Plans & Reports
Annual Work Plan 2011
The Blackstone Valley Tourism Council is the state-designated
tourism planning and development agency for the cities of Central
Falls, Pawtucket, Woonsocket, and the towns of Cumberland, Lincoln,
North Smithfield, Smithfield, Burrillville and Glocester, Rhode
Island, USA.
The Council is a not-for-profit organization incorporated in 1985.
It produces Program-Driven-Marketing capability to the tourism
organizations and communities of the Blackstone River Valley.
The Council serves Rhode Island and the Blackstone Valley National
Heritage Corridor communities with resilient, sustainable,
Geotourism-based, whole-place tourism development programs that
integrate with resident needs and enhance and protect the character,
environment, arts, culture, heritage, aesthetics and commerce of the
Blackstone River Valley.
Ongoing Programs and Projects
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Operate the Educational Vessel Blackstone
Valley Explorer in Central Falls
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Support St. Ann's Arts and Cultural Center's
Board of Directors on their initiative to develop the Center
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Operate the Samuel Slater Canal Boat as a Bed
and Breakfast as well as offering tea tours and chartered river
tours
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Manage the Blackstone Valley Heritage Golf
Tournament at Crystal Lake Country Club in Burrillville
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Operate Blackstone Valley Scenic Railway Fall
Foliage Excursion to Putnam Connecticut on the Providence and
Worcester Railroad departing from Cumberland
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Operate the Blackstone Valley Polar Express
rail excursions from Woonsocket
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Coordinate the Blackstone Valley Tourism
Council Annual Reception, Awards Ceremony and Auction at Twin
River Event Center
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Participate in the Blackstone Valley
Partnership
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Continue to work with Smithfield Advisory Group
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Celebrate United Nations World Tourism Day in
September
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Participate in the “Footsteps in History” event
utilizing ACHP Preserve America resources
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Continue to build the
Blackstone Valley
Tourism Network within the Valley’s tourism sector
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Develop the American Heritage River Guide
Program
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Manage the Rhode Island Chinese Dragon Boat and
Taiwan Day Festival in conjunction with the Pawtucket Arts
Festival
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Further develop the Chinese Dumpling Eating
Contest at the Taiwan Day Festival
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Manage the Rhode Island Rivers Day celebration
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Offer paid advertising opportunities in the
Blackstone River State Park Visitor Center
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Work with the Bryant University, Johnson and
Wales University, Brown University and the University of Rhode
Island educating students in tourism planning and development
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Continue to develop additional itineraries for
the Blackstone Valley Elderhostel program
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Continue to promote the Blackstone Valley Canoe
and Bicycle Trail programs
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Support tourism development programs for all
Blackstone Valley communities
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Continue to develop promotional public
relations programs for Blackstone Valley communities
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Collaborate with federal, state, local,
non-profit and/or for-profit agencies for the benefit of tourism
programs in the communities in the Blackstone Valley
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Participate in conferences and educational
opportunities that benefit the mission of the Tourism Council
and educate the staff to better serve the Blackstone Valley
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Present at the Business Enterprises for
Sustainable Tourism Educational Network Think Tank
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Develop additional interpretive educational
programs for the “Blackstone Valley Explorer” vessel in Central
Falls, Woonsocket and Manville
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Continue to work with the Blackstone River
Valley National Heritage Corridor Commission with required
Non-Governmental-Organization assisted projects
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Work with City of Central Falls to complete the
Central Falls Landing Project
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Continue to work with the Rhode Island
Department of Transportation and local communities in the design
and construction of the Manville, Lincoln, Pawtucket, North
Smithfield and Woonsocket Landings to complete the Blackstone
River and Canal Navigation and Transportation System
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Continue work to build the Keep the Blackstone
Valley Beautiful as the Keep America Beautiful affiliate
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Coordinate community improvement events
throughout Burrillville, Central Falls, Cumberland, Glocester,
Lincoln, North Smithfield, Pawtucket, Smithfield and Woonsocket
as part of Keep America Beautiful’s Great American Cleanup
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Promote “VolunTourism” programs for the
Blackstone Valley
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Continue development of
Eventblackstone.com web
site
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Work with the Preservation Society of
Smithfield on the restoration of the Smithfield Bank building
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Continue to work with the Cities of Central
Falls, Pawtucket and the Town of Cumberland in managing the
Broad Street Regeneration program
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Continue working with the Woonsocket Main
Street Riverfront Initiative
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Further develop the Blackstone Valley
Advertising Collaborative
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Further develop the Blackstone Valley Visitor
Information Distribution Services
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Continue “Events of the Week” program for the
Blackstone Valley of Rhode Island
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Implement recommendations of the .Sbest United
Nations World Tourism Organization Certification
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Continue to develop the Blackstone Alert
program along the Blackstone Valley National Heritage Corridor
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Stage three programs for the Sustainable
Tourism Planning and Development Laboratory
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Promote the International Restaurant Brochure
in conjunction with Diningquest.com
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Enhance “Tour of the Week” program for Group
Tour Operators interested in visiting the Blackstone Valley
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Work with the Providence and Worcester Railroad
to encourage wheelchair accessibility aboard the Blackstone
Valley Scenic Railroad tours
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Work with the Town of Cumberland to market
