OUTSTANDING – ROW Adventures, a Coeur d’Alene-based rafting and adventure travel company, was named No. 1 Tour Operator in the 2012 World’s Best Awards survey by Travel + Leisure magazine readers.

Tour operators were rated on criteria such as staff, itineraries, activities, accommodations, food and value. ROW received the highest ranking in any of the annual survey’s categories, which also included airlines, hotels and destinations.

“We are honored with this recognition and very grateful to all those who have trusted us with their precious vacation time,” said Peter Grubb, who co-founder, who said he had to buy a suit for the presentation ceremony in New York.

Grubb co-founded ROW as a whitewater rafting company in 1979 and has expanded to offering a variety of trips in 17 countries.

Grubb and wife Betsy Bowen are standout's locally and internationally for their contributions to protecting the outdoor environment.