Group Tour Planners | Arkansas Group Travel

We in the Department of Parks and Tourism are pleased to welcome you to the Governors Executive Order 05-01 page. Here is your chance to show off the natural beauty and friendly hospitality of Arkansas to your peers and colleagues, and we're here to help you get started.

Please read over the content of this page, including the Governor's Executive Order and then follow the steps outlined below. You may want to print this page for your reference as you make your invitation and plan your meeting.

E0 05-01

TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS COME — GREETINGS:

AN EXECUTIVE ORDER

WHEREAS, blessed with an abundance of natural beauty, a rich history, and populated by those who embody the term "Southern charm," our great state has long been a popular tourist destination. These resources, coupled with a quality hospitality and travel industry in Arkansas that stands ready to host conferences and conventions of all types and sizes, make the state a logical destination for these gatherings; and

WHEREAS, by virtue of the authority vested in me under law as Governor, I hereby direct all state agencies, boards, and commissions to develop and implement plans for identifying appropriate organizations and recruiting those organizations to hold their regional and national conferences and conventions in the State of Arkansas; and

WHEREAS, all agencies, boards, and commissions shall immediately contact all national and regional organizations to which they pay any dues and encourage such organizations to hold conferences and conventions in Arkansas. All agencies, boards, and commissions shall actively pursue attracting such conferences and conventions, up to and including submitting bids to host the conferences or conventions; and

WHEREAS, all agencies, boards, and commissions shall submit a report to the Director of the Department of Parks and Tourism by May 1 of each year. The report shall include a list of all the national and regional organizations to which dues are paid, a detailed report on the status of any negotiations or contacts with each of those organizations regarding conferences and conventions, a report on negotiations or contacts with any other national or regional organizations, and any other information relevant to the recruitment of conferences and conventions;

NOW THEREFORE, the Department of Parks and Tourism is hereby directed to provide assistance upon request to each agency, board and commission in their efforts to attract such conferences and conventions. This Executive Order shall be effective upon its signing, and shall remain in full force and effect until amended or rescinded by further executive order.

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of Arkansas to be affixed this 5th day of January, in the year of our Lord 2005.

MIKE HUCKABEE, GOVERNOR

CHARLIE DANIELS, SECRETARY OF STATE

First, you'll need to get the name and address of the person at your organization who is in charge of planning the meeting or convention. We recommend that you contact that person to let him or her know when and how the information on Arkansas will be arriving.

Remember, the more specific you can be up front, and the more groundwork you do on behalf of your organization while making your invitation, the more likely the organization will host a meeting in Arkansas. That means a chance to show off the state, and of course bringing a meeting here brings money to the state, and that helps all Arkansans! When making your invitation, you have a couple of options:

You can fill out one of the forms on this page so that the information will be sent directly to you, and then you can assemble the materials you receive and present them to your organization either in printed form or via email, or

You can fill out the forms to have information sent directly to the appropriate representative of your organization. Remember, in this case you'll still want to send an invitation and let them know the information will arrive separately.

If you want to get a bit more specific, you can click on the Meeting Planner Request for Proposal link. You'll first need to do some basic research with your organization, to find out their needs and requirements. Print out the Meeting Planner Request for Proposal for a list of information you'll need to get. Once you submit this form, actual proposals from communities and meeting facilities around Arkansas will be sent to you or your organization.

Your third option here is to choose the Meeting & Convention Facility Search Form. To use this form, you'll want to get those details from your organization on its meeting needs. You can also search for a meeting site by region, using the colorful map icon at the lower right-hand corner.

Click on "Sample Invitation Letter" to find a sample invitation letter which you can cut and paste into a Word document, personalize and print on your Department's letterhead. You can send or deliver this letter to your organization with a package of printed materials you receive, or you can send the letter alone to alert the organization's meeting planner that materials will be sent directly to him or her.

Another option is to send an email invitation. Click on the "Sample Invitation Email" link to find a sample email that includes a link to Arkansasgrouptravel.com's Meeting Planners page. Remember, the more research you do and the more personal your invitation, the more likely your organization will pursue a gathering in Arkansas.

Look around this page and website to find lots of other helpful links you may want to check out or send to your organization, such as the "Calendar of Events" and the "Useful Links and Info." You'll find lots of information about possible meeting sites and other activities and attractions all over Arkansas. If your organization decides to plan a meeting in Arkansas, you and/or the organization's meeting planner will work directly with the facility that will host the event. You'll be delighted at the professional and hospitable support you'll receive. Of course, we in the Group Travel Department of Arkansas Parks & Tourism will always be here to support you as well. You can reach us at grouptravel@arkansas.com.

Let's make Governor Huckabee and Arkansas proud by extending a warm and successful invitation to host your group's meeting or convention in Arkansas!

Sample Invitation Letter

[Date]

[Name of Contact at organization]
[Name of organization]
[Address]

Dear [name of organization contact];

On behalf of Governor Mike Huckabee and the State of Arkansas, I'd like to extend an invitation to [name of organization] to consider having your [name of meeting] in The Natural State.

In addition to a wide variety of state-of-the-art meeting facilities throughout the state, Arkansas is affordable and offers an abundance of complementary amenities and activities such as natural hot spring waters and spa treatments, golf, traditional folk music and culture, live performances, Wild West history, caverns and mountains, unspoiled lakes and rivers, unparalleled fishing, scenic byways, a Victorian village, a Presidential Center, urban adventures, art galleries for all tastes, and real down-home food and Southern hospitality.

I've included some basic information on Arkansas meeting sites for you to look over.

I hope you'll consider hosting [name of meeting or convention] in The Natural State.

If I can be of further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

[your name and contact information]

Sample Invitation Email

Dear [name of organization contact];

On behalf of Governor Mike Huckabee and the State of Arkansas, I'd like to extend an invitation to [name of organization] to consider having your [name of meeting] in The Natural State.

In addition to a wide variety of state-of-the-art meeting facilities throughout the state, Arkansas is affordable and offers complementary amenities and activities such as hot spring waters and spa treatments, traditional folk music and culture, golf, live performances, Wild West history, caverns and mountains, unspoiled lakes and rivers, unparalleled fishing, scenic byways, a Victorian village, a Presidential Library, urban adventures, art galleries for all tastes, and real down-home food and Southern hospitality.

Here is a link to the Meeting Planners page of the Arkansas.com web site, where you'll find many on-line services and resources to help plan a meeting in Arkansas:

http://www.arkansas.com/group-travel/meeting-planners/

I hope you'll consider hosting [name of meeting or convention] in The Natural State.

If I can be of further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

[your name and contact information]