The Practical Application of Sustainable Tourism Development Principles: A Case Study of Creating Innovative Place-Making Tourism Strategies

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.