This is a two-year study designed to examine the potential for sustainable tourism within Arkansas' natural regions. Sustainable tourism is critical to the survival of rural communities, which support themselves by appropriating natural and cultural resources. Without tourists, many rural communities will experience economic decline, particularly those most isolated from urban areas. Preservation of natural resources, such as wilderness areas and water sources, is inexorably linked to the conservation of cultural resources, such as regional foodways and community festivals. Sustainable tourism therefore begins on the community level, where ecological and cultural preservation efforts are grounded.

Focusing specifically on rural community development, this project aims to identify and locate the potential "success traits" necessary for sustainable tourism. These traits will then be inventoried through an extensive survey of 75-100 communities throughout Arkansas. Each community and region will be evaluated and scaled for tourism success. Success traits will include the following: historic/cultural heritage, natural resource appeal, regional food/drink, amenities (campgrounds, lodging), good articulation and access to transportation, and collateral recreation nearby (e.g., canoeing streams, fishing lakes).

The distribution of success traits, once identified, will be converted into an index and mapped spatially for each community, county, and region in the survey. Each of Arkansas' 75 counties will be included in the study. The results will help reveal specific recommendations for regional planners to effectively promote sustainable tourism and economic development in rural communities. Further, the information gained from this study will make it possible to model the economic, ecologic, and demographic impact of tourism throughout the state. Click here to see a flow model of tourism inputs and outputs.

Ethnic
Cultural
Historical
Environmental
Recreational