FREE Rivers Users Conference - September 16, 2011

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Conferences & Workshops – (2006 – Present)

1. VolunTourism

VolunTourism: where visitors lend their expertise to a destination as they spend their time and money to enhance the place. The concept combines two industries; Voluntary service and Travel & Tourism.

Keynote Speaker:

• David Clemmons – Founder of VolunTourism

2. Sustainable Tourism Summit

Sustainable Tourism development meets the needs of the present without compromising future generations to meet their own needs. The conference convened the world’s leading thinkers on sustainability. It provided an immense opportunity to learn how its application can impact the growth of Rhode Island. Presented in 2006.

Guest Speakers:

• Dr. Don Hawkins – Eisenhower Professor of Tourism Policy, School of Business, George Washington University

• Jonathan Tourtellot – Director, Center for Sustainable Destination, National Geographic Society

• Veronica Cadoppi – United Nations World Tourism Organization, Education Knowledge Management Department

• Kip Bergstrom – Director, Rhode Island Economic Policy Council

• Saul Kaplan – Executive Director, Rhode Island Economic Development

• David DePetrillo – Director of Rhode Island Tourism

• Larry Quick – Principal of New Commons

3. Green Tourism Symposium

The environment and tourism are inextricably linked. Therefore integrating “Green Tourism” practices can bring long-term business and environmental benefits to a community. This symposium presented speakers who work on the frontline of Green Tourism Development. Their presentation gave attendees an opportunity to adapt strategies that will improve visitor satisfaction, enhancing marketing and meeting emerging consumer demands. Presented in 2007.

Guest Speakers:

• Meredith Trainor – Project Coordinator, Center for Sustainable Destinations, National Geographic Society

• Michelle White – Manager, Environmental Affairs, Fairmont Hotel & Resorts  Toronto, Ontario, Canada

• Kristin Lamoureux – Director, International Institute of Tourism Studies, George Washington University

• Rebecca Mebane – Director of Conferences & Meetings, National Recycling Coalition

4. Place-Making (Sustainable Tourism Development Forum)

Place-Making views economic development in a whole community context, therefore thoughtful economic development takes responsibility for the quality-of-place to be attractive to residents, investors and visitors. This forum helped participants to understand how thoughtful tourism development enhances a place by differentiating it from other destinations using cultural, natural, historical, human, educational and built resources. Presented in 2006

Guest Speakers:

• Kip Bergstrom – Executive Director, Rhode Island Economic Policy Council

• Ethan Kent – Vice President, Project for Public Spaces - Creating Sustaining Destinations through Place-Making

• Daniel R. Fesenmaier – Professor, Management Information System, Temple University

• Patty West – Program Coordinator, Foundation Northern Arizona University

• Louis Raymond – Board Member, Southside Community Land Trust

5. Resilient

Resilient Tourism is a methodology used in planning. It provides a greater experience for residents and visitors alike as well as a greater knowledge of destination and our connections to it. The Resilient Communities Process, applied to the structuring element of tourism, can greatly enhance the experience for the visitor and expand markets in a comprehensive way that considers the whole system.

Guest Speakers:

• D.C Frechtling – Professor of Tourism Studies, George Washington University

• Frederick Presley – Resilient Planning for Tourism

• Joe Veneto – Principal, Opportunities Unlimited

6. Civic Tourism

Civic Tourism aims to put local people and stewardship of place back into the experience of the tourist and local citizens. Therefore visiting a place becomes a Civic duty, making you conscious of the people living there and the fragileness of a place. This 3-day conference featured hands on learning. The places of Southern New England became our Laboratory for learning and that included states of Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

Guest Speaker:

• Dan Shilling - was the originator of Civic Tourism. The keynote speaker goes on to say “Civic Tourism is about appreciating tourism as a public good, valuing it as a public responsibility, and practicing it as public art.”
  

7. The Power of the Pod

This conference was about harnessing the power of the World Wide Web’s social media tools to draw global interest. The presentation and workshop offered a hands-on training and strategies to successfully market your services. It also gave the audiences tips on how to use selected Web tools that are free but extremely effective.

Guest Speaker:

• Sandeep Junnarkar – Professor at City University Graduate School of Journalism - An award-winning journalist, credited to have created New York Times On Line.

8. Continuing the Discussion for Sustainable Tourism

This conference was discussing how to create a collective understanding, leadership and a shared purpose for tourism development in Rhode Island. The hands-on workshop session was to begin a year-long lively opportunity to delve into the future of sustainable tourism. The Keynote Speaker is internationally recognized for his power to inspire and galvanize communities to make the most of their natural and cultural resources.

Keynote Speaker:

• Costas Christ – Chairman, WTTC’s Tourism for Tomorrow Awards - National Geographic – Editor-at-Large

9. Responsible Tourism

This event will enlighten us on using tourism development to benefit conservation and the culture of the community. The speaker will discuss how to leverage community resources while creating experiences that are educational and enjoyable for the visitor.

Speaker:

• Dr. Martha Honey – Co-Founder and Co-Director of the Center on Ecotourism and Sustainable Development - Co-Founder of CREST, the Center of Responsible Travel
  
  

10. Cultural Heritage Tourism

Participants convened to learn the benefits of cultural heritage tourism and how it contributes to the bigger picture of sustainable tourism in New England. Studies show that heritage travelers stay longer at destinations, spend more, and put money back in the communities that they visit. The goal of the conference was to forge a new vision, expand and develop cultural & heritage tourism for the benefit of our region’s economy and residents.

Keynote Presenter:

• Cheryl Hargrove – President of Hargrove International / HTC Group

11. Interactive Tourism Marketing

Social Media has become the primary information resource that people use to find out
about travel, business, leisure and recreation destination. The conference is focused on
providing the participants a better understanding of how to take full advantage of these
empowering communication. This would in turn help them improve, strengthen and
grow their web page.

Presenter:

• Hannah Paramore – President, Paramore|Redd Online Marketing
  
  

View conference presentations & reports