Abell Point first accredited Global Gold Anchor Marina

by Christine Roberts on 15 Sep 2016 Abell Point Marina in Airlie Beach, Queensland is the first marina to be accredited under the Global Gold Anchor Scheme. The Scheme is a joint venture initiative of The Yacht Harbours Association (TYHA) and the Marina Industries Association (MIA). The Scheme is for marinas what the star rating scheme is for accommodation. The Scheme rates marinas on a scale of two to five Gold Anchors.

Abell Point Marina is a modern 507 berth marina catering for boats from 12m-60m. It is a major tourism hub for leisure and commercial vessels visiting the Whitsundays and the Great Barrier Reef. The marina village is a popular destination for boaters and domestic and international visitors.

At the 14 September presentation of the accreditation the MIA Executive Officer Colin Bransgrove said Abell Point Marina was a fitting marina to be the first Global Gold Anchor accredited marina in the world. “The Scheme is designed to inform marina users as to the level of services and facilities at the marina and to encourage continual improvement within the marina industry.

As a major regional tourism destination in its own right, Abell Point Marina has a strong customer focus and is continually improving its offer to both boating and non-boating customers. In presenting Abell Point Marina with the rating of five Gold Anchors it is setting an excellent marker for other marinas to benchmark against”.

There are over 250 Gold Anchor marinas globally that have been accredited under the old TYHA and MIA Gold Anchor Schemes. Over the coