Little Rock Convention & Vistors Bureau Releases 2022 Annual Report

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (March 2, 2023) — The Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau (LRCVB) has released its 2022 annual report, reflecting the city’s performance as a leisure and convention destination.

The report offers a comprehensive overview of the LRCVB’s year-over-year accomplishments in the areas of convention and leisure travel, as well as in its managed facilities. It also includes a review of current trends and future opportunities.

The 2% Little Rock Advertising & Promotion (A&P) tax collections rose to $16.95 million, a 15% increase over 2021 and a 41% jump from 2020 (the lowest in LRCVB history.) 2022 numbers also reflect a 14% increase over 2019 (previously serving as the highest year on Bureau record.)

The report details the sales team's success in attending a record number of regional and national trade shows, resulting in more than 165 future event bookings.

Robinson Center set a record for facility user days. Coupled with the Statehouse Convention Center, both venues received continued capital improvements that were overseen by the Bureau’s facility operations division.

The report includes a review of current trends in the travel industry and how they are impacting Little Rock, as well as the Bureau's future plans. The LRCVB's newly released Tourism Master Plan will serve as a roadmap for long-term planning, helping to guide the city’s tourism industry over the next 10 years. The Bureau’s 2023 Business Plan is the first step of the process.

“I believe that we will look back at 2022 as the year the foundation was laid for a new era of growth and vitality for Little Rock’s tourism economy,” said LRCVB President and CEO Gina Gemberling.

LRCVB is confident this annual report will showcase the city’s recovery from the pandemic and provide a clear path for continued success and growth in the years to come. Download the full annual report here.

2022 Key Highlights:

- 429 events held at LRCVB-managed facilities (Statehouse Convention Center, Robinson Center, River Market Ottenheimer - Market Hall and outdoor pavilions, First Security Amphitheater)
- 262 record-breaking Robinson Center facility user days – up 38% from 2021
- 269,000 Statehouse Convention Center total attendance – up 136% from 2021
- 169 future meetings secured with an estimated $48 million in direct spending impact
- $107.30 million in local and state tax revenue generation
- $16.95 million in Advertising & Promotion prepared foods and lodging tax collections – up 15% from 2021
- 8,500+ fan and follower growth on social media
- 1.7 million website page views
- 24 Travel writers hosted/assisted
- 147 total media stories and articles

Little Rock Awards & Accolades:

2022 MOST ADMIRED CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU – Arkansas Money & Politics
2022 READERS’ CHOICE AWARD (10X WINNER) – ConventionSouth Magazine
SILVER ADRIAN AWARD FOR BLACK CONSUMER CAMPAIGN – Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI)
2022 READERS’ CHOICE AWARD – Smart Meetings Magazine
ARKANSAS STATE CAPITOL BUILDING FEATURED IN “TOP ATTRACTION IN EVERY US STATE CAPITAL” – MSN.com
CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL, CLINTON LIBRARY, OLD STATEHOUSE MUSEUM, AND PINNACLE MOUNTAIN STATE PARK FEATURED IN “26 TOP THINGS TO DO IN ARKANSAS” – US News & World Report
ROCK TOWN DISTILLERY WINS TWO DOUBLE GOLD MEDALS AND THREE GOLD MEDALS – 2022 San Francisco Spirits Competition
MUSEUM OF DISCOVERY WINS 2022 ROY L. SHAFER LEADING EDGE INTERNATIONAL AWARD FOR RESILIENCE – Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC)