Correspondence: Natalie, Carter, Sustainable Tourism Planning and Development Laboratory, Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, Inc., 175 Main Street, Pawtucket, Rhode Island 02860, USA. Tel: +1 800 484 2882; E-mail: Natalie@tourblackstone.com

¹is a lifelong resident of the Blackstone Valley, Rhode Island. He has been President of the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, since 1986. The Council develops the historic, cultural, natural, and agricultural and commercial resources using sustainable, resilient, place-making strategies. In June of 2006 his organisation won the Ulysses Prize, awarded by the UNWTO. The Blackstone Valley Tourism Council earned the UNWTO's. Sbest Certification in Tourism Governance. Billington developed the Sustainable Tourism Planning and Development Laboratory to assist other communities in tourism development. Billington is an Adjunct Professor at Boston University and Bristol Community College both in Massachusetts.

²has worked in the nonprofit field for 40 years. She joined the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council in December 1992 and served as the Council's first Education Director coordinating and developing the historical and environmental programmes RiverClassroom and River-In-The-Classroom. In 1997, Natalie became the Council's first Director of Operations/Business Manager. In addition to administering the day-to-day operations of the Council, Natalie continues to serve as the co-chair of the Amber Valley Blackstone Valley Compact and is the Council's principal grant writer.

³is from Rwanda, was born in Uganda and raised in Kenya, Africa. She supports the Sustainable Tourism Planning and Development Laboratory using her international experience. She obtained her undergraduate degree at the American University in Africa. She pursued an MBA in Organizational Leadership at Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island. Ms Kayamba joined the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council as a Research Analyst. She has specialised in research and analysis of minority-owned businesses. She is currently working to bring the Sustainable Tourism Planning and Development Laboratory programme to Rwanda.

Received 1 September 2007; Revised 1 September 2007; Published online 3 March 2008.

Abstract

The Blackstone Valley is working to create a sustainable, resilient, visitor destination using whole place-making techniques. The Blackstone Valley Tourism Council applies leadership and commitment to innovative sustainable geotourism principles. The Tourism Council fulfills the vision of sustainable tourism through its Sustainable Tourism Planning and Development Laboratory (STPDL). The Laboratory's purpose is to share the Tourism Council's experience in developing planned sustainable tourism with tourism leaders and community stakeholders seeking to develop viable destinations. The STPDL presents a learning initiative that prepares decision makers and shapers to thoughtfully develop and regenerate their communities using sustainable tourism principles. In the formation of the Laboratory mission, certain sustainable tourism development issues stood out as significant and needing prompt attention by practitioners. In response, the Laboratory has developed and continues to develop a series of robust symposiums, conferences, and programmes to link the Laboratory's work to the thirst for sound tourism development knowledge.