evidence: Liam Kantor helps get a kayak out of the water for his mom, Kim, at Wingra Boats after they returned from a paddle on Lake Wingra in Madison on Monday. Outdoor sports and other activities helped boost tourism spending in Wisconsin in 2022 to a record $14.9 billion in direct spending, an increase of 15.7% over 2021. [...] All of the state's 72 counties saw a rise in spending, but it was Dane County that showed the largest percentage increase as direct spending rose by more than $300 million to $1.4 billion — a level that had not been expected until 2025 and a whopping 28.7% increase over 2021. It reflects a year in which there were no health restrictions as restaurants, stadiums, hotels, shops, markets and event centers bustled with visitors from around the world. [...] Milwaukee County led the state in direct tourism spending in 2022 at $2.2 billion, an increase of 23.6%, while Sauk County, home to many of the attractions of the Wisconsin Dells, was second with $1.6 billion in direct spending, a 7.9% increase. Dane County was third, followed by Waukesha County ($852 million, 15.1%) and Brown County ($764 million, 20.9%).