| 1/29/2007 10:14:00 AM | Email this article • Print this article | Report: Arkansas River revenues hit record high
by Jason Starr
Mail Staff Writer
Outfitters along the Upper Arkansas River collected $11.8 million in gross revenue in 2006, a 9-percent increase over 2005 and the highest total in the river's recreational history.
The 2005 total of $10.8 million was the previous record high.
The statistics were released Thursday during a meeting of the Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area Citizens Task Force in Salida.
Total outfitter clientele also increased, although not to the record level of 2001, when 252,213 people booked river trips. Last summer, 237,160 people booked trips, an increase of four percent over 2005 and the greatest total since the 2002 drought.
The increase does not match the 12 percent increase that occurred in 2005 over 2004 but it represents continued growth since the post Sept. 11 downturn.
"We didn't hit the 2001 peak but the trend is going up," AHRA statistician John Kreski said.
Bookings would have been higher, he added, if not for weekend rains in July and August.
"I know people got hurt by that so to get this number is pretty good because some of the weekends were down," Kreski said.
The statistics include outfitting for whitewater rafting, float fishing and private boat rentals.
Kreski said price increases contributed to the discrepancy in growth between the number of clients and total revenue. Another factor could be that more customers are booking longer, more expensive trips as the river attracts repeat visitors.
Kreski is preparing an analysis of growth by activity and expects to see significant growth in float fishing trips. Some of that growth can already be quantified through the AHRA use report for each section of the river.
The section that had the greatest growth in 2006 was the stretch from Salida east to Valle Bridge. That is a relatively mellow section commonly used for float fishing trips.
Another fly fishing indicator is the growth of use of that stretch during the early season of April and May. Those are months that typically attract anglers because of the caddis hatch and slow, pre-runoff water.
Guided walk and wade fishing trips also increased in 2006, reaching an all-time high of $188,000 in gross revenue. Total walk and wade clientele decreased slightly from 2005, however, hitting 1,953 compared to the record 2,064 in 2005.
Another segment of growth was photograph and video sales. Revenue totaled $835,700 for river pictures and video products in 2006, a 38 percent increase from 2005. Revenue didn't match the $1.08 million collected in 2001, however.
"(Outfitters) are starting to expand their product line," Kreski said, adding that price increases are also partly responsible for the increased revenue.
Outfitters are offering DVDs, CDs and specialty items such as custom mugs with a photo scanned on. Technology is making the products available instantly after a river trip, which helps with sales.
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