Governor’s Conference on Tourism continues
The 49th annual Arkansas Governor’s Conference on Tourism kicked off Sunday and will continue throughout today and tomorrow in El Dorado following weeks and months of preparation for the event in the city.
An opening event for the conference took place at the El Dorado Municipal Auditorium Sunday evening. The auditorium received a new LED sign near the entrance of 8th Street as well as a freshly paved parking lot for the occasion. The opening event featured hor d’oeuvres, exhibits from the South Arkansas Arts Center, a live art demonstration from artists Jorge and Maria Villegas (in conjunction with the Arkansas Arts Council), a performance by the South Arkansas Symphony Orchestra and the 3 Phantoms in Concert — opera tenors Craig Shulman Gary Mauer and Keith Buterbaugh. Mayor Paul Choate and Madison Murphy, of Murphy Oil and Murphy USA, delivered a welcome address.
Almost 360 people had signed up to attend the conference earlier this month, according to previous
News-Times reporting.
Workshops and conferences focusing on different aspects of tourism in Arkansas will make up the bulk of the schedule of the event today and on Tuesday.
A “Get to Know El Dorado” educational workshop will kick off today’s events, followed by discussions such as “Accessible Travel” and “Arkansas Tourism Sets the Stage.” Today’s activities will close out with “A Taste of El Dorado” at the Union County Courthouse.
Workshops on Tuesday will include “Setting the Stage for Tomorrow,” which will feature projects presented by hospitality majors enrolled at Arkansas collegs and “Wildlife Drives Tourism.”
The workshop “The Impact of Music Festivals on Your Community” will feature presenters including Murphy Arts District CEO Pamela Griffin.
The Haywood El Dorado is the host hotel for the AGCT and the MAD House 101 restaurant will serve as the caterer for conference activities.
The El Dorado Conference Center will host most of the conference workshops and activities.
Tuesday night, the AGCT will conclude with the Henry Awards banquet, which kicks off with a reception at MAD House 101 at 6:30 p.m.
The annual Henry Awards honor individuals and groups in various categories based on their impact on tourism in Arkansas.