36th Annual Arkansas Governor's Confrence on Tourism in Eureka Springs, Arkansas.

The 36th Annual Arkansas Governor's Conference on Tourism arrives here in less than two weeks, bringing hundreds of tourism industry professionals from around the state. Governor Mike Beebe will be the featured speaker at the Monday luncheon.
This conference is the largest in-state meeting of travel and tourism professionals. It brings together representatives of attractions and destinations with lodging owners, restaurateurs, chambers and convention & visitors bureaus, governmental agencies, media and others.
Registration starts at 11 a.m. Sunday, Mar. 7 at the Best Western Inn of the Ozarks Convention Center. The Silent Auction benefiting the Arkansas Tourism Development Foundation opens that evening, 4-6 p.m. An “Early Bird Wedding Reception” party follows, Sunday at 6 p.m., at the 1886 Crescent Hotel and Spa.
Opening ceremonies are Monday at 8:30 a.m., followed by a General Session meeting at 9 a.m. However, registration continues from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
At Monday morning’s general session, Vickie L. Henry, CEO of Feedback Plus, Inc., will deliver an address entitled, “Would You Want To Do Business With You?” The Arkansas Tourism Marketing Team makes its presentation to the group Monday afternoon. T. Scott Gross, CEO of T. Scott Gross & Company and author of the book, “Positively Outrageous Service,” will speak to the group in two sessions Tuesday on the topics of customer service and MicroBranding.
Monday and Tuesday options for attendees include Off Site Workshops on “The Attraction of Local Architecture” and “Packaging What You Already Have – Eureka Springs Case Study.” Sessions dealing with customer service, online social media, and the “Welcome to Arkansas” program are offered on Monday morning. Online social media is again covered in Monday’s afternoon on-site sessions, as are adventure sports and “New Frontiers That Change Everything,” by Dr. Lowell Catlett, Futurist and Regent’s Professor, New Mexico State University.
Tuesday’s presentations include mobile phone marketing, “reasons to ride,” getting to know your customers, and growing tourism through market research.
The Banquet Reception is Mar. 9 at 6:30 p.m. at the Convention Center. The Arkansas Hospitality Association/Annual Henry Awards Banquet follows at 7:15 p.m. The dinner will feature Executive Director, Richard Davies and Miss Arkansas, Sarah Slocum, and will include a presentation of the tourism industry’s annual Henry Awards by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism.
Details on the conference are available online at www.arkansas.com/governors-conference/