While your family may have been visiting Door County for a few years—or even a decade or two—the organization behind the area’s tourism efforts has been doing it for well over a century. Last week, Destination Door County’s annual meeting celebrated 100 years of leadership in the tourism industry, with more than 160 business leaders from across the peninsula in attendance.

Although it was their 100th annual meeting, Destination Door County has existed in some form since 1891. Tourism in the “Cape Cod of the Midwest” certainly looks different than it did 10 years ago, let alone more than 100 years ago. Destination Door County Chief Communications Officer Jon Jarosh hopes residents and visitors alike appreciate the efforts local businesses have made to transform the area into “Vacationland” for millions of people every year.

In 2024, total economic activity increased 5.1 percent over 2023. Direct spending reached $523.2 million, with an additional $128 million generated through indirect and induced impacts. Jarosh noted in June that thanks to $53.3 million in state and local tax contributions, households effectively offset approximately $3,700 in taxes. The visitor economy also supported more than 3,500 local jobs, contributing a record $124.3 million in labor income to Door County workers.