Tour operator is Tourism Stakeholder of the Year

Popular tour operator Munroe “Daddy” Peters of Daddy’s Tours is the Ministry of Tourism’s Stakeholder of the Year for 2016.

Last Saturday, November 26, Peters and a number of other stakeholders were recognized for their contribution to the local tourism industry during the Ministry of Tourism’s and the St Vincent and the Grenadines Tourism Authority’s (SVGTA) 2016 Awards Ceremony.

Held at the French Verandah in Villa, the ceremony sought to award the various stakeholders in the tourism industry in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG).{{more}}

It was noted during the ceremony that Peters left his home in Mount Grenan at age 12, and journeyed to Kingstown to find work.

He started out as a mason at the Village Lodge Hotel, which was then known as Crow’s Nest and was later offered a job as a waiter and trainee bartender in the hotel’s restaurant.

Peters later moved to the Coconut Beach Hotel and then to the Indian Bay Beach Hotel as a bartender. It was during his time at the Indian Bay Beach Hotel that he started taking guests on drives around the island.

Peters, who also worked as a disc jockey, earned the name “Daddy” while transporting children in his minivan “Double Trouble”, as he would oftentimes give stern warnings to the children travelling with him and inform their mothers of their behaviour.

It was noted at the ceremony that over the years, Peters has also been integrally involved in Carnival festivities. He has transported numerous artistes, bands, sport teams, medical teams and delegates.

In 2015, he collaborated with the SVG Tourism Authority to undertake the daily transfer of teachers in the ‘Go Teacher’ programme, to and from the SVG Community College, while he was also the ride for the crew of the locally filmed 2003 hit movie Pirates of the Caribbean film crew.

It was also noted on Saturday that Peters offers free bus tours to senior citizens in different areas every year and has done free historical guided tours for primary schools in his area, especially the Brighton and Calliaqua primary schools.

He also provides free funeral transportation for disadvantaged families.

It was also revealed at the ceremony that Peters has consistently met the requirements of the Code of Practice for Tour Operators. (LC)