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The Future of Sustainable Tourism in Rhode Island
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Kip went on to describe his work with the Resilient Futures Network on an initiative called the
Northeast Corridor Connects (NECC), and his work with Stamford, Connecticut on a project called
Reinventing Stamford – a civic conversation and a strategy in action that enables Stamford
citizens to take a role in their destiny:
The goal of Reinventing Stamford is: To create a resilient thriving city that pulses as a magnet for
talent, a center of innovation and a model of green values where both families and single people
want to live and work.
Since, Kip’s view on sustainability is that it is fundamentally about innovation, he emphasized the
need for people to:
• Define their own work and contributions they can make;
• Search for people with skills and knowledge to compliment their own capabilities;
• Develop and be involved in extended networks;
• Develop effective pattern recognition skills;
• Reinvent tourism from the point of view of sustainability and resiliency;
• Learn through problem solving and experiential approaches; and
• Be adaptable.
He ended his remarks by saying that innovation in the most progressive organizations should be
pushed to the front line workers who define the customer or guest experience. Consequently, the
industry needs to develop this kind of talent (mentored internship and apprenticeship) because if
the industry is not developing talent it cannot be sustainable.
We can hear future’s footsteps approaching.
We must think and prepare.
Summit Report
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