1. BEST Education Network
Stakeholder Involvement, Culture and Accountability in the Blackstone Valley: A Work in Progress
Dr. Robert Billington, Veronica Cadoppi, Natalie Carter
BEST Education Network
Think Tank VI: Corporate Social Responsibility for Sustainable Tourism
Girona, Spain
June 2006
Robert Billington, Ed. D, President Blackstone Valley Tourism Council Inc. Blackstone Valley Visitor Center...on the banks of the Blackstone River 175 Main Street Pawtucket, Rhode Island, 02860, USA Website: Tourblackstone.com
All Blackstone All The Time
Serving Rhode Island and the Blackstone Valley National Heritage Corridor with sustainable, Geotourism programs that support residents and enhance the character, environment, culture, heritage, aesthetics, history and business of the Valley.
Blackstone Valley - Telling a Real American Story!
The Blackstone Valley Tourism Council is the state-designated tourism planning and development agency for Central Falls, Pawtucket, Woonsocket, Cumberland, Lincoln, North Smithfield, Smithfield, Burrillville and Glocester, Rhode Island.
Staff Office Manager: Amanda Wood - Operations Manager: Natalie Carter - Intergovernmental & Public Relations: Olon Reeder - Project Manager: Donna Houle - Education Coordinator: Patti McAlpine - Research Analyst: Lilly Kayamba - Office Assistant: Lesley McLaughlin - Guide and Educator: Gordon Beeton - Visitor Center Manager: Wendy Jenks - Tourism Planner: Veronica Cadoppi - Keep the Valley Beautiful : Kristin Zawitowski - Projects and programs Amber Valley-Blackstone Valley Compact BV Scenic Railway Tours BV Riverclassroom BV Visitor Center RI Chinese Dragon Boat - Taiwan Day Festival Sustainable Tourism Lab M/V Blackstone Valley Explorer M/V Samuel Slater M/V Spirit of the Blackstone Heritage Golf Tournament Travel Experiences Expo BV Tourism Network Blackstone Valley Lifestyle Inc Blackstone Valley State Park Visitor Center
Mission: Blackstone
Robert Billington, Ed. D, President Blackstone Valley Tourism Council Inc. Blackstone Valley Visitor Center...on the banks of the Blackstone River 175 Main Street Pawtucket, Rhode Island, 02860, USA Website: Tourblackstone.com
All Blackstone All The Time
Serving Rhode Island and the Blackstone Valley National Heritage Corridor with sustainable, Geotourism programs that support residents and enhance the character, environment, culture, heritage, aesthetics, history and business of the Valley.
Blackstone Valley - Telling a Real American Story!
The Blackstone Valley Tourism Council is the state-designated tourism planning and development agency for Central Falls, Pawtucket, Woonsocket, Cumberland, Lincoln, North Smithfield, Smithfield, Burrillville and Glocester, Rhode Island.
Staff Office Manager: Amanda Wood - Operations Manager: Natalie Carter - Intergovernmental & Public Relations: Olon Reeder - Project Manager: Donna Houle - Education Coordinator: Patti McAlpine - Research Analyst: Lilly Kayamba - Office Assistant: Lesley McLaughlin - Guide and Educator: Gordon Beeton - Visitor Center Manager: Wendy Jenks - Tourism Planner: Veronica Cadoppi - Keep the Valley Beautiful : Kristin Zawitowski - Projects and programs Amber Valley-Blackstone Valley Compact BV Scenic Railway Tours BV Riverclassroom BV Visitor Center RI Chinese Dragon Boat - Taiwan Day Festival Sustainable Tourism Lab M/V Blackstone Valley Explorer M/V Samuel Slater M/V Spirit of the Blackstone Heritage Golf Tournament Travel Experiences Expo BV Tourism Network Blackstone Valley Lifestyle Inc Blackstone Valley State Park Visitor Center
Mission: Blackstone

