The Arkansas tourism industry experienced its best year of growth since 1980, with expenditures surpassing the $5 billion mark for the first time. Travel expenditures increased from $4,632,561,278 in 2005 to $5,049,491,793 in 2006 (9.0%). Visitors increased from 21,829,099 to 23,073,358 (5.7%). Visitation data from 1997 forward has been adjusted, based on updated data from the 1995 American Travel Survey (see footnote at the bottom of Table 1). A major factor in the success of Arkansas tourism is the 2% Tourism Initiative passed by the General Assembly in 1989. This Act provided additional advertising funds for the Department to successfully compete with surrounding states for potential visitors in the expensive magazine, television, radio, newspaper and Internet markets.

Source: 2007 Arkansas Department of Parks & Tourism Annual Report (.pdf, 72 pages)
http://www.arkansas.com/economic_report05/APT%20annual%20P72_106.pdf