their publication: "Cumberland by the Blackstone"
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Work, in conjunction with the State of Rhode
Island and the regional tourism district managers, to promote
Rhode Island as a tourism destination
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Work, in conjunction with the Blackstone Valley
National Heritage Corridor and the Blackstone Valley Chamber of
Commerce, to promote the Blackstone Valley as a destination
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Maintain membership with the National Tour
Association and the American Bus Association
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Work to produce an Official Blackstone Valley
Visitor Guide
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Enrich each of the Blackstone Valley Tourism
Council web sites
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Work in concert with the RI Department of
Economic Development’s Tourism Division in develop a Satellite
Tourism Accounting System for Rhode Island
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Promote awards won by the Council such as the
Ulysses Prize from the UNWTO and the Destination for Tomorrow
Award from the World Travel and Tourism Council
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Promote the consultation work available through
the Sustainable Tourism Planning and Development Laboratory
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Augment the Blackstone Valley on-line shop
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Continue building the Rhode Island Cherry
Blossom Festival
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Continue to host the Blackstone River
Conference
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Continue the ARISTA Award for Rhode Island, New
England and United States agencies that excel in Sustainable
Tourism efforts. Provide a $250 prize for each district to be
presented at the Annual Meeting
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Work with the city of Central Falls, MARS Inc
and the Confectioners Mill Preservation Society to construct the
Chocolate Mill Overlook park.
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Work to create the RI Music Hall of Fame
New Projects and Programs
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Develop the Tour Blackstone Valley, There's No
Place Like Home event
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Implement the Fresh Beginnings Report as
presented to RIDOT, to complete the Blackstone River and Canal
Navigation and Transportation System
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Develop the Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame
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Improve the
PictureBlackstone.com web site -
the digital photo archive of and for the Blackstone Valley
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Seek a new method of operating the Blackstone
Valley riverboats that will be in the best financial interest of
the Tourism Council and the Blackstone Valley
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Work as one of the Resilient Partners defining
and developing Resilient Tourism
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Develop a Manufacturers' Tour of the Blackstone
Valley in collaboration with the Rhode Island Economic
Development Corporation and the Northern Rhode Island Chamber of
Commerce
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Build up the Blackstone Valley “Carbon
Footprint Campaign” for visitors, businesses and residents to
make the Blackstone Valley more environmentally conscious
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Develop “Sam Patch” Day in Pawtucket
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Develop the Blackstone Valley Cultural Heritage
Trail
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Develop a "How to Discover the Blackstone River
Valley" tour
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Continue to research the viability of the
Blackstone Valley Cajun Music Festival
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Work to create a Blackstone Valley
Recreation/Environmental/Art/Cultural/ and Historic/Network
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Work with MBA students to create a printed
history of the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council
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Develop a long-term debt-reduction program
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Develop a Blackstone Valley “Eco-lab Discovery”
Program and other educational programs to include the vital
river ecosystem and river history
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Work with partners, such as the Rhode Island
Audubon Society, to develop interpretive programs to engage and
educate the general public to the historic, natural and cultural
resources in the Valley and to develop new and innovative
experiences aboard the “Blackstone Valley Explorer” vessel.
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Assist in development of the Cherry Tree
Project along Roosevelt Ave in Central Falls and Pawtucket
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Create the “Blues Train” on the Providence and
Worcester Railroad
International Efforts in Promotion
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Continue international development of tourism
partnerships with England, Taiwan and China
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Participate in international promotion of the
Blackstone Valley with Discover New England program, and the
Official New England Information Center in Quebec
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Support the United Nations World Tourism
Organization on their sustainable tourism initiatives
Front-line Visitor Services
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Continue management of the Blackstone Valley
Visitor Center in Pawtucket
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Continue to coordinate the Rhode Island
Department of Environmental Management Visitor Desk at the
Blackstone River State Park
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Implement hospitality training to all personnel
and volunteers
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Expand volunteer support at the Blackstone
Valley Visitor Center in Lincoln
Geotourism Planning
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Complete development plan for Central Falls
Riverfront revitalization
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Update 1992 Blackstone Valley Comprehensive
Regional Tourism Plan
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Continue investigating ways to develop a NGS
Map Guide to highlight the natural, historic and
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Cultural assets of the Blackstone Valley
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Participate in the Woonsocket to Warwick
Passenger Rail Study with the City of Woonsocket.
Legislative Actions
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Collaborate with tourism districts to maintain
current or a better form of tourism district management that
supports local community input in decision-making
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Using private funds contract a government
affairs agent to assist in matters relating to state legislative
affairs
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Search for federal and state funding to help
each Blackstone Valley Town Center develop their visitor markets
to sustain them through the current economic downturn.
Headquarters Operations
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Continue to upgrade office technology
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