Our Capabilities
The Forefront of
Sustainable Tourism Development
The Blackstone Valley Tourism Council is a
non-profit corporation registered with the Internal Revenue Service
as a 501(c)(3) educational organization and was authorized under
Section 42-63.1-5 of the Rhode Island General Laws as the State
designated regional tourism development agency for the Northern
Rhode Island tourism district. A 21 member Board of Director’s with
a full-time professional staff manages the Council.
The Council’s development region follows the length
and width of the Blackstone River Watershed, from the many
tributaries in southern Massachusetts, to the River’s termination at
the Headwaters of the Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island. The Council
represents the cities of Pawtucket, Central Falls, and Woonsocket,
and the towns of Cumberland, Lincoln, North Smithfield, Smithfield,
Glocester, and Burrillville.
Since 1985, the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council
has been at the forefront of sustainable destination development,
community building and resiliency, education, and scholarly
research. The Council was the first destination in the world to
receive the United Nations World Tourism Organization’s (UNWTO)
Ulysses Prize that merits distinction for innovative contributions
to tourism policy, tourism sustainable planning, environment
protection and new technologies. In 2006 the Council achieved the
UNWTO .Sbest Certification in tourism governance.
The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), in
2008, recognized the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council with their
Tourism for Tomorrow Destination Award, one of the most prestigious
sustainable tourism development awards in the world. The WTTC noted
the Council’s integrated, community-centered, resilient approach to
tourism development and community building.
The Blackstone Valley Tourism Council works to
bridge the gaps between the economy, the environment, and the people
that live in the Valley. This “multiple-bottom line” approach is the
definition of sustainable community development. The Council’s
concept of tourism is about creating a unique sense of place through
social, economic and physical development for Valley residents, and
in turn, creating a destination for visitors.
The Blackstone Valley does not have exotic beaches,
renowned rainforests or dense metropolises. What the Valley does
have is a story: the story of colonization, religious freedom,
industrialization, immigration, the gilded age, pollution, poverty,
urban decay, and of rebirth and sustainable redevelopment. This
story is not stagnant; it is a living and evolving entity that is
made up of the natural, built, and cultural environment of the
Valley.
The work that the Tourism Council accomplishes
could not be completed without the breadth and strength of the
partnerships that have been developed. These include strong
relationships with local social and community development
organizations, municipalities, regional and state economic
development organizations, educational institutions, as well as
national and international entities. The Council has the ability to
unite with any of these partners depending on the task and
specialization that is needed.
Some of our partner organizations are listed below:
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Pawtucket Citizens Development Corporation
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Pawtucket Foundation
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Progreso Latino
-
Northern Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce
-
Rhode Island Department of Environmental
Management
-
Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation
-
Rhode Island Small Business Administration
-
Rhode Island Small Business Development
Corporation
-
Rhode Island Center for Women and Enterprise
-
Rhode Island Historic Preservation and Heritage
Commission
-
Rhode Island Historical Society
-
Rhode Island Council on the Arts
-
Rhode Island Housing
-
Rhode Island Committee on the Humanities
-
Grow Smart Rhode Island
-
Rhode Island Public Transit Authority
-
Preserve Rhode Island
-
Blackstone River Valley National Heritage
Corridor
-
US National Park Service
-
Preserve America
-
Newport County Convention and Visitors Bureau
-
South County Tourism Council
-
Providence Warwick Convention and Visitors
Bureau
-
East Bay Tourism Council
-
Block Island Tourism Council
-
Warwick Office of Arts, Culture and Tourism
The Council also partners with international
entities in the United Kingdom, Brazil, Colombia, Canada and Taiwan.
These broad partnerships, in conjunction with the
Council’s two decades of experience, means that there is an
unparalleled capacity for regional sustainable development. Besides
continuous action and community support services, the Council has
developed a communication and educational platform that connects the
foremost thinkers, writers, planners, and developers of sustainable
development concepts. State-of-the-art conferences and consulting
applications allows not only for discussion, but also of physical
application in communities around the world.
Vision
“To create positive change with regard to community
values by developing and promoting coordinated, responsible and
sustainable tourism in Rhode Island’s Blackstone Valley communities.
