Visit Hot Springs
Outdoor Recreation Fuels Arkansas Tourism Boom Post-Pandemic
The pandemic reshaped the tourism landscape in Arkansas, but as the state began to recover, cities adapted and redefined their approach. read more >
by Marty Cook -
Hot Springs Announces Top 5 Restaurants & Hotels in 2024
Arkansas law blocks cities from sharing local-option tax data, but Visit Hot Springs reveals its top five restaurants and hotels for 2024—minus the dollars. read more >
Not a Good Look (Editorial)
Police arresting a government-transparency advocate is not a good look for government. read more >
I-30 Expansion Project Eyes December Finish After Delays, Complaints From Businesses
Work on the project in Saline County has picked up significantly since ARDOT said it was considering holding contractor Johnson Bros. in default of contract. read more >
by Marty Cook -
Aaron Buckley Purchases SixtyOne Celsius of Hot Springs
Since the acquisition, the ad firm has expanded its video production agreement with Visit Hot Springs. read more >
Emerging Filmmakers Promote Hot Springs
Eight student filmmakers created short films for Visit Hot Springs. The films premiered at the Malco Theater in January. read more >
by Kyle Massey -
A&P Taxes Indicate Rebound Strong, Not Complete
The tourism and hospitality industries rebounded strongly in 2021, but local tax collections indicate that a few cities haven’t seen visitors return to pre-pandemic levels. read more >
by Gwen Moritz -
Hot Springs Trail Rehab Awarded $175K Walton Grant
Visit Hot Springs announced Wednesday a new effort to rehabilitate existing portions of the city’s Northwoods Trail System that is supported by a $175,000 grant. read more >
Arkansas Tourism Tax Numbers Soar, With Caveats
In cities that collect advertising and promotion taxes for tourism on hotel and restaurant receipts, the numbers talk. read more >
by Kyle Massey -
Arkansas Hospitality Tax Receipts Plunge in 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic sent hospitality tax collections in Arkansas plummeting last year, and the blow to some tourism bureaus in the state, which rely on the taxes for revenue, was even worse than those figures show. read more >
by Jan Cottingham -
State Hospitality Industry Sees Lifeline in Federal Relief Deal
For Arkansas’ hospitality industry, congressional approval of a $900 billion COVID-19 relief package was a long time coming and much appreciated. read more >
Convention Centers Can’t Wait for Legislative Session
Arkansas’ hospitals and other industries have urgent concerns for the Legislature to address in the regular session that will commence on Jan. 11, but a key piece of the hospitality industry has needs that are more urgent. read more >
by -
Oaklawn Progress Tops Wealth of Projects Boosting Tourism
Hot Springs continues to move forward with important tourism-related projects and activities despite the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Steve Arrison, CEO of Visit Hot Springs. read more >
A&P Trends Show Pandemic Pummelling Arkansas Visitors Bureaus
The coronavirus pandemic has battered city convention and visitors bureaus in Arkansas and sapped their sources of revenue: lodging and restaurant taxes. An industry built on bringing people together and attracting tourists is uniquely vulnerable to an infectious disease. read more >
by Jan Cottingham -
Hot Springs Tourism: Nearly 8M Visitors in 2018 Spent Record $677M
Travelers have increased their spending in Hot Springs, the state's tourism mecca, by nearly 30% since 2013, according to data presented Monday to the area's tourism industry. read more >
by Kyle Massey -
FLW Bass Fishing Tournament Returns to Hot Springs Aug. 9-11
The FLW Cup, the world championship of professional bass fishing, returns to Hot Springs and Lake Hamilton Friday through Sunday to crown the top angler of 2019. read more >
Despite Flooding, Arkansas Tourism Says It’s Open for Business
Many of Arkansas' recreational sites are drowning — not in historic flooding, but in phone calls about flooding, say state tourism representatives who are working overtime to combat the perception that high water has the state closed to business. read more >
Phase One of Hot Springs’ New Biking Trail System Is Complete
Phase One of Hot Springs' new Northwoods Trail System is complete, giving the city 15.7 miles of "world-class" mountain-bike riding. read more >
As Casinos Come to Arkansas, All Ships Look for Lift
Jim Shamburger owns the Best Western Winner Circle Inn just across the street from Oaklawn Racing & Gaming in Hot Springs. When Oaklawn announced in mid-November its plans for a $100 million expansion on site to include a 200-room hotel, an 28,000-SF casino and a 14,000-SF events center, Shamburger couldn’t have been happier. read more >
by Marty Cook -
A&P Commissions Watching Tax Case on Online Booking
Websites collect tax on rooms based on customer’s price, not the price paid to hotels. read more >
by Mark Friedman -