Tourism officials push fall foliage, Trail of Lights

The Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism announced Thursday (Oct. 4) its fall foliage update schedule and the process by which Arkansas communities may join the 17th annual Trail of Holiday of Lights.

As is tradition, the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism is providing fall color updates to assist visitors in planning their trips. A team of spotters in various locations from one corner to the other supplies weekly reports on the progress of the color change, noted a department statement.

The updates are posted by 5 p.m. every Thursday afternoon during the season on this page of the tourism website.

The updates are also available by calling 1-800-NATURAL, which is answered live 24 hours a day, or (501) 682-7777 during regular business hours.

TRAIL OF LIGHTS
The department is also inviting Arkansas communities that host holiday displays and events to participate in the 2012 Trail of Holiday Lights. This program is designed to increase travel and tax revenues during late November and December.

Parks and Tourism officials have updated the program with an interactive upgrade to our Trail of Holiday Lights microsite.

“Now visitors searching for events can find them all at one stop – along with stories about the holidays and special events from our staff of travel writers; a full calendar of related events; photos from around the state and special deals and coupons for the holiday season,” the department noted in a statement.

The Trail of Holiday Lights Program eligibility guidelines for participation are:
• Your lighting program should have the support of the local chamber of commerce;
• Shops and restaurants located near the lighting display should agree to extend hours to take advantage of the increased traffic;
• Lights should be on 5 to 11 p.m. daily from the Monday before Thanksgiving through Sunday, Dec. 25, unless otherwise noted in your listing;
• The community should provide the name and phone number of a contact person to be available 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every weekday from the Monday before Thanksgiving through December 25. This name and number will be listed on the website; and,
• The above-mentioned contact number should be answered by a recorded message when no one is available to answer the phone personally.

There is no set deadline, but the new site goes live Oct. 24, and advertising for this program will direct guests to check it out.

Link here for the entry form.