Arkansas Tourism Ticker: Tourism tax revenue up more than 7% through April

Arkansas’ 2% tourism tax revenue between January and April was $8.11 million, up 7.4% compared with the $7.547 million in the same period of 2023. Revenue in each of the first four months of 2024 set a new record, with those gains compared to record numbers in 2023.

A record for monthly collections was set in June 2023 with $2.71 million.

The tourism tax revenue in 2023 was $25.446 million, up 5.8% from $24.049 million in 2023. Revenue in each month of 2023 set a new record, with gains compared to record numbers in 2023. A record for monthly 2% collections was set in June 2023 with $2.71 million.

January-April hospitality tax collections among 17 cities surveyed for the Arkansas Tourism Ticker were up 1.5% compared with the same period in 2023. Restaurant (prepared food tax) tax collections among the 17 cities totaled $17.208 million in January-April 2024, up 2.8% compared with the $16.744 million in the same period of 2023. Hotel tax collections among the 17 cities totaled $5.314 million in January-April 2024, down compared with the $5.454 million in the same period of 2023.

Arkansas Hospitality Association CEO Katie Beck said the Tourism Ticker results are good signs for the industry as it heads into the busy summer.

“While facing rising costs and continued inflation, record gains in tourism tax revenue and jobs in the first few months of this year once again show the strength and vitality of the hospitality industry and the dedicated professionals of the state’s second-largest industry. This strong start to 2024 is encouraging for the summer tourism season and the rest of the year,” Beck noted.

The Arkansas Tourism Ticker is managed by Talk Business & Politics and sponsored by the Arkansas Hospitality Association. The ticker uses the following three measurements to review the health of the state’s tourism industry.
• Hospitality tax collections – prepared food tax and lodging tax – of 17 Arkansas cities (cities listed below, along with collections for each city);
• Tourism sector employment numbers as reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; and
• Collections of Arkansas’ 2% statewide tourism tax.

Results for the January-April 2024 Tourism Ticker report are:
• 1.5% increase
Hospitality tax revenue in January-April 2024 among 17 Arkansas cities reviewed for the Arkansas Tourism Ticker compared with the same period in 2023

• 7.4% increase
Collections of Arkansas’ 2% statewide tourism tax in January-April 2024 compared with the same period in 2023

• 1.6% increase
Gain in the monthly average of Arkansas’ tourism industry jobs in January-April 2024 compared with the same period in 2023

Link here for a PDF or complete data in the January-April 2024 Arkansas Tourism Ticker.