Providencial Business News: Providencial Business News
16 September 2008 - Providencial Business News
COURTESY BLACKSTONE VALLEY TOURISM COUNCIL
BTVC FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT Robert D. Billington, left, receives the 2008 North American Travel Personality of the Year trophy from Manon Han, vice president of the World Travel Awards.
ORLANDO, Fla. – Robert D. Billington, president of the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, has been honored as the North American Travel Personality of the Year.
“I’m thrilled to be chosen as the winner for this travel industry award, and [I] congratulate all of the men and women who work hard to make Blackstone Valley a great place to live, work and visit,” Billington said in a statement today.
“Our public and private tourism partners have worked hard to build Blackstone Valley into a place that is drawing international recognition.”
A longtime promoter of the Blackstone Valley as a destination, Billington founded the BVTC in 1985 with a $600 budget and no office or staff. He has grown the council into a globally recognized organization that has garnered honors last year from the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN-WTO) and this year from the World Travel & Tourism Council.
Before the event, he had been named among three finalists for Travel Personality of the Year honors. The others were Jay Rasulo, chairman of Walt Disney Parks & Resorts; and Cheryl Hudak, president of the American Society of Travel Agencies (ASTA).
Billington was honored at the 13th annual World Travel Awards program, held Sept. 6 at Walt Disney World’s Swan and Dolphin Hotel in Orlando.
The Blackstone Valley Tourism Council is the state-designated tourism planning and development agency for the northern Rhode Island communities of Burrillville, Central Falls, Cumberland, Glocester, Lincoln, North Smithfield, Smithfield, Pawtucket and Woonsocket. To learn more, visit www.TourBlackstone.com.
The World Travel Awards – first held in 1993 – are considered one of the highest achievements in the travel and tourism industry.
BTVC FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT Robert D. Billington, left, receives the 2008 North American Travel Personality of the Year trophy from Manon Han, vice president of the World Travel Awards.
ORLANDO, Fla. – Robert D. Billington, president of the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, has been honored as the North American Travel Personality of the Year.
“I’m thrilled to be chosen as the winner for this travel industry award, and [I] congratulate all of the men and women who work hard to make Blackstone Valley a great place to live, work and visit,” Billington said in a statement today.
“Our public and private tourism partners have worked hard to build Blackstone Valley into a place that is drawing international recognition.”
A longtime promoter of the Blackstone Valley as a destination, Billington founded the BVTC in 1985 with a $600 budget and no office or staff. He has grown the council into a globally recognized organization that has garnered honors last year from the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN-WTO) and this year from the World Travel & Tourism Council.
Before the event, he had been named among three finalists for Travel Personality of the Year honors. The others were Jay Rasulo, chairman of Walt Disney Parks & Resorts; and Cheryl Hudak, president of the American Society of Travel Agencies (ASTA).
Billington was honored at the 13th annual World Travel Awards program, held Sept. 6 at Walt Disney World’s Swan and Dolphin Hotel in Orlando.
The Blackstone Valley Tourism Council is the state-designated tourism planning and development agency for the northern Rhode Island communities of Burrillville, Central Falls, Cumberland, Glocester, Lincoln, North Smithfield, Smithfield, Pawtucket and Woonsocket. To learn more, visit www.TourBlackstone.com.
The World Travel Awards – first held in 1993 – are considered one of the highest achievements in the travel and tourism industry.
Source: Providencial Business News
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