Madison Reporter

Tourism and commerce took a hard financial hit last year due to restrictions and lockdowns associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, but several people who live in Madison hope the strong sense of pride they have in their city can help breath new life into those industries.

Sam Li, a homegrown cinematographer and photographer, posted a video highlighting all the great activities and sights Madison has to offer on Twitter.  

"Madison – Best City Ever. A bold claim, but one we were set on proving to the world," Li wrote in the original tweet on July 6 that included the video. 

A day after he posted the video, Li provided an update on Twitter where he revealed the video already had 75,000 views. He said "the support has been insane" and expressed his desire to make more videos that shine a spotlight on other city attractions in the future. 

The Wisconsin State Journal reported that in 2020, Dane County alone lost more than $3.8 billion because of the almost elimination of tourism. The same report noted spending levels in downtown Madison saw a 62% drop that amounted to nearly $200 million.

According to VisitMadison, tourism is a billion dollar industry for Dane County that includes about 22,000 full-time jobs.