By Kimberly J. Williams, travel writer
Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism

The following is a synopsis of the Arkansas State Parks, Recreation and Travel Commission meeting held in November in Wynne, Arkansas. For questions regarding this report, please contact Jana Greenbaum, communications director, at (501) 682-7606.

Executive Director’s Report
Tourism Division

October highlights for www.Arkansas.com:

Ranks No. 3 among the 50 state tourism websites – following Michigan and Virginia. Ranks No. 1 among contiguous states. Is the 8,617th (out of 988,247) most visited site on the Internet for October. For more information, phone Jonathan Eudy at (501) 374-4638.

Highlights from the Seasonal Year 2005 Visitor Profile

Visitors to Arkansas in SY 2005 numbered 32.7 million (up from 30.9 million in SY04)

Total direct spending by visitors to Arkansas was $4.8 billion

Peak travel months are July and November. For more information, phone Joanne Hinson at (501) 324-1520.

Communications Section

Geocache Project

"Cache in with the Natural State" will begin in January 2007 and will feature caches hidden at locations throughout Arkansas. Twelve communities will host caches, with the first being Hobbs State Park. The coordinates for the cache at Hobbs State Park will be published in the 2007 Arkansas Tour Guide, with subsequent coordinates being revealed on www.Arkansas.com. For more information, contact Jana Greenbaum at (501) 682-7606.

Advertising/Marketing

The commission approved the remaining Fiscal Year advertising plan through June 30, 2007. The plan includes the winter 2006 radio and television advertisements and the 2007 Arkansas State Parks guide and Arkansas State Parks cabin guide. For more information, phone Joe Jacobs at (501) 682-6925 or Joan Ellison at (501) 682-2873.

Pilot Policy for Pets in State Parks Lodging Facilities

The commission approved a pilot study allowing dogs in selected state park cabins for 2007. For more information, phone Greg Butts at (501) 682-7743 or Mac Balkman at (501) 682-7639

According to the 2005-2006 Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism Annual Report, Cross County had $11,130,245 in total travel expenditures and 57,541 visitors (person-trips) during calendar year 2005. An estimated 155 jobs were supported by tourism, with a payroll of $2,375,636. Travel-generated state tax amounted to $726,156, and local tax $231,012.

Cross County is part of the Arkansas Delta Byways, one of the 12 Arkansas tourism regions. Arkansas Delta Byways is composed of 15 counties in Eastern Arkansas. In 2005, the Arkansas Delta Byways region generated $471,797,389 in total travel expenditures.

For more information on tourism statistics for Arkansas, please contact Joanne Hinson, Manager, Research & Information Services at (501) 324-1520.

Submitted by the Arkansas Department of Parks & Tourism
One Capitol Mall, Little Rock, AR 72201, (501) 682-7606
E-mail: info@arkansas.com