Bali Update Wins PATA Gold Award

(7/30/2007)

The hard-working team at Bali Discovery Tours received much-welcomed news on July 25, 2007, that its weekly newsletter Bali Update has received the prestigious PATA Gold Award 2007 - voted as the best travel e-newsletter in the Asia Pacific.

Bali Discovery Tours and a host of winners in other categories were granted gold status by the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) from among a fiercely contest's record total of 339 entries from 132 travel and tourism organisations.

The winners will be honoured at a special luncheon during the PATA Travel Mart 2007 in Bali on September 28, 2007.

The PATA Gold Awards are generously sponsored by the Macau Government Tourist Office.

Bali Update

First published on March 02, 1998, the Bali Update has "gone to press" 568 times under the continual editorship of Bali Discovery Tour's President Director, John M. Daniels.

Originally sent out in response to developing situations affecting Bali tourism, Bali Update is dispatched every Monday to a free subscriber base exceeding 19,000 readers.

Prior to the most recent honor, Bali Update has been lauded as "Bali's Truth Ministry" by TIME Magazine; "The Accepted Voice of Bali Tourism" by Travel Asia Magazine; the "Respected voice of Bali's tourism industry" by Indonesia Digest and cited for "Marketing Excellence" by the PATA Indonesia Chapter.

John M. Daniels, Bali Update's Editor, has spent more than 30 years in Indonesia and is the recipient of the Adikarya Wisata - the highest national award for service to Indonesian tourism given by the Government of Indonesia. Daniels is also a recipient of the Karyakarana Pariwisata award – the highest award for contributions to tourism and culture presented by the Governor of Bali.

PATA Gold Awards 2007

• Grand Award – Education and Training "We dreamed a dream" - The Jetwing youth development project at Vil Uyana, Sigriya, Sri Lanka, Jetwing Hotels, Sri Lanka

• Grand Award – Environment "Social and Environment Conscience programme," Six Senses Resorts & Spas, Thailand

• Grand Award – Heritage "2006 Macau World Heritage Year," Macau Government Tourist Office, Macau SAR

• Grand Award – Marketing "Incredible India global media campaign", Ministry of Tourism & Culture - Government of India, India

• Gold Award – Marketing Campaign Primary Government/Destination "Uniquely Singapore," Singapore Tourism Board, Singapore

• Gold Award Marketing Campaign - Secondary Government/Destination "Great Tropical Drive," Tourism Tropical North Queensland, Australia

• Gold Award Marketing Campaign – Carrier "Home Away from Home," Srilankan Airlines, Sri Lanka

• Gold Award Marketing Campaign – Hospitality "Phuket Perfect," Delivering Asia Communications for C9 Hotelworks, Thailand

• Gold Award Marketing Campaign – Industry "The Malaysia International Gourmet Festival 2006," AsiaReach Events, Malaysia

• Gold Award Environment - Ecotourism Project "Chaaya Village Habarana," Chaaya Hotels & Resorts, Sri Lanka

• Gold Award Environment - Corporate Environmental Programme "Responsible Travel," Intrepid Travel, Australia

• Gold Award Environment - Environmental Education Programme "Soneva Nature Trip," Soneva Fushi, Maldives

• Gold Award Heritage "Heritage Friendly Tourism Campaign," Heritage Watch, Cambodia

• Gold Award Culture "Aranmula," Kerala Tourism, India

• Gold Award Education and Training "LNTA-UNESCO Cultural Heritage Specialist Guide Programme," Lao PDR

• Gold Award Marketing Media – Brochure "Kerala Tourism," India

• Gold Award Marketing Media - Broadcast Media "Malaysia Truly Asia global TV commercial," Tourism Malaysia, Malaysia

• Gold Award Marketing Media - Print Media "Malaysia Truly Asia media campaign," Tourism Malaysia, Malaysia

• Gold Award Marketing Media – Poster "Ayudhaya Ancient Sites," Tourism Authority of Thailand, Thailand

• Gold Award Marketing Media – Video "Korea, Sparking," Korea Tourism Organization, Korea (ROK)

• Gold Award Marketing Media - Public Relations "Lord Howe Island spring campaign 2006," Tourism New South Wales, Australia

• Gold Award Marketing Media - CD-Rom"Chaaya Hotels & Resorts, Sri Lanka"

• Gold Award Marketing Media – Website "www.malaysia.travel," Tourism Malaysia, Malaysia

• Gold Award Marketing Media - E-Newsletter "Bali Update," Bali Discovery Tours, Indonesia

• Gold Award Travel Journalism - Destination Article "Tea for Twenty Million," Simon Rowe, Discovery, Emphasis Media, Hong Kong SAR

• Gold Award Travel Journalism - Industry Business Article "Myanmar Takes on Tourism," Fred Gebhart, Travel Professional, USA

• Gold Award Travel Journalism - Travel Photograph "Old Manila," Lester V Ledesma, Smile (Cebu Pacific Air), Ink Publishing, Singapore

• Gold Award Travel Journalism - Travel Guidebook "Lifestyle Destination Guide: NYC," Thai Airways International, Thailand.

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