ATV riders fatten Wisconsin's coffers
Author: Dealernews

All-terrain vehicle riders add $295 million annually to Wisconsin's economy, according to the results of a study conducted by the state's Department of Tourism. These off-road riders spend an average of $523 per out-of-town trip for lodging, food and drink, entertainment, shopping, gasoline and other amenities, the study reports.

"Taking into consideration Wisconsin's ATV visitors stayed an average of 3.2 nights, the average per person per day expenditure amounted to $163.54," according to researchers.

Out-of-state visitors who come to Wisconsin to ride off-road spend roughly $573 per trip, or $34.7 million per year. The numbers are especially important to the state's economy as these expenditures are considered new dollars. For 2003, "this new money had the effect of stimulating local business activity in communities near trails where ATV-ing occurs," say researchers. "From a jobs perspective, this amount of new spending supported roughly 815 total jobs."

Researchers conclude that "there is ample reason to believe that positive economic impacts will be witnessed in communities across the state as a result of ATV use."