Sam's Tours - TOUR OPERATOR OF THE YEAR!

SAM'S TOURS receives "TOUR OPERATOR OF THE YEAR" AWARD!

The Palau Visitors Authority (PVA), Palau's official tourism board, announced their selection of Sam's Tours as "TOUR OPERATOR OF THE YEAR" for 2008. The announcement and award presentation took place during the Annual Christmas Gala of the Belau Tourism Association (BTA), Palau's private sector tourism industry association, recently held at the Palau Pacific Resort (http://www.palauppr.com/)

Awarding winning is not new to Sam’s Tours which has been consistently recognized over the years not only by government and industry bodies for their commitment to development of sustainable tourism in Palau but also by their customers for consistent service excellence.

In 2007 Sam's Tours received a Top 10 Sponsor Award from PVA for "their continual support and sponsorship" and in 2006 the private sector Belau Tourism Association recognized Sam's Tours with their Outstanding Member Award for their "dedication, support and commitment over the years to Belau Tourism Association and its objectives.”

The readers of Scuba Diving Magazine have recognized Sam’s Tours more than any other dive center in Palau or Micronesia with seven “Readers Choice Awards” since 1997 including a Gold List Award for top dive center, top staff, and top value.

Sam’s Tours is the first and only dive center in Palau to receive the Palau Conservation Society “Ten Year Partner in Conservation Award” and is a Corporate Sponsor of the Palau Shark Sanctuary, a shark conservation organization founded in 2001 by Sam’s Tours General Manager, Dermot Keane, to help bring an end to the destructive practice of shark-finning by foreign fishing fleets operating in Palau’s waters. The Palau Shark Sanctuary received a PATA (Pacific Asia Travel Association) Environmental Education Gold Award for their work.

“Sam’s Tours has consistently demonstrated their long standing commitment to responsible tourism development, environmental preservation, and excellence in customer service and while recognition is not what drives us to excel, we sincerely appreciate the acknowledgment of our efforts by our industry peers and our valued customers alike” said Dermot Keane, General Manager, Sam’s Tours.