To plan and collaborate with intrastate, state, regional, national
and international organizations to sustain and enhance the character
of our destination, and to develop the public and private natural,
historic, cultural, ethnic, industrial, recreational, educational,
special events, artistic and commercial resources”
Through quality planning and collaboration, the
Council enhances the environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage, and
well being without compromising the Blackstone Valley for future
generations.
The Council’s mission is:
-
Improving Quality of Life
-
Historical Preservation
-
Environmental Justice and Conservation
-
Cultural Appreciation and Interpretation
These overarching missions are met through
direct approaches including:
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Social Justice & Voice
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Youth, Adult & Elder Education
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Urban Planning & Design
-
Community Development
-
Disaster Resiliency
-
Event & Festival Programming
-
Support of Local Entrepreneurs
-
The Arts & Creative Development
-
Promotional Support
The Council is continually evolving and improving
its sustainable development platform. Due to this foresight and
adaptability, it has achieved a number of firsts in the tourism,
education and development fields.
List of current programs:
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Sustainable Tourism Laboratory & Conferences
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Broad Street Regeneration Initiative
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Keep Blackstone Valley Beautiful
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RiverClassroom
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Blackstone Valley DeTours
-
Voluntourism
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Dine Blackstone & International Food Tour
-
Creative Blackstone
-
Blackstone Valley Scenic Railway Tours
-
Blackstone Valley Tourism Network & Calendar of
Events
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Bicycle & Paddling Tours
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Bike path and waterfront development
-
Chinese Dragon Boat Race & Taiwan Day Festival
-
Blackstone Valley Heritage Golf Tournament
-
Blackstone Valley State Park and
Pawtucket Visitor Centers
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Blackstone Valley Explorer Riverboat
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The Samuel Slater Canal Boat Bed and Breakfast
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Blackstone Valley (U.S.) - Amber Valley (U.K.)
International Compact
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Pawtucket Music & Arts Festivals
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Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame
-
Chocolate Mill Overlook Park
-
Tour Rhode Island
-
Rhode Island Cherry Tree Festival
The Blackstone Valley Tourism Council has four
major focus points for its efforts. These focus points overlap in
their approaches and outcomes, so the Council takes a holistic
approach to tourism development.
The following focus areas guide all of the
Council’s missions and programs:
Focus Area #1: Improving Quality of Life:
The Council’s main goal is in improving the quality of life for its
region’s residents. Healthy, vibrant, and unique communities become
destinations for visitors.
Focus Area #2: Historical Preservation: The
Valley has a story to tell. It is an invisible thread that connects
the hundreds of historical sites to the residents and the urban
fabric. Through identification, interpretation and preservation,
these sites become some of the unique resources that bring value to
the region. As the Council continually moves into the future, it is
the Valley’s history that is the root for conscience and sustainable
community development.
Focus Area #3: Environmental Justice and
Conservation: It is important to remember where one comes from. The
region’s people, structures and way of life thrive here because of
the Blackstone River. This enormous watershed is a delicate yet
resilient environ that must be conserved, honored and respected. The
Council is one of the most stalwart environmental educators and
patrons of the region.
“In the end we will conserve only what we love. We love only what we
understand. We will understand only what we are taught.” – Baba
Dioum, Senegalese Ecologist.
Focus Area #4: Cultural Appreciation &
Interpretation: The many peoples who have called the Valley home
mirror the chronicles of the rest of America. From the original
Narragansett, Nipmuc and Wampanoag tribes, to the countless waves of
immigrants from around the globe, all have left their indelible
mark. The Council celebrates the rich past and current cultures of
the Valley and spreads the message of unity, social responsibility
and voice.
Conference
Presentations
1998 - National Trust for Historic Preservation,
Providence, RI
2000 - International Institute for Peace through
Tourism - Glasgow, Scotland
2000 - Travel Industry Association of America -
Norwich, CT
2001 - International Heritage Development
Conference, Pittsburgh, PA
2002 - Tourism in Asia: Development, Marketing &
Sustainability
2003 - International Heritage Development
Conference, Charlestown, SC
2005 - International Heritage Development
Conference, Nashville, TN
2006 - Business Enterprises for Sustainable Tourism
Educational Network
Think Tank VI, Gerona, Spain
2007 - New England Visitor Center Managers
Association, Manchester, NH
2007 - International Heritage Development
Conference, Detroit, MI
2007 - Business Enterprises for Sustainable Tourism
Educational Network
Think Tank VII, Flagstaff, AZ
2007 - Destination Marketing Association
International - Annual Conference,
Pittsburgh, PA
2007 - Preserve America Communities – Workshop, St.
