PROVIDENCE – The American Academy of Hospitality Sciences (AAHS) today will present the State of Rhode Island with its highest honor: the International Star Diamond Award.

“It comes with great pleasure to announce and congratulate Rhode Island on becoming the first U.S. state to receive our recognition – the AAHS Five Star Diamond seal of approval,” said AAHS President Joseph D. Cinque. “This is certainly an outstanding achievement and … will place Rhode Island in excellent company along with other AAHS fine tourist-destination recipients worldwide.”

The state will be only the 10th destination to receive the award, which is typically presented to five-star resorts, spas, restaurants, airlines and cruise lines. Other locations so honored include Baden-Baden, Germany; Lucerne, Switzerland; New York City; the Turks & Caicos; and the nation of Japan.

Accepting the Star Diamond Award during a 4 p.m. ceremony in the Statehouse Rotunda will be Gov. Donald L. Carcieri and R.I. Tourism Director Mark G. Brodeur. They and Cinque will offer comments before the presentation, which will be followed by a reception displaying “the culinary masterpieces of Rhode Island’s top chefs and restaurants and an assortment of wines from the state’s wineries,” according to the governor’s office.

“This is a huge accomplishment – this is our industry’s Academy Awards,” Brodeur said. “We are essentially receiving an Oscar, and certification that Rhode Island is a world-class destination offering some of the best natural beauty, culinary offerings, history and cultural attractions. This is also a testament to the caliber of our state’s tourism and hospitality professionals, whose hard-work and dedication to excellence contributed to this honor.”

The tourism industry accounted for about 12 percent of Rhode Island’s gross domestic product in 2007, and about 10 percent of local jobs, economic forecasting firm Global Insight Inc. said this November in a report commissioned by the Tourism Division and local tourism boards. (READ MORE)

“I have always maintained that Rhode Island is the star of New England, and now I am pleased to see that our state’s wonders and its hospitality have earned worldwide recognition as well,” Carcieri said in a statement. This award is a wonderful tribute to the R.I. Tourism Division and the hundreds of businesses that are involved in the tourism business in our state. Congratulations to everyone involved.”

The AAHS award may be the greatest such honor for the Ocean State, but it is far from the first. Last year, the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council became the first U.S. organization to win the World Travel & Tourism Council’s global Destination Award for sustainable tourism. (READ MORE)

Meanwhile, Providence was listed among the nation’s Top 25 Arts Destinations, for the fourth consecutive year, by the readers of AmericanStyle Magazine. (READ MORE) And in 2007, the city was ranked by the Wall Street Journal as No. 2 among the “10 places the travel industry hopes will become hits in the coming years.” (READ MORE)

The R.I. Tourism Division is a division of the quasi-public R.I. Economic Development Corporation (EDC). Additional information – including news about local events and destinations – is available at www.VisitRhodeIsland.com.

The American Academy of Hospitality Sciences, based in New York City, is dedicated to the recognition of leadership and excellence in the hospitality and luxury-services sectors. Additional information, including data on past award recipients, is available at www.StarDiamondAward.com.