Alice Walton Named Arkansas Tourism Person of the Year
by March 17, 2014 12:00 am 78 views
Billionaire philanthropist Alice Walton, daughter of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. founder Sam Walton, was named Arkansas Tourism Person of the Year during the annual Governor’s Conference on Tourism in Rogers.
Walton, the founder of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville and chairman of its
board of directors, was presented the award on March 11 during the Henry Awards, the conference’s wrap-up event.
“This award may be about tourism, but to me it’s really about sharing what I love with people that don’t know about what I love — Arkansas,” she said after receiving the award. “It’s easy to promote our state because there are so many wonderful people, places and things here.”
Crystal Bridges opened Nov. 11, 2011, and through its first two years welcomed 1.1 million visitors, helping spur the transformation of Bentonville into a tourist destination for travelers from all over the world.
“I know my mom and dad would be really proud of the people that are coming from all over to visit the beautiful Ozarks and our great state,” Walton said.
The awards honor individuals and organizations that have made important contributions to the state’s tourism industry the preceding year.
The awards are named for Henri de Tonti, who founded the Arkansas Post in 1686 and is often hailed as the first “Arkansas Traveler.”