Tourism Awards
Presented
The Orange County Tourism Council hosted its second annual tourism awards dinner Jan. 25 at the Doubletree Hotel in Costa Mesa. About 500 people attended the event, twice the number who attended last year.
The program was launched last year to recognize travel, tourism and hospitality employees and volunteers who have gone beyond the call of duty to assist visitors and to create an awareness of the value of customer service in the tourism industry.
Approximately 750 nominations for the service excellence awards were received, double that of last year. Winners, selected in seven categories by a group of independent judges, were:
n Accommodations,Randal Jones, bellman at Fairfield Inn, Anaheim
n Arts & Culture,Sandy Orrill, group sales manager, Orange County Performing Arts Center
n Attractions,Aurelio Valdez, operations, Disneyland
n Restaurants,Shelly Somerset, server, Birraporetti’s, South Coast Plaza
n Shopping Centers/Retail,Abel Bratton, security officer, Irvine Spectrum Center
n Transportation,Kathy Miracle, driver, Pacific Coast Sightseeing, Anaheim
n Visitor & Convention Bureaus/Chambers of Commerce,Phil Hannes, tourism development manager for Latin America, Anaheim/Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau.
The Walter Knott Award for overall service excellence was given to Robbi Rustuen, room reservations, Disneyland Resort Hotels.
A special award was presented to the Tourism Council’s executive director, Bruce Brown, who is planning to retire.
