Hot Springs National Park is one of the state’s top tourist draws, and with the park being right downtown, it is easy for visitors to experience everything else Hot Springs has to offer, as well.
Devin Heath, president and CEO of Visit Hot Springs, said that outdoor experiences are highly sought after among travelers right now and Hot Springs should be at the top of the list for potential visitors seeking time in nature. However, he also praised the diverse array of experiences available in Hot Springs.
In addition to outdoor attractions such as the Northwoods Trails for mountain bikers, he named Oaklawn Hot Springs and the city’s legacy as the birthplace of spring training baseball as two notable tourism drivers, not to mention events such as the World’s Shortest St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Stueart Pennington’s World Championship Running of the Tubs.
World’s Shortest St. Patrick’s Day Parade
Tourism, along with residents and investment, is a key component of economic development, he said. With that in mind, his goal is to share with new audiences the story of Hot Springs’ history and the unique experiences that can be enjoyed there.
“How do we tell that more broadly to the world — not just to other Arkansans or other people in the region, but how do we tell that to the world?” he said. “How do we tell that narrative to people in Europe and to people in northeast America and then Canada and then Mexico and then other destinations that we want to have come visit, and then how do we balance those experiences so that they can be enjoyed by our residents equally as they are enjoyed by visitors?”
Having just recently assumed his post at Visit Hot Springs, Heath said his priority right now is getting to know the community and soliciting their input for a strategic plan that will guide the city’s trajectory going forward.
“The people here are incredible. You can really see the passion that everybody has for this community and the belief that they have in it, and that’s a wonderful foundation for us because it’s all about our people,” he said. “No matter who’s in my seat, no matter who’s in a lot of roles in this city, if you don’t have a community that believes in tourism, believes in our community, believes in us as an exciting place to be, we won’t amount to anything.”
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