For the first time, El Dorado will host the Arkansas Governor’s Conference on Tourism, and though the 2019 conference is months away, the city is asking for all hands on deck to help plan the event.
The 42nd annual conference is set for next March.
Considered to be Arkansas’s premier tourism event, the AGCT celebrates tourism and highlights its impact as one of the top industries in the Natural State.
In March, several city officials and other local representatives attended the 2018 conference in West Memphis.
Two months earlier, they had learned that El Dorado was one of two finalists that were vying to serve as host city for the 2019 affair and had edged out Fayetteville to win the bid.
Mayor Frank Hash has called on several local entities to assist the city with preparations, ranging from event venues, lodging, transportation, dining and entertainment.
The conversation continued last week during an El Dorado Advertising and Promotion Commission meeting, with Hash reiterating, “We all need to be working together on this bad boy because its fraught with a lot of details, and we need to make sure they’re covered.”
Bob Tarren, chief marketing officer for the Murphy Arts District, noted that while MAD spearheaded the bid for El Dorado to serve as host city and participated in a presentation before the Arkansas Parks, Recreation and Travel Commission, the city should take the lead in planning the conference.
“MAD is not the lead on that. MAD is a facilitating partner,” Tarren explained.
He said the event is expected to draw 500 - 700 to El Dorado, adding that attendees will all be “in a tourism capacity.”
Hash noted that he spoke with Main Street El Dorado and the Downtown Business Association in April.
“We need to pull a nucleus together to start mapping out our concept … We just don’t want to under-plan it. There are a lot of influential people that come to these things,” the mayor said then.
Following up last week, Beth Brumley, executive director of Main Street El Dorado, Main Street and MAD have since started discussions.
“But it hasn’t been anything official yet. We’re supposed to be getting together on it,” Brumley said, adding that Brenda Clark, manager of the Arkansas Welcome Center in El Dorado, has also expressed interest in getting involved.
Hash said transportation will be a major component in coordinating conference activities.
“My understanding is that the state works with the hotels and (host) cities to (schedule shuttle service),” Tarren said. “We were in West Memphis (for the 2017 AGCT), and I think they worked with the city.”
Tarren said local hotels and motels will also play a vital role in helping to arrange transportation service for guests who will be in town for the conference.
“We all need to be working hand in hand and talking to each other to make sure there are no gaps in our plan,” Hash said. “I’d rather be long on planning than short on planning.”
Tarren also asked representatives from the Diamond Agency, the A&P’s advertising agency of record, to possibly create a brochure that could be mailed in advance to those who are likely to attend the conference.
The Diamond Agency publishes the El Dorado Insider, a quarterly tourism magazine that focuses on visitors and newcomers to the city and offers stories and content for local residents.
Tarren requested a primer, a publication “that’s thinner than” the El Dorado Insider.
Carol McDade, managing director and publisher of the Diamond Agency, said the ad agency met with several groups — including Main Street, MAD, Medical Center of South Arkansas, Murphy USA, the South Arkansas Arts Center, and the South Arkansas Historical Preservation Society — earlier this year to seek feedback on an idea to develop a companion piece for the magazine.
She said the piece would be smaller — approximately eight pages — and would focus on the most common, immediate questions that visitors have when they arrive in town, such as where to buy gasoline and activities for children.
“We received some surprising answers, and we should have that ready in the next several weeks. She said the new brochure will be placed in Arkansas Welcome Centers throughout the state.
Tia Lyons may be contacted at 870-862-6611 or by email at tlyons@ eldoradonews.com.