[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 82 (Monday, May 19, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Page S4374]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   BLACKSTONE VALLEY TOURISM COUNCIL

 Mr. REED. Madam President, last week was National Tourism 
Week, established by Congress in 1983 and celebrated annually since May 
1984. To mark this 25th celebration, I would like to recognize the 
accomplishments of the Blackstone Valley, which recently won 
international recognition for its sustainable tourism program.
  Last month, the World Travel and Tourism Council recognized only one 
destination in America, the Blackstone Valley of Rhode Island and 
Massachusetts, with the Destination Award for 2008. This honor was 
bestowed upon the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council to recognize the 
organization's trailblazing destination stewardship approach to tourism 
development, including its work to preserve the area's natural, 
cultural, and historical heritage.
  At the heart of the valley is the Blackstone River, which runs from 
Worcester, MA, to Providence, RI. The river's waters once powered the 
Slater Mill in Pawtucket, which was America's first successful textile 
mill and the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution in this country. 
While this transition from farm to factory brought many years of 
prosperity, by the 1970s, the valley's economy had declined as industry 
moved on from the area, leaving behind a tarnished facade and 
environmental damage.
  Today, thanks to the coordinated efforts of the Blackstone Corridor 
Commission, the National Park Service, the Blackstone Valley Tourism 
Council, businesses, environmental organizations, 24 municipalities, 
and the States of Rhode Island and Massachusetts, the valley has made a 
remarkable resurgence as a living landscape of natural and historic 
treasures.
  The Blackstone Valley Tourism Council has shown that eco-friendly 
tourism can revitalize a weakened economy, restore natural 
surroundings, and revive residents' pride in their communities. Through 
innovative programs like the Sustainable Tourism Development and 
Planning Laboratory, the tourism council has created a model for 
destinations around the country to follow. It is a notable achievement 
for any river to be at the center of a revolution; but it is a rare 
feat for the Blackstone River to have spawned two.
  I congratulate the people of the Blackstone Valley and the Tourism 
Council for spearheading an economic redevelopment strategy that has 
made great strides in improving the quality of life in the 
area.

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