BANGOR – Joseph Cyr, president of Cyr Bus Lines in Old Town, received the award for Commitment to Service Excellence during the Governor’s Conference on Tourism on Feb. 12, at the Bangor Civic Center.

The Maine Tourism Awards, sponsored by the Maine Office of Tourism and the Maine Tourism Commission, are presented to those whose service and dedication have enhanced the experience for visitors to Maine.

Pat Eltman, director of the Maine Office of Tourism, and John Richardson, commissioner of the Department of Economic and Community Development, presented the award to Becky Cyr and Robin LeVasseur, who accepted it on behalf of Cyr. The award is a rendering of the state of Maine, handcrafted in Maine from Monson Slate.

“This year’s award winners are shining examples for Maine’s tourism industry,” Eltman said. “Cyr Bus Lines is a leader in providing exceptional service to visitors who use their transportation throughout the state.”

Cyr Bus Lines began as a horse and buggy service in 1912, and has grown to operate a fleet of more than 200 deluxe motor coaches, school buses, vans and minibuses. The company’s motor coach tour business offers single and multiday trips to anywhere in the United States and Atlantic Canada, and it has earned a reputation as one of the premier operators on the East Coast.

Cyr Bus Lines was recognized nationally in 2004 with the Operator of the Year Award from METRO magazine, a publication serving the bus and passenger rail industry.

A total of five awards were presented during the conference, covering the categories of Commitment to Tourism Growth, Commitment to Employees, Commitment to Innovation in Tourism, Commitment to Service Excellence and the Governor’s Award for Tourism Excellence.

Each year the Governor’s Conference on Tourism is an opportunity for Maine’s tourism industry to come together for professional development and to recognize those whose service and dedication is commendable. The next conference will take place Feb. 10, 2009.