Helena businesses gain regional recognition at Arkansas Delta Byways Awards

Organizers announced last week that the 24th Annual Arkansas Delta Byways Awards will be held Feb. 6 at Arkansas State University, and several Phillips County entries earned nominations that put local tourism and small business efforts in the regional spotlight. The awards, which cover a 15-county Delta Byways region, recognize tourism promotion, cultural heritage and entrepreneurial initiatives across the Arkansas Delta.

Among Phillips County nominees, Helena Adventure Company was named in the Entrepreneur category, the Helena-West Helena Mural Trail is a contender in the Tourism Support/Promotional Award category, and the Helena Museum of Phillips County appears on the Cultural Heritage Award list. Those nominations place Helena and Helena-West Helena alongside peers from across the Delta, signaling regional acknowledgement of the county’s investment in attractions and place-based promotion.

The awards event doubles as a fundraising and networking occasion: organizers plan a silent auction and ticketed attendance, with registration available through Eventbrite. Ticket prices and auction items were provided with event materials, reflecting the awards’ role not only as recognition but also as a means for Delta Byways to raise operating revenue and support regional marketing efforts. Delta Byways functions as the tourism promotion association for the 15-county area, channeling visitors and marketing resources across small towns and cultural sites in the region.

For Phillips County, regional nominations can translate into concrete economic benefits. Visibility from a Delta-wide awards program lifts brand recognition for operators such as Helena Adventure Company, which can help attract more out-of-area visitors and bolster seasonal sales of guided tours and outdoor services. Recognition of the mural trail and the county museum reinforces cultural-tourism offerings that typically lengthen visitor stays and increase per-visitor spending on dining, lodging and local retail. In regions like the Delta, where tourism often operates through small operators and nonprofit cultural institutions, marketing wins can improve prospects for grant funding, partnerships and cooperative advertising.

Local officials and business owners should view the nominations as leverage for coordinated promotion ahead of spring and summer tourism cycles. Winning an award can create short-term publicity; more important is how nominees use the platform to drive bookings, educational programming and cross-promotion with neighboring counties in the Delta Byways network.

Residents who want to support local nominees can attend the Feb. 6 ceremony, bid in the silent auction, or share promotion of Helena’s attractions on social channels. As the region watches which projects take home awards, the nominations themselves already signal that Phillips County’s tourism and entrepreneurial efforts are gaining traction across the Delta, with potential to draw more visitors and dollars to the local economy in the months ahead.