BIO: Rachel Shaw began working for the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce in 2011 as the Director of Destination Marketing. In 2019, she became the Executive Director of the Conway Convention & Visitors Bureau. Shaw serves as president of the Arkansas Association of Convention & Visitors Bureaus and serves on the board of the Heart of Arkansas Regional Tourism Association.    

How would you describe Conway’s visitor economy?  

A large majority of our visitor economy relies on youth sports. Thanks to investment in baseball and softball facilities over a decade ago, Conway has become a hub for competitive baseball and softball in Arkansas. We have also continued to grow our cycling amenities, which have brought in large youth cycling events and will continue to be a driver of economic activity. 

What motivated the change to Visit Conway for the Convention and Visitors Bureau’s branding? 

Conway has always had more of a visitor economy than a tourism economy. We wanted our brand to reflect that and felt like it better described the work we do, and the reasons people come to Conway. 

What are some long-range projects Visit Conway has in store? 

We have come to be recognized as a statewide leader in youth sports; however, it’s time to expand our focus to some other markets. In the coming years, we hope to add some new amenities that will attract a different type of visitor, while also appealing to our residents. 

Are there any untapped opportunities that excite you? 

With the opening of the new Conway Soccer Complex this spring, Conway is becoming more of a destination for competitive soccer. This summer, we will host the Arkansas State Competitive Soccer tournament, as well as two 3v3 Live events. Once the Community Center opens this summer, we will also have added opportunities to increase our swimming events and host additional volleyball events.  

How does Visit Conway support local events and festivals? 

The Advertising & Promotion Commission provides grant funding each year to support local events. These grants can range from helping to support marketing efforts or helping to cover some necessary start-up expenses for new events. We also encourage anyone hosting an event in town to add their information to our online event calendar as some added free promotion.    

How does Visit Conway grow our visitor economy? 

Funds collected through the A&P Commission on prepared food and hotel/motel nights are then put back into the local economy to support local events or attract larger statewide or regional events. A&P funds are also used to build parks infrastructure that brings more people to town. Our baseball and softball fields, new soccer complex and new community center were all built with funds collected from the A&P tax.