Madison - In the face of an economic recession, floods and the aftermath of Sept. 11, Wisconsin tourism ticked up 3% in 2001, according to a study released Tuesday by state tourism officials.

"Wisconsin tourism not only held its ground, but continued to grow," said Richard "Moose" Speros, state tourism secretary.

According to the study, travelers spent $11.38 billion in Wisconsin from December 2000 through November 2001. Davidson Peterson Associates, which specializes in tourism economic impact research, broke down tourists' spending by season, and found the following:

• Spending in winter and spring (December through April) totaled $3.4 billion, a 3.4% increase.
• Spending in summer (May through August) totaled $5.3 billion, a 2.8% rise.
• Spending in the fall (September through November) hit $2.7 billion, a 2.9% increase.

The study also measured vacation spending by individuals who own a second home and their guests. It found that those recreational expenditures came to $509 million in 2001, up from $495 million a year earlier.

The numbers were released in La Crosse at the annual Governor's Conference of Tourism.

Gov. Scott McCallum said he was encouraged by the performance of the tourism sector of the state's economy.

"Wisconsin's tourism industry remains a top contributor to our economy," McCallum said. "The efforts of Wisconsin's tourism industry continue to pay off in a strengthened economy and a higher quality of life."

Tourism officials were concerned that spring floods along the Mississippi River that deluged some river towns, paired with the effects of an economic recession and the aftermath of the terror attacks, could damage the industry. But Speros said Wisconsin's work to become a four-season travel destination and strong marketing efforts helped overcome those obstacles.

"We're not a fly-destination; we're a drive-destination," Speros said. "After September 11, we decided to stay the course with our marketing and appeal to our core markets in Minnesota, Illinois and Wisconsin."

Speros said that Wisconsin Dells used to be a tourist destination between Memorial Day and Labor Day, but with the advent of indoor water parks, it has become a year-round destination for travelers.

Asked whether this winter's lack of snow will hurt the 2002 spending numbers, Speros said the mild winter could be a mixed bag for state tourism.

For example, Door County was up 12% this winter because of the mild weather and good driving conditions, Speros said. "And some of the snow we got in late February helped a lot."