2007-04-02 11:32:08 -
VENTURA, Calif., April 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Every year, Good Sam Club members choose which companies roll out the red carpet -- or, in this case, the welcome mat -- of good customer service. It's called the Welcome Mat Awards and for the Good Sam members it is an opportunity to express support and encouragement for companies that treated RVers right throughout 2006.
The honor goes to businesses across a wide spectrum of RV-related customer service, from fast food restaurants to campgrounds to NASCAR events. In all, there are 24 categories,
which are voted on by the one million families in the Good Sam Club.
"RVing attracts families, baby boomers, retirees, tailgaters, outdoor enthusiasts and travelers of all kinds," said Sue Bray, executive director for the Good Sam Club. "The Welcome Mat Awards are our members' way of recognizing the people and businesses that make the life of an RVer more enjoyable."
Several honorees have shown plenty of staying power. Florida, for example, has been voted number one for the second year in a row in the categories of state or province to fish and state to visit in an RV. Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. has won the award for the sixth straight year as the most RV-friendly sit down restaurant and Daytona International Speedway is another multi-year winner as members' favorite NASCAR event.
"We're honored to receive the Welcome Mat for the fifth straight year," Daytona International Speedway President Robin Braig said. "From the shores of Lake Lloyd to the daunting 31-degree high banked turns, we're proud of the wide-variety of specialty vehicle packages that offer first-class amenities as well as unique viewing spots of all the action at 'The World Center of Racing.'" Daytona was also the site of last April's The Good Sam Club sponsored Rally that drew over 5,000 RVs and created a community of 12,000 RVers who stayed at the Speedway to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Good Sam Club.
The 2007 Welcome Mat Award Winners!
Fuel/Gas: Flying J
Propane: Flying J
Outlet mall: Tanger Outlets
Casino: Harrah's
Fast Food: Wendy's
Ice Cream: Dairy Queen
Sandwich Shop: Subway
Sit Down Restaurant: Cracker Barrel
Shopping Mall: Wal-Mart
Dingy Vehicle: Saturn
Tourist Attraction, Amusement: Disney World
Golf Course: King's North at Myrtle Beach National
NASCAR Event: Daytona 500
RV Show: Florida RV SuperShow
State/Province to fish: Florida
Good Sam Park: America's Best Campground in Branson, Missouri
Motor Oil: Shell Rotella
Pet Supply: PetSmart
Craft Store: Michaels
RV Accessory Store: Camping World
RV Parts Store: Camping World
State to Visit: Florida
Province to Visit: British Columbia
Tow Vehicle: Ford
About Welcome Mat Awards
The Welcome Mat Award is a prestigious honor given to businesses and organizations located in the United States and Canada that demonstrate a high level of service to RVers. The million-plus Good Sam Club members cast their votes online or via paper ballots each year. The Welcome Mat Awards began in 2002.
About Good Sam Club
The Good Sam Club, http://www.goodsamclub.com/ is the world's largest recreational vehicle (RV) owners' organization with over 1 million member families. Founded in 1966, the Club offers its members a wide variety of services, including RV insurance, extended warranty on RVs (the Continued Service Plan), Emergency Road Service, RV financing, a Good Sam Credit Card and Life & Health Insurance, as well as discounts at parks, campgrounds and RV events. Good Sam members also receive a subscription to Highways, the Club's popular RV travel magazine. The Club also represents more than 2,000 local RV chapters designed to bring RVers together from similar geographic regions for group camping excursions. Extremely committed to its RV members as well as to the environment, the Club is the founder of the annual National Cleanup Day program and an advocate of public land access, Adopt-A-Highway programs and Adopt-A-Park programs, to name a few. The Good Sam Club is headquartered in Ventura, California, and is a subsidiary of the Affinity Group, Inc.
Source: Good Sam Club
