City of Middleton Draws $206.9 Million in Visitor Spending in 2024

The City of Middleton reports its third consecutive year of increased direct visitor spending since the end of the pandemic.

But tourism is more than a number — it’s part of a city’s growth story. And Middleton has shown growth in both visitor assets, as well as visitor spending.

According to the newest Tourism Economic Impact Report, Middleton welcomed increased visitor spending in 2024, totaling $206.9 million — the highest recorded and a 3.3 percent increase from 2023.

Compared to 2019, spending has increased by more than 17 percent, reflecting sustained momentum and growing interest in the city as a travel destination. The 2024 STR Report (short term rental) stated that the city’s 2024 occupancy rate was 8.3 percent higher than in 2023, and other tracking software employed by Visit Middleton, the city’s tourism department, showed the largest number of visitors outside of Dane County arrived from Milwaukee and Chicago.

“Middleton has always been considered a charming leisure destination, with its shopping districts, revitalized downtown, walkability, and of course, its impressive variety of restaurants,” said Mari Olson, Visit Middleton’s director of tourism. “What we are seeing these past couple of years, though, is a strong group tour showing and that is also a reflection of the attractions and things to do, as well as the quality of the hotel services.”

Middleton is home to more than 80 restaurants and diners, 50-plus stores and boutiques, and the longest running micro-craft brewery in the Midwest — Capital Brewery & Bier Garten, which also gives scheduled tours. The National Mustard Museum and National Mustard Day (Aug. 2, 2025) bring thousands to the city, and within the past few years a hard cider tasting room — Hidden Cave Cidery — has opened, adding yet another amenity to the list. In the last five years, two hotels have also been built, and three more fully renovated,

The city parks and trails have grown, as well, updating park services, the city pool, and extending city trails for hiking and biking. The cross-country ski trails, with their snow-making ability, have extended the winter sport through mid-March and provided the ability to host ski events.

“Middleton doesn’t have to try to be everything to everyone, it actually is,” Olson said. “Our city is in a rare position to offer this beautiful, safe, walkable community with all the amenities of a larger city. If you look to the west, you see Lake Mendota; and to the east are Pleasant View Golf Course and the cross-country ski trails; and more than 600 acres of protected prairie, wood and creek land in Pheasant Branch Conservancy lay north, with more than 300 acres actually within city limits. We have everything you could want in a leisure destination, as well as for the outdoor lover.”

She added that being next door to the state capital and Dane County Regional Airport provides visibility and accessibility, as does the fact that Middleton is within driving distance of Milwaukee and Chicago.

“The hospitality that visitors experience from their hotel room to sitting down for a fish fry provides an experience that keeps them returning,” Olson said. “We have something very special here. It’s easy to feel like a local, just walking around downtown and grabbing a coffee.

“I’m proud of the work we do in marketing Middleton; I’m proud of every hospitality employee and attraction. Honestly, once people see it, once they start exploring, Middleton sells itself.”

This is reflected in the numbers from the Tourism Economic Report, which show that lodging led the way in 2024 with $60.5 million in spending, a 3.1 percent increase from the year prior. Food and beverage spending totaled $57 million (up 3.2 percent), followed by retail at $42.1 million (up 2.8 percent), recreation/entertainment at $24.7 million (up 5.5 percent) and transportation at $22.6 million (up 2.8 percent).

“We’re also grateful that the tourism and hospitality-related employment rate rose by 2.5 percent with an estimated 1,720 jobs in Middleton,” Olson added. “The hospitality industry is still rebounding from the pandemic, largely when it comes to workforce needs.”

Visitor spending in Middleton generated $69.3 million in state, local and Federal tax revenue, including $36.2 million in state and local taxes. The City of Middleton accrued more than $2,269,800 in just hotel tax revenue in 2024, of which the municipality keeps 30 percent, or about $680,900. The city uses these funds for programs, staffing and general maintenance for the city, while the remaining 70 percent is rolled back into tourism marketing and development.

For more information about Visit Middleton, go to visitmiddleton.com, sign up for the newsletter and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.