Blackstone Valley Tourism Council: Travel, heritage, visitors, visitor center, lodging, dining, tours, Blackstone River National Heritage Corridor, National Parks, Industrial Revolution, historic sites, economic development in Rhode Island

Tourism Council

Core Values and Origins

Core Values

Our Mission

Blackstone

Our Purpose

Place-Making.

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. 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 in Pawtucket, Central Falls, Cumberland, Lincoln, Woonsocket, Smithfield, North Smithfield, Burrillville and Glocester.

Our Vision

Residents, businesses and visitors enjoy a responsibly developed Blackstone Valley through sustainable tourism, which enhances the environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage, and well-being without compromising future generations.

Origin

The Blackstone Valley Tourism Council is the state designated regional tourism development agency for the Northern Rhode Island Tourism District, as authorized under Section 42-63.1-5 of the Rhode Island General Laws, representing the cities of Pawtucket, Central Falls and Woonsocket and the towns of Cumberland, Lincoln, Smithfield, North Smithfield, Glocester and Burrillville.

Founded in July 1985, the Tourism Council is a non-profit corporation registered with the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)3 educational organization. It is governed by a 21 member Board of Directors, representing tourism development interests throughout the region. The Board of Directors appoints a President, who serves as the Executive Director and CEO of the agency. There are also support staff and independent contractors assisting Tourism Council functions and projects.

The Tourism Council is supported by revenues from a statewide hotel room tax, as authorized under Chapter 42-63.1 of the Rhode island General Laws, along with receiving financial support from public and private sectors, charitable donations, and grants.

Since its beginning, the Tourism Council has worked to develop, promote and expand the economic and community development base for the cities and towns in Rhode Island's Blackstone River Valley as a prime visitor and cultural destination, while improving the region's quality of life, environment and historic preservation of the region's heritage, culture, environment and recreation. The Tourism Council has initiated many exciting, challenging, innovative and inventive projects and programs to meet and exceed its mission. It has worked closely with public and private partnerships, worked as an interpreter and educator of the history and ecology of the Blackstone River, initiated ongoing international relationships of major importance to the region, worked closely with cities and towns in their community development projects and provided input on future riverfront and economic development impacting the surroundings, and developed various recreational activities.

The Council operates on the philosophy that sustained economic development in the region must rely on sustained historical preservation and environmental protection. To that end, the Council has promoted the region to residents and visitors through tourism development of the region's rich farms to factories heritage, cultural diversity and ecotourism.

The Blackstone River Valley has significant importance to the United States and Rhode Island. The region is the actual birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution, that began in 1790, when Samuel Slater began textile manufacturing in a wooden mill on the banks of the Blackstone River in Pawtucket.

Through its visionary mission, the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council operates on the philosophy on taking a positive leadership role in initiating many exciting, challenging, innovative and inventive tourism development products, projects and programs. The Tourism Council has become a global and national model for how successful tourism development is achieved, through working in a "one to many" public and private partnership setting.

The Council wishes to thank all of the business, organizations, communities, and volunteers who have contributed to the success of its efforts. By taking a positive leadership role in Rhode Island's tourism development, and being the successful model on how an effective tourism strategy operates, the Blackstone River Valley is definitely a quality destination.

Blackstone Valley Visitor Center, On the banks of the Blackstone, 175 Main Street, Pawtucket, Rhode Island 02860
1-800-454-BVTC (2882) Local: 401-724-2200 Fax: 401-724-1342 info@tourblackstone.com