National Tourism Week
The Annual Salute to Travel and Tourism in America
The first full week of May is annually recognized as National Travel and Tourism Week, a tradition first celebrated in 1984. Localized events are presented in cities, states, and travel businesses nationwide to champion the power of travel. It was established as National Tourism Week when the U.S. Congress passed a joint resolution in 1983 designating the week to be celebrated in May. In a White House ceremony, President Ronald Reagan signed a Presidential Proclamation urging citizens to observe the week with “the appropriate ceremonies and activities.”
Since its establishment, the U.S. travel community has collectively marked the event in a number of creative ways, from staging local rallies and conducting media outreach to securing proclamations and resolutions from local legislative bodies.
The Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism observes National Tourism Week annually. In 2011, Arkansas's Tourist Appreciation Day was celebrated on May 9. A Travel Rally
was held at the State Capitol on May 10 to
recognize the importance of the travel and tourism industry to our
state's economy.
Tourism is one of Arkansas's largest industries. In 2010,
the state hosted nearly 23 million visitors and brought in $5.5 billion
in tourism expenditures! National Tourism Week provides the perfect
opportunity for us to express our appreciation to the Arkansas travelers
who have made this growth possible!
We are proud of Arkansas and want to share that pride with our
visitors! This website gives you all of the information you need to
host a Tourist Appreciation event in your own area. If you do not
already have an event planned, ideas and suggestions are provided here
for your consideration. If you already have an event planned, you can
find fun facts to share with those who attend.
Arkansas Tourism Week Information