| Chamber of Commerce - 1/99 President's Report | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Eureka Springs Chamber of Commerce 501-253-8737 Email: escoc@ipa.net | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
It's January and it's SHOW TIME! In November I attended NTA, National Tourism Association in St. Louis; December, ABA - American Bus Association in Milwaukee and Travel South in Greensboro, NC. -- the three largest Group Travel Conventions in America. Eureka was well represented at each of these shows and comprised the largest delegation of Arkansas properties and attractions. There seemed to be a great deal of interest in adding overnight stays in Eureka Springs back to the tour bus itineraries by the tour operators after some falloff in recent years. Our new GROUP TRAVEL PLANNER was extremely well received as was our new ATTRACTIONS GUIDE. I have mailed follow-up packets not only to those I met with but also to each tour operator that attended each of the shows. Our new WEDDING & ROMANCE GUIDE will be out this week and we are expecting our new VISITOR GUIDES any day. Due to the large number we distribute at the TULSA BOAT SHOW (11,000 last year) Walker will dropship to our booth early next week. Staff and volunteers have been lined up for this, our most important of shows. Our BRIDAL SHOW schedule is as follows:
Other Important shows we will be attending are:
As per our contract with the CAPC, I also attend all Parks and Tourism Commission meetings. They are the third Thursday & Fridays of each month and usually I am out of the office the third Wednesday for Northwest Arkansas Tourism Association Board meeting and travel to the commission meetings. January 20 - 22 July 14 - 16 February 17 - 19 August 18 -20 March 14 - 16 September 15 - 17 April 14 - 16 October 13 - 15 May 19 - 21 November 17 - 19 June 16 - 18 December 15 - 17 In addition to the regular commission meetings, Parks and Tourism holds a planning retreat for state tourism professionals soliciting input for the following year's State Tourism Marketing Plan, and another planning retreat for Group Travel. Usually they are in the late spring and early summer. NTA was the first week in November and ABA last year was the 2nd week in December. I have been named to the Board of Directors of the Arkansas Chamber of Commerce Executives Association for a one year term, representing Northwest Arkansas. They generally meet quarterly, once in conjunction with our annual board retreat which is held the first week in June at Lake Ouchita. Joe Murfin of KWG has resigned the Agency to assume the Director of Marketing for Daisy Air Rifle. His last day is January 29. I have met with Craig who will take over the Eureka Springs account and have approved colors and photography for our new Bridal and Trade Show Booths. Ann Rulifson, our bookkeeper is getting married and has submitted her resignation. She is going into business with her new husband here in Eureka. Her last day was January 14. She has agreed to come back to help us train her replacement. Ads have been placed and interviewing has begun. Ads have also been placed for the new Group Sales Telemarketing person. Jon Loudermilk is contacting LARC about the cost and availability of a LARC representative facilitating the Town Meetings they proposed. I was assigned by the CAPC and have contacted Lewis Eply about the possibility of someone from the University of Arkansas facilitating. Beth has been visiting with Jan and Kim of Positive Ideas on Networking our computers. Our principal need -- networking our operators and mailroom data base needs to be coordinated with our new telephone system and software. CAPC Collections were another NEW RECORD last year --
Respectfully submitted, Rick Murphy President Return to Eureka People Return to Archive |