Arkansas, NWA travel and tourism sectors off to record start in 2015

Collections of Arkansas’ 2% tourism tax during the first four months of 2015 totaled $4.247 million, up 7.25% compared to the same period in 2014. Collections for each of the four months of 2015 set a new record for that month.

Collections of the tax in 2014 totaled $13.677 million, up 7.48% compared to the $12.716 million collected in 2013. The 2014 tally set a new record for the tax. Following are the past five years of 2% tax collections.
2014: $13.677 million
2013: $12.716 million
2012: $12.404 million
2011: $12.025 million
2010: $11.492 million

Employment in Arkansas’ tourism and travel industry also has had a record year in 2015. Sector employment in May was estimated at 113,900, up from 113,300 in April and well ahead of 107,500 in May 2014. Sector employment reached a record of 114,800 in February.

Part of Arkansas’ fast-growing tourism sector certainly includes Northwest Arkansas. The region set a new employment record in May with 23,400 travel and tourism industry jobs, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That number was up from 22,700 in April and above the 22,400 in May 2014.

Compared to just five years ago, employment in Northwest Arkansas’ tourism travel industry is up 25.8% between May 2010 and May 2015.

Statewide and Northwest Arkansas trends continue was was reported in the Arkansas Tourism Ticker for the January-February period. The ticker, which is managed by The City Wire, uses three measurements to review tourism industry health
• Hospitality tax collections – prepared food tax and lodging tax – of 17 Arkansas cities (cities listed below and in included image);
• 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-February ticker report were:
• 8.67%
Gain in combined January-February hospitality tax collections in 17 Arkansas cities compared to the same period in 2014

• 7.48%
January-February gain in Arkansas’ 2% tourism tax compared to the same period in 2014

6.67%
Increase in average Arkansas’ tourism industry jobs during January and February compared to January-February 2014

In that January-February Tourism Ticker report, Bentonville hospitality tax collections were up 12.27% compared to the same period in 2014; Eureka Springs collections were up 33.4%; Fayetteville was up 7.9%; Rogers was up 6.49%; and Springdale collections were up 25.3%.