2. America’s first industrialized and polluted landscape
“The Blackstone River…has carried enormous waves of prosperity, hope and the dreams of generations. It has also seen disappointment and despair as its waters carried away the textile industry to other shores. But today, that has all changed thanks to the marvelous restoration and reclamation projects” (J. Reed, US Senator, April, 12, 2006).
America’s first industrialized and polluted landscape
Sustainable Tourism Planning and Development Laboratory
Blackstone Valley Tourism Council continues to serve as catalyst for sustainable tourism and social responsibility

5. Overview Located in New England, the northeast of the United States
500,000 people, 24 communities, 454 square mile watershed
Birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution
First industrialized and polluted river in North America
Millions of immigrants came in search of the
American dream
46-mile long Blackstone River

6. The importance of the Blackstone River: its power and energy
Attracted over 1,000 textile mills
150 years of economic growth
1930’s: beginning of disinvestment
1980’s: high unemployment,
empty factories and homes,
decline in resident’s morale,
and a heavily polluted river

7. From a need to survive: leadership, corporate responsibility, and a vision that tourism could regenerate the Blackstone Valley
US Congress established the Blackstone
River Valley National Heritage
Corridor Commission in 1986
This Commission was designed to
support, protect and celebrate the
Birthplace of the American Industrial
Revolution

8. After almost 40 years of economic, environmental, socio-cultural and historical degradation, thoughtful tourism development emerged in the Blackstone Valley to transform it into an interesting place to live, work and visit
Today the Blackstone Valley
is a viable destination and
represents sustainable
tourism development principles

9. Historic Background Samuel Slater
“Father of American Manufacturing” and
the American Industrial Revolution

10. Slater was able to reproduce what he had used as an apprentice in England, giving birth to the America's Industrial Revolution; and with it, the sense of corporate responsibility

11. For thousands of years the pristine waters of the Blackstone River were home to Atlantic Salmon, Shad, and Alewives
The Nipmuck, Wampanoag
and Narragansett Indians
migrated along the banks
of the Blackstone River
European settlers
built villages along the river
and used its waters for living, fishing and powering
gristmills

12. While encouraging economic growth, the textile industry had severe damaging impacts on the environment
Industry built 45 dams along the Blackstone
Reaching for financial growth, they disregarded the sustainability of the region and the health of the River
This could be viewed as Corporate Irresponsibility, in reality no one knew they were polluting the Blackstone

13. Corporate Social Responsibility created a way of living never seen before in America
Private enterprises were growing as vehicles for economic development

14. The Blackstone Valley needed a way out of high unemployment, abandoned mills, and a deteriorating quality of life
No tourism materials included the Blackstone Valley as a destination
Policy-makers were
indifferent to the difficulties
of the Valley
Corporate social responsibility
was a priority emerging from
within the community

15. 1970’s - sustainable development began to emerge
The creation of Earth day, the US Environmental Protection Agency, and the US Clean Water Act emerged
Project ZAP turned out 10,000 residents, corporate and government leaders, to clean-up the Blackstone River
Rhode Island created a linear park along the Blackstone’s banks in the 1980’s
Rhode Island and Massachusetts would
have to collaborate: clean the river before
developing public recreational land

16. The Federal Act provides that a top-down management framework from the federal government is not necessary
It gave local leaders a way to assist in preservation and protection of the lands and to encourage economic development, while maintaining and enhancing the character of the Valley: its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage, and the well-being of residents
It is based on leadership from above and below

17. A tourism planning strategy began with the incorporation of the not-for-profit organization
Rhode Island designated the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council as the regional tourism development agency for the Blackstone Valley
The Council initiated an innovative tourism development vision in 1985
The Council was responsible
for tourism development and planning
for Pawtucket, Central Falls, Woonsocket,
Cumberland, Lincoln, Smithfield,
North Smithfield, Glocester and Burrillville

18. The Valley was to create a framework to encourage and promote socially responsible practices among corporations, residents and communities.
The Blackstone River Valley Heritage Corridor Commission encouraged residents and businesses to act responsibly and to prioritize a long-term return on investment
Building a sense of social responsibility
among residents was essential in order to
regenerate the Valley

