Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders celebrated what she described as record tourism, as the state saw an uptick in its tourism tax revenues during the last fiscal year. Speaking at Pinnacle Mountain State Park in Roland on Thursday, the governor touted newly released data that she said shows visits to the Natural State are trending upward. The data Sanders referred to can be found in a new report commissioned by the Arkansas Department of Park, Heritage and Tourism, detailing the economic impact visitors bring to the state. The same report also showed a slight decline in visitor spending at $10.2 billion, down from $10.3 billion in 2024. "Arkansas has always been the Natural State, but today, more Americans than ever are discovering what Arkansans have known for generations," Sanders said in a statement. "From our mountains and rivers to our trails, parks, and small towns, Arkansas offers experiences you simply can't find anywhere else." One number the governor cited was the 54.3 million visitors Arkansas had in 2025, the most in the five years the data has been collected. That number is based on "all visits by travelers to Arkansas within the year," including those originating in-state,...
Source: https://www.nwaonline.com/news/2026/jul/16/arkansas-officials-tout-increase-in-tourism-tax/
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