Posted Apr. 22, 2008
By Denise Perreault
PBN Staff Writer
PAWTUCKET – The Blackstone Valley Tourism Council has won the “Destination Award” presented by the World Travel & Tourism Council. The announcement came during a gala dinner last night at the WTTC’s 8th Global Travel & Tourism Summit in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates.
The award – akin to the Oscars of world tourism – never has been won before by an organization in the United States, BVTC Director Robert D. Billington has said. The awards recognize and promote best practices in sustainable tourism development all over the world.
Here is what the judges had to say about the local tourism council:
“Think ‘tourism destination’ and the image that comes to mind is not likely to be a place known for its polluted rivers, abandoned businesses, high unemployment and disenfranchised local communities.
“Yet, that is exactly what the Blackstone River Valley was when local community members launched the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council in 1985. Their goal was to revitalize the nine communities along the Blackstone River Valley in Rhode Island that formed the birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution and then ultimately became a victim of it when the Blackstone became the first polluted river in the Western Hemisphere and its industrial economy collapsed.
“Working with a wide range of multi-stakeholders, BVTC has shown that tourism can play a key role in helping to revitalize a downtrodden economy and bring back a river once declared dead to the benefit of local people, business, and nature.
“Through a destination stewardship approach to tourism development, including the preservation of the area’s natural, cultural and historical heritage, BVTC has succeeded in uniting a community and awakening it to its new economic potential. With innovative projects like the Sustainable Tourism Development and Planning Laboratory, the council continues to grow and enhance its many offerings, while sharing the lessons it has learned with other tourism destinations.”
The judging process for the WTTC 2008 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards was chaired by Costas Christ, a world expert in sustainable tourism. It included the selection of three finalists in each award category by a team of 11 international judges. (The finalists, including the BVTC, were announced in January. READ MORE) That was followed by an on-site inspection visit of all 12 finalists.
The winners were then selected by a panel of four judges. Besides Christ, the panel included Graham Boynton, group travel editor, The Telegraph Media Group; Francis Farrell, vice president and publisher, National Geographic Adventure; Fiona Jeffery, chairman, World Travel Market and “Just A Drop.”
“Twenty years ago, sustainable tourism was just an idea,” chief judge Costas Christ told the audience at last night’s ceremony in Dubai. “Now, it is entering the travel and tourism mainstream as more companies embrace new innovations demonstrating environmentally-friendly operations, a commitment to safeguarding the cultural and natural heritage of our planet, and addressing poverty alleviation through enlightened business practices.
“The winners of the 2008 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards are helping to lead the way forward at a transformative moment in the history of modern travel.”
Staff at the BVTC’s Pawtucket office this morning were excited about their victory, but had few details at this time. “We won, we actually won,” said Natalie Carter, director of operations. “We don’t have too much information, but we won.”
Carter said the staff had learned of the award because Billington, still in Dubai, sent an e-mail to the office. “This is great recognition for everyone in the Valley,” Carter said.
It is the second international award in as many years for the BVTC, which last year was honored by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN-WTO) with its Ulysses Award for Innovation in Tourism Destination Management, one of only six such prizes distributed since 2003. (READ MORE)
The Blackstone Valley Tourism Council is the state-designated tourism planning and development agency for northern Rhode Island. It works with other local, state, regional and national organizations to develop a coordinated “visitor industry” in the northern Rhode Island communities of Burrillville, Central Falls, Cumberland, Glocester, Lincoln, North Smithfield, Smithfield, Pawtucket and Woonsocket. To learn more about the BVTC or its river and walking tours, or to obtain information about visiting northern Rhode Island, visit www.tourblackstone.com .
The World Travel & Tourism Council is a trade group whose members include the chief executives of more than 100 of the world’s leading travel and tourism companies; Travelport is its strategic partner for the Tourism for Tomorrow Awards. For additional information about the awards program and each of the 12 finalists, visit www.tourismfortomorrow.com.