Paul, MN
2008 - Cape Cod Tourism Symposium – Cape Cod
Community College,
Hyannis, MA
2008 - Arts & Business Council of Greater Boston –
Cultural Tourism
Workshop, Boston, MA
2008 – Business Enterprises for Sustainable Tourism
Educational Network
Think Tank VIII, Turkey
White Papers,
Journal Articles and Reports Published
1992 Blackstone River Valley Rhode Island: Regional
comprehensive tourism plan for the communities of Pawtucket,
Cumberland, Central Falls, Woonsocket, North Smithfield, Glocester,
Burrillville, Lincoln and Smithfield. Pawtucket, RI: Author.
1999 Building bridges of peace, culture &
prosperity through sustainable tourism. In R. W. Blanchard and G.D.
Praetzel (Ed.), Third Global Conference - International Institute
for Peace through Tourism. Regeneration of an industrial landscape
through tourism – The Blackstone River Valley of New England (p.
74). New York: Niagara University.
2002 Tourism in Asia: Development, Marketing, and
Sustainability. In K. Chon, V.CS Heung & K. KF Wong (Ed.), Fifth
Biennial Conference. Creating sustainable tourism development - The
Blackstone Valley National Heritage Corridor - America’s First
Industrialized Valley: the role of leadership - Creativity,
cooperation and commitment (pp. 25-33). Hong Kong: School of Hotel
and Tourism Management.
2004 Federal leverage attracts private investment
at US heritage sites: A case study. International Journal of
Heritage Studies, 10(4), 349-359.
2005 Research Note: Federal leverage attracts
private investment at US heritage sites. Journal of Travel & Tourism
Marketing, USA
2006 White Paper - Rhode Island Sustainable Tourism
Planning Project Proposal
2007 Corporate Social Responsibility in Blackstone
Valley: Working toward a Common Vision Tourism Review International
2008 The Practical Application of Sustainable
Tourism Development Principles: A case study of creating innovative
place-making tourism strategies. Tourism and Hospitality Research.
Volume 8 - Number 1.
Media & Communications:
The Blackstone Valley Tourism Council is heavily
reliant upon earned media coverage as its most powerful resource in
gaining public attention to its ongoing strategic tourism
development efforts.
In consultation with its Public Relations Counselor
of Record, the Tourism Council has had a proven track record of
gaining news coverage via traditional media (newspapers, magazines,
TV and radio) and new media (news blogs and websites) News coverage
has focused upon varied aspects of the Tourism Council’s economic
and regional community development objectives and the historic,
cultural, recreational and environmental aspects of the Blackstone
River Valley Region.
The Tourism Council has over 300 earned media
outlets in the New England region, Northeast US, national media
outlets and global media news providers that are sent information
and press releases on a daily basis. The Tourism Council also
maintains 27 active websites, beginning with
www.tourblackstone.com
where the latest news on Tourism Council activities is posted.
The Tourism Council also works in conjunction with
its “one to many partnerships” in gaining earned media attention and
coverage. Some noted accomplishments in our successful earned media
coverage include:
-
2008 International Travel & Tourism Destination
Award, with coverage including USA Today, Newsweek, Washington
Post and world media outlets.
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2007 United Nations World Tourism Council
certification, with international news media coverage.
-
Since 1993, ongoing coverage of sustainable
tourism development activities, international tourism
development and public visitor happenings with print, electronic
and interactive media in Boston-Washington DC corridor, Canada,
Germany, Ireland, United Kingdom, France.
-
Tourism for
Tomorrow
Destination
Award from the
World Travel &
Tourism Council
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North American
Travel
Personality of
the Year from
the World Travel
Awards
-
SBEST
Certification of
Excellence from
the United
nations World
Tourism
Organization
-
Heritage Award
from the
Pawtucket
Foundation
-
Tom Roberts
Prize for
Creative
Achievement from
the Rhode Island
Council for the
Humanities
-
Mary Brennan
Tourism Award at
the “Stars of
the Industry”
annual meeting
and awards
ceremony
-
Ulysses Award
from the United
Nations World
Tourism
Organization for
destination
management
Staff
View our current staff listing
here
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