Karen Trevino, formerly senior vice president and COO of the North Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau, was promoted to president and CEO on Dec. 31. She has also served as director of Skal International Arkansas, administrator of the Arkansas Tourism Development Foundation, owner and business manager of Studio One Dance, professor at Pulaski Technical College, executive director of what was then called the North Little Rock Visitors Bureau and director of operations of the Arkansas Hospitality Association.
Trevino has a master’s degree in tourism planning and development from California University in California, Pennsylvania, and a bachelor’s in organizational management from John Brown University in Siloam Springs. She received the state’s Tourism Person of the Year Henry Award in 2011 and is an AHA Hospitality Hall of Fame inductee.
Do you anticipate any permanent changes in convention business and tourism after the pandemic passes?
It will be a long time before our industry recovers. I know people are eager to travel. However, reports indicate that it will be late fall before most people are vaccinated, if then. This situation will have long-term implications for businesses. The lodging and food service businesses, as well as travel agents, group leaders, meeting planners and others, are hanging on by a thread. As people have used Zoom and other virtual meeting opportunities, we may see that some of that will continue. It could cause lasting damage in more ways than one.
How will the NLRCVB help businesses recover from economic losses wrought by COVID-19?
Building on the success of the Argenta Outdoor Dining District, we’re talking about setting up outdoor dining areas — but not necessarily “districts” allowing the open carry of alcohol — in other parts of the city.
For example, the shopping center on North Hills Boulevard where McAlister’s, Moe’s and American Pie are located wants to set up a tent area there so people will purchase from them and sit outside where they might be more comfortable. We’re going to work with the city to see what we can do to help coordinate that. Other locations might be on JFK Boulevard, Camp Robinson Road, etc., wherever several restaurants are located in an area.
We will continue our social media and advertising campaigns, special events and promotions. We have a great relationship with the North Little Rock Parks & Recreation Department to support and bring sporting events to Burns Park. Sports are so important to our city because they impact the hotels and the restaurants. We are working on plans to develop the trails system. Developing our tourism product is important even in this down time.
What are some tourist attractions in North Little Rock that don’t get enough attention from the public?
Probably the attraction that stands out the most is the Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum. It is only one of two museums in the United States that feature vessels from the beginning of the war with Japan (the USS Hoga fireboat was at Pearl Harbor during the Dec. 7, 1941, bombing and pulled ships from the harbor) and the end of the war (the USS Razorback submarine was at the signing of the treaty at Tokyo Bay). This is an amazing piece of history, and we are so fortunate to have it in North Little Rock. We get people from all over the world who are interested in the museum, yet a lot of locals do not understand its importance. The museum has been a great asset for our successful bids on meetings. It is hard to believe that a landlocked state like Arkansas has a submarine!
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