Arkansas Tourism Ticker: Tax revenue shows slower growth in tourism sector
by February 9, 2026 5:12 pm 442 views
Arkansas’ 2% tourism tax revenue between January and October was $23.003 million, down 0.35% compared with the $23.085 million in the same period of 2024. The decline through October was less than the 1.82% dip through August.
The October revenue of $2.661 million set a new record for the month. A record for monthly 2% collections was set in June with $2.857 million.
The 2025 numbers are compared against a healthy 2024 in which the tourism tax totaled $26.66 million up 4.77% compared with 2023 collections. The 2024 revenue set a new annual record.
January-October hospitality tax collections among 17 cities surveyed for the Arkansas Tourism Ticker were up almost 4% compared with the same period in 2024.
Of the seven metro areas in or connected to Arkansas, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics provides tourism employment data on five. All five posted employment gains compared with the same period in 2024.
The Arkansas Tourism Ticker is managed by Talk Business & Politics, and sponsored by the Arkansas Hospitality Association and the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism. 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-October 2025 Tourism Ticker report are:
• 3.8% increase
Hospitality tax revenue in January-October 2025 among 17 Arkansas cities reviewed for the Arkansas Tourism Ticker compared with the same period in 2024
• 0.35% decline
Collections of Arkansas’ 2% statewide tourism tax in January-October 2025 compared with the same period in 2024
• 1.7% increase
The monthly average of Arkansas’ tourism industry jobs in January-October 2025 compared with the same period in 2024
Link here for a PDF of the complete January-October 2025 Arkansas Tourism Ticker.