Rural tourism expert Joanne Steele will offer a workshop next month aimed at helping Arkansas’s rural communities and businesses capitalize on the immense potential for attracting tourists through the Internet.

She will present, “Promoting Rural Tourism: Making the Internet Work for Your Business and Your Town,” at UALR and six other locations around the state.

The Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center (ASBTDC), part of the UALR College of Business, is sponsoring the training, which is funded through a grant award from the U.S. Small Business Administration.

“The Internet has given small towns and rural businesses a chance they have never been able to afford to compete with the biggest corporations and most popular tourism destinations,” Steele said.

“With the advent of Internet marketing and social media, anyone can speak directly to people who are online looking for exactly what these towns and businesses have to offer. But the Internet requires a little knowledge and grit to conquer and get comfortable with. That’s my job.”

As owner and operator of Rural Tourism Marketing Group, Steele has worked for more than 15 years to help rural communities become tourist destinations. She served 11 years as director of tourism for rural Siskiyou County, Calif. Through her acclaimed blog, RuralTourismMarketing.com, she shares her knowledge of the rural tourism industry and her dedication to rural culture and values.

The workshop at UALR will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 23, in the Donald W. Reynolds Center for Business and Economic Development. It is also being offered in Van Buren, Eureka Springs, Mountain Home, Hot Springs, Magnolia and Dumas.

Steele’s presentation will show participants how regular small-town business practices, such as knowing customers and serving their needs, are exactly the principles that are used to create an effective online marketing strategy.

Participants will learn how all the pieces of the strategy work together, including a business website, social media, e-mail marketing, review sites and directories. They will use this new knowledge to create a personalized Internet marketing strategy that fits their business, their time constraints, and their skill level.

Janet Roderick, state director of the ASBTDC, said the center invited Steele to Arkansas to assist the many small businesses located in rural areas of the state where agritourism, outdoor recreation, unique events, and other tourist activities can have significant impact on the local economy.

“We believe hospitality and tourism-related businesses as well as economic development organizations from our rural communities will benefit from the workshops,” Roderick said.

“Tourism can be a source of economic growth and job creation for Arkansas’s rural areas if our small towns and the businesses in them are prepared to capitalize on the economic opportunity. Learning and adopting an online marketing strategy is a way to do that.”

Registration for the workshop is $30 per person and includes lunch. Advance registration is required and available by contacting Shannon Roberts at 501-683-7700 or sxroberts@ualr.edu. Accommodations for persons with disabilities may be made if requested in advance.