Egyptian and Cambodian guides best thousands of others in 2016 competition honoring unsung tour leaders
London, England - For the first time in the Wanderlust World Guide Awards’ eleven-year history, two tour guides from the same company made it into the top three finalists in one year, with G Adventures’ Samer (SemSem) Saied from Egypt winning first place with Gold, and Bopha Sok from Cambodia earning the Bronze.
The winners were announced last week at a ceremony hosted by Wanderlust at London’s Royal Geographical Society. Now in its 11th year, the Awards is the only global awards to exclusively recognize these unsung heroes of the travel and tourism industry.
Wanderlust’s World Guide Awards encourage readers from across the globe to nominate the tour leaders they feel have gone above and beyond in the past year, to give them an unforgettable travel experience. This year saw 2,500 guides nominated from around the world, with winners selected by a team of industry experts including Wanderlust magazine co-founder and editor-in-chief Lyn Hughes, and renowned British-American nonfiction author Bill Bryson.
In 2009, G Adventures’ entrepreneur founder Bruce Poon Tip relinquished his title of ‘CEO’ in favor of passing it along to the employees he felt were the most important people in the company -- those who deliver life-changing experiences directly to G Adventures’ customers. From that point forward, all G Adventures ‘tour guides’ became known as CEO’s, or Chief Experience Officers.
Poon Tip praised Saied and Sok as exemplifying what it means to be a G Adventures CEO, leading with humility and passion, and sharing vast local knowledge and genuine care for their travelers.
“I’m so proud of both SemSem and Bopha. They come from places that have seen a lot of turmoil in the not-so-distant past and they are passionate ambassadors for their countries, consistently leading with service for our travelers. Egypt and Cambodia are both ripe for tourism right now, so the timing of these honors is ideal. Who wouldn’t want to go to either country and be led by one of the world’s best guides?
“What makes G Adventures different is that we work hard to give our CEOs the freedom to personalize their trips as much as possible, while at the same time empowering them with various growth and development opportunities within the organization,” added Poon Tip.
Each guide winner was awarded a generous financial award that was donated by Wanderlust to put towards community projects of their choosing, in their home country.
Egyptian Gold winner and G Adventures Chief Experience Officer SemSem Saied plans to use his £5,000 award (~USD $6100.) to support three causes close to his heart: a new ‘G Adventures for Good’ social enterprise in Egypt, the Magdi Yacoub Foundation’s Aswan Heart Centre, and the Saint George Scout Team in downtown Cairo where he is a leader.
Best-selling author and competition judge Bill Bryson commended Saied’s positive impact on those around him, saying: “He inspires both his travelers and his colleagues. He has changed lives, enriched people’s experiences and is a marvelous ambassador for his country.”
Cambodian Bronze winner and G Adventures Chief Experience Officer Bopha Sok plans to put his £1,000 winnings (~USD $1200.) toward the G Adventures-supported New Hope Vocational Training Restaurant in Siem Reap, where he learned to speak English and where other youth are receiving hands-on experience in the hospitality sector. He also intends to sponsor impoverished youths in his home village, helping them earn the chance to attend university.
To book a trip with one of G Adventures’ and Wanderlust’s award-winning guides, consider one of these two classic itineraries for 2017:
- Samer (SemSem) Saied will be leading G Adventures’ eight-day ‘Best of Egypt’ trip departing 11 February, 2017. This is a vibrant journey through Egypt’s ancient sites and cultural landmarks including the Great Pyramids of Giza, the vibrant bazaars of Aswan and Luxor and a traditional felucca sail down the Nile. Priced from USD $1199* pp departing from/returning to Cairo, including accommodation, internal flights, and all transport and activities/meals as described in itinerary.
- Bopha Sok – G Adventures is offering a nine-day ‘Cambodia Experience’ tour (departs 21 February, 2017) traveling with CEO guide Sok. This trip is a fantastic glimpse into Cambodia’s rich history and beautiful landscape, exploring the ancient sites of Angkor Wat and Phnom Penh. Priced from USD $1119* pp, departing from Saigon and finishing in Bangkok, including accommodation, all transport and activities/meals as described in itinerary.
For more information or to book, please call: 800-676-6230 or visit: www.gadventures.com
* Prices do not include flights. For inclusions, see trip links above.