000 into the comfort station in the last year. He gave an estimate that between roughly 500,000 and 700,000 visitors drove from more than 50 miles away to visit Madison last year and noted overnight visits were record-high in August–December 2025.

"We had over half a million visitors drove from more than 50 miles to come here to Madison last year," Forser said, noting report-to-report discrepancies but underscoring the tourism sector’s local economic impact. The mayor praised the partnership with Visit Madison and volunteers who support festivals, lodging and Main Street businesses.

Council members urged residents to consider volunteering for tourism events and thanked tourism staff and partners for promoting Madison’s architecture, festivals and hospitality. The mayor also invited the public to a tourism awards reception the following evening at the visitors center to honor local businesses and volunteers.

The council’s recognition was ceremonial; no formal action was required.