19. US Congressman, Kennedy,
in April of 2006 stated,
“the Blackstone Valley Tourism
Council has worked to inspire
private and public investment,
and renewed sense of
pride in the Blackstone Valley”

20. David Stein, Principal Partner of RE: Investments, Inc, a redeveloper of historic real estate, noted that the Council built and maintains widespread support for its vision from every constituent and stakeholder of the community including residents, regulators, politicians, the National Park Service, environmental organizations, colleges and universities, as well as the business community
The real estate firm was first drawn to the Blackstone Valley because of its rich history and abundance of magnificently crafted mill buildings poised for adaptive reuse. “We stayed to work in the Blackstone Valley largely because of the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council

21. The Council is first among
organizations, in the public and
private sectors, dedicated to
strengthening Valley communities
and to fostering economic growth.
I attribute my company's success
directly to the extraordinary work
and accomplishments of the
Blackstone Valley Tourism Council

22. Many of the Blackstone’s mills and mill villages are being restored and converted into housing or sophisticated office and retail space.
The city of Woonsocket led the effort to preserve its history and the culture of the Valley by developing a museum to give tribute to the immigrant groups who shaped the lifestyle of the Valley

23. From the beginning the corporate sector played a key role in financing the innovative place making initiatives
Since 1993, the Tourism Council has carried nearly 300,000 people on the riverboat Blackstone Valley Explorer
In 2000, a British-built canal
boat, was imported to serve as
Rhode Island’s first floating B&B
In 2001, the first Double Decker bus
was brought to the Valley through
corporate donations

24. Events like the Rhode Island Chinese Dragon Boat Race and Taiwan Day Festival collaborate with city and state governments, private developers, local residents to develop an impressive riverfront event with international entertainment
The local Chamber of Commerce notes, “because of the pride instilled by the Council, the business community has stepped up to contribute”

25. Elderhostel, study groups, and communities have used the Blackstone Valley as a classroom
Regional educational institutions, such as Johnson & Wales University, Holy Cross College, Clark University, Brown University, Bryant University and University of Rhode Island include the Blackstone Valley as part of their curriculum

26. Private investments have taken place
$4 million in the American Heritage office building
$4 million in the Green & Daniels Mills to condos
$35 million to build the Pawtucket Riverfront Lofts
$40 million to transform the Ashton Mill to lofts
$1 million to develop Narragansett Knitting to condominiums
$200 million to transform Ocean State
Steel into housing, offices and retail space

27. The Council’s bottom lines of interest:
Heritage development
Social improvement
Infrastructure development
Education improvements
Cultural sharing
Economic development

28. Economic impacts of tourism are of interest to practitioners
A study for 2004 by the Travel Industry Association of America showed:
12% business visitation
48% visitors stayed overnight
$474.4 million was spent on transportation, lodging, food, entertainment and recreation, and incidentals
Tourism generated 6,400 jobs, $124.6 million in wages and salary income and $39.6 million in tax revenue.

29. “The Valley has come back to
life, with new generations living
along its banks and a river that
is cleaner and more usable
everyday. It is certainly a
destination and hopefully
becoming one of growing
international recognition”
(US Senator Reed, April, 2006)

30. SUSTAINABLE TOURISM PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT LABORATORY
There is a need to design thoughtful tourism planning and development strategies
Effective tourism planning in a community eludes many of today's destination management organizations
In the interest of being socially responsible, the Council has created the Sustainable Tourism Planning and Development Laboratory

31. The Laboratory will prepare practitioners with the knowledge and skills necessary to build and shape a successful sustainable tourism destination
The purpose is to introduce the concept of planned sustainable tourism to local, regional, state, provincial and national tourism organization leaders and their stakeholders
Each Laboratory experience is presented over a five-day period
An essential outcome is the creation of a Tourism
Development Plan to guide the participating
community’s sustainable tourism efforts

32. Join us, learn how to get there
Instructional materials are mined from the World Tourism Organization, Business Enterprises for Sustainable Travel, National Geographic Society's Center for Sustainable Tourism, and other recognized best-practice tourism planning and development organizations
Join us, learn how to get there

33. Thank you