Arkansas Tourism Hall of Fame luncheon honors McNulty, Worthen

Two of the state’s most active cheerleaders for Arkansas Tourism were named to the Arkansas Tourism Hall of Fame Monday (March 14) at the 42nd Annual Governor’s Conference on Tourism in Springdale.

Bill Worthen, director of the Historic Arkansas Museum, and Montine McNulty, commissioner emeritus for the Arkansas State Parks, Recreation and Travel Commission, were honored during the Monday luncheon as part of the three-day event which began Sunday (March 13.)

Worthen, slated to retire in 2017, has been active in the state tourism industry for more than two decades leading several museum expansion efforts and has worked in concert with the Smithsonian Institution on two permanent exhibits on the Caddo, Osage and Quapaw tribes in Arkansas. Worthen said Arkansas could be the middle of nowhere or the center of everywhere. He said it’s up Arkansas people to determine which it’s going to be.

“Even Times Square with the wrong attitude could be nowhere,” he said.

Worthen encouraged the hospitality sector around the state to work together to ensure that every visitor gets the experience of a lifetime.

McNulty, who is also executive director of the Arkansas Hospitality Association, reminded the audience that tourism is the state’s No. 2 industry with an annual economic impact of $7.4 billion. Equally as important, she said the segment employs 100,000 workers leading the state in job creation over the past two years.

“It’s projected to lead job growth through 2020, around the state,” McNulty added.

McNulty is credited for her efforts to usher in the 2% hospitality tax and 1% conservation tax to help state parks, one of Arkansas’ most precious assets.

The keynote speaker for the luncheon was P. Allen Smith an entrepreneur, home and garden guru who founded and runs Moss Mountain Farm on 600 acres just outside of Little Rock.

Smith said he grew up to be a gardener because from a very earlier age he lived to watch things grow. But Smith has taken his passion beyond the average hobby or job. He and the farm have become a tourism mainstay in central Arkansas during the past five years after he opened for tours and workshops.

The farm is a replica of a 19th Century estate equipped with a one-acre organic vegetable garden, and a one-acre rose garden that is a repository for roses developed in the 19th Century. He also has a poultry farm on site where he conducts workshops on backyard poultry which is growing in popularity around the country. He focuses on conserving 60 historic breeds which he said fed the nation through the depression and both world wars but had almost become extinct.

“People who come to Arkansas are interested in an authentic experience. Authenticity is huge and it’s important that you be yourself and be friendly. While the place visited may be ok, it’s the experience that makes the memory,” Smith said.

That is what he attempts to do at Moss Mountain Farm. He said they have a farm-to-table focus and time plantings to ensure something is blooming all year long. More than 400,000 daffodils are now in bloom which draw in children from around the area.

“It’s important that kids visit farms, now that most families are three generations removed from farm living,” Smith said.

Moss Mountain Farm draws between 10,000 and 12,000 visitors a year. He said the backyard poultry workshops offered each quarter sell out at the 200 cap and people come from all over the country to learn about these historic breeds.

“I didn’t know so many people were interested in backyard chickens, but as people want more transparency about the foods they eat this is really picking up steam,” he said.

Smith said it doesn’t matter what corner of the state, all of Arkansas has something to offer visitors. He said the secret is to create an experience for people that is hospitable and warm and the guests will feel that Arkansas spirit that often woos folks back time and time again.

“The more of these small esoteric places that visitors can came and experience for themselves the more our state will benefit,” he said. Embrace what is uniquely yours and make it your symbol. For us it’s the daffodils which grow just about anywhere.”