Stacy Hurst
The Division of Arkansas Tourism said Wednesday that 32 million people visited Arkansas in 2018, spending $7.37 billion, up 4.4% from 2017.
Stacy Hurst, secretary of the state Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism, shared the report during a presentation at the Arkansas Hospitality Association’s annual convention at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock.
Hurst said 2018 visitors generated $408 million in state taxes and $161 million in local taxes.
“For those of us who call Arkansas home, the virtues of our state are clear — stunning scenic views, compelling cultural attractions and award-winning culinary opportunities, to name a few,” Hurst said. “This economic impact data reminds us that visitors from across the globe travel to The Natural State to discover top-notch visitor experiences.”
More: See the full economic impact report.
The report said the state’s 2% tourism development trust fund is up by 2.7% over 2017. It said nearly 68,000 Arkansas jobs are directly related to the travel industry.
The report also said that, in 2018:
- Total travel expenditures were up 4.4%.
- Travel-generated local tax was up 2.9%.
- Travel-generated payroll was up 3.3%.
- Travel-generated state tax was up 2.7%.
- Travel-generated employment was up 1.2%.
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