LRCVB WINS TWO PRESTIGIOUS HENRY AWARDS

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (March 4, 2024) – The Little Rock Convention &
Visitors Bureau (LRCVB) was the big winner during the 50th Arkansas
Governor’s Conference on Tourism was held last week in Jonesboro. The
LRCVB took home two Henry Awards, recognizing excellence in the tourism
industry.  

“These are incredibly prestigious recognitions in our industry,”
said LRCVB President & CEO Gina Gemberling. “Tourism is the second
largest industry in Arkansas, and the awards recognize the significance
of the work done to grow this large and important part of our economy.
It’s fiercely competitive.”  

The LRCVB won the Tourism Organization of the Year Award based on its
development and implementation of its 10-year Tourism Master Plan
released in January 2023. The goal outlined in the plan is to combine a
vision for the future with actionable strategies to build a roadmap for
Little Rock’s tourism industry for the next decade. The award is
presented to a convention and visitors bureau, advertising and promotion
commission, chamber of commerce, or other tourism entity for excellence
in the field.  

“The Tourism Master Plan was the culmination of a full year of
research and planning,” said Gemberling. “There was comprehensive
participation with more than 500 industry partners and community
leaders, which resulted in a solid strategy and focus.”  

The plan focused on nine key areas for tourism growth in Little Rock:
destination development, tourism infrastructure investment, reinvestment
in public and open spaces downtown and along the riverfront, evolution
of a targeted marketing approach, enhancement of the visitor experience,
optimized utilization of the Statehouse Convention Center and Robinson
Center, community engagement, leveraging positive destination
perception, and investment in resources to further ongoing equity,
diversity, and inclusion efforts.  

The LRCVB also won The Natural State Tourism Development Award for its
Experience the Little Rock in Color campaign. This interactive video series
featured more than 50 local leaders telling their “Big on Little
Rock” stories. These leaders represented the Black, LGBTQ+, Hispanic,
Native American Asian American and Pacific Islander communities in
the city.  

“Having so many influential citizens share their story was
awe-inspiring,” said LRCVB Vice President of Marketing, Communication
& Community Engagement Kasey Summerville. “It shows Little Rock is an
inclusive and welcoming place for visitors of all backgrounds.”  

The video series was conceived with an agency partner to elevate the
image of Little Rock.  

“It was a great experience working with MHP/Team SI Content Studio on
this project,” said Summerville. “They took our vision to capture
and create content that represents all of Little Rock.”  

The videos can be viewed on the LRCVB’s website at
https://www.littlerock.com/in-color/ [2]  

The Tourism Master Plan can be downloaded at
https://www.littlerock.com/about/reports-and-strategic-plan/tourism-master-plan/
[3]  

ABOUT THE LITTLE ROCK CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU
The Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau (LRCVB) is the official
destination marketing organization for the City of Little Rock, charged
with marketing and selling the city as a meeting, sports, and leisure
travel destination. The LRCVB also manages the Statehouse Convention
Center, Robinson Center, River Market, and multiple parking facilities.
For more information, visit www.littlerock.com [4].