Travis Napper brings experience and enthusiasm to his role as Arkansas’s newest Director of Tourism, but the COVID-19 pandemic has presented its fair share of challenges with travel restrictions, social distancing and self quarantines.

“I started on April Fool’s Day, so maybe the joke is on me,” Napper said. “Starting a new job in tourism in the middle of a pandemic with all the staff at home is definitely one of those stories that you wouldn’t believe had we said this six months ago.”

Napper shared more with host Natalie Ghidotti on the latest episode of The Ghidotti Podcast, including how the Natural State’s outdoor attractions have helped it remain a destination for travelers, the outside perspective he brings as a Louisiana native and how he and Stacy Hurst are working together in their new roles.