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PATA Travel Mart includes gold award for MVA
Marianas Visitors Authority deputy manager director Judy Torres, second from left, receives the Pacific-Asia Travel Association Gold Award during PATA Travel Mart on Sept. 14, 2018, in Langkawi, Malaysia. From left are director of the Macao Government Tourism Office Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Torres, MVA Tour Guide Certification manager Kuen-Hee Han, and PATA CEO Mario Hardy. (MVA)
The Marianas Visitors Authority’s “Official Marianas Guide” tour guide certification program was awarded the 2018 PATA Gold Award from the Pacific Asia Travel Association on Sept. 14, 2018, in Langkawi, Malaysia.
The awards ceremony took place during PATA Travel Mart 2018, where MVA deputy managing director Judy Torres and Tour Guide certification manager Kuen-Hee Han were in attendance to receive the award and promote the Marianas with other members of the PATA Micronesia chapter.
“The Marianas has been an active member of the PATA Micronesia chapter for many years, proudly promoting the region with our partners in Guam, Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Marshall Islands,” said Torres. “The MVA is honored to receive now our second PATA Gold Award, which demonstrates that not only can we learn a lot from our PATA partners, but that the Marianas is also setting an example for the region in terms of excellence.”
This year’s awards, again supported and sponsored by the Macao Government Tourism Office, attracted 200 entries from 87 organizations and individuals worldwide. The winners were selected by an independent judging committee consisting of 14 senior executives from the travel, tourism and hospitality sectors.
The PATA Grand Awards are presented to outstanding entries in four principal categories: Marketing; Environment, Heritage and Culture, and Education and Training, the category which the MVA Tour Guide Certification Program was awarded under. The MVA’s award was presented under the category of Education and Training.
“This gold award proves that recognition is possible with cooperation and sincerity,” said Han.
In 2000 the Marianas’ Saipanda Destination Program was awarded the PATA Gold Award in the National Marketing Program–Under $1 Million category. (MVA)
The PATA Gold Awards recognized outstanding tourism programs at the PATA Travel Mart on Sept. 14, 2018, in Langkawi, Malaysia. The Marianas Visitors Authority’s Tour Guide Certification Program was awarded. (MVA)
Marianas Visitors Authority deputy managing director Judy Torres, fourth from right, and members of PATA Micronesia chapter from the Marianas, Guam, and Palau promote the region at PATA Travel Mart on Sept. 12-14, 2018, in Langkawi, Malaysia. (MVA)
