August 2011 State Parks, Recreation & Travel Commission Summary

The following is a synopsis of the Arkansas State Parks, Recreation and Travel Commission meeting at the Ozark Folk Center State Park, August 18, 2011, in Mountain View. For questions regarding this report, please contact Gloria Robins, executive assistant, at 501-682-7614. The next Commission meeting will be held at the State House Convention Center in Little Rock on September 14 and 15, 2011.

Executive Summary

A joint meeting of the SPRTC, the Arkansas Economic Development Commission and the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Commission is set for April 12, 2012, at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.

Bill Barnes will be inducted into the Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation Hall of Fame. The banquet is September 9, 2011.

Tourism

Joe David Rice, tourism director, reported on the Johnny Cash concert that took place on August 3, 2011. The concert was a sellout and raised over $300,000 that will go towards the Dyess project and the restoration of Johnny Cash’s boyhood home.

2013 Governor’s Conference bids will be reviewed in October.

The new Agritourism brochure, a joint project of the Arkansas Agriculture Department, the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism and Arkansas Farm Bureau, was distributed to the Commission.

Aristotle presented the new look of Arkansas.com, Arkansas.com/dining, and Arkindustryinsider.com. Visitation to Arkansas.com increased by 9% over July 2010 with the site providing 124,126 exit links to industry partners.

The Commission approved the Fall/Winter television schedule recommendations and the revised Fall/Winter print ads featuring works of art from the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. The Commission also approved using Branson Visitor TV to carry Arkansas’s promotional video to over 20,000 hotel rooms as well as 18,000 households.

State Parks Division

The Commission gave final approval for the CY 2012 Fees and Rates for Arkansas State Parks (ASP). For additional information contact Greg Butts at 501-682-7743 or Joe Jacobs at 501-682-6923.

Aristotle presented the new interactive Arkansas State Parks app for the Android smart phone providing easily accessible information on the 52 state park locations, activities and trails. In addition, Aristotle presented Mt. Magazine State Park’s updated website (www.mtmagazinestatepark.com) with user friendly features to access information on accommodations, activities, trails and maps for the park. For additional information contact Joe Jacobs at 501-682-6923 or Joan Ellison at 501-682-2873.

The Commission approved the fall TV and radio spots in conjunction with the Arkansas Broadcaster’s Association grant partnership agreement. For additional information contact Joe Jacobs at 501-682-6923 or Joan Ellison at 501-682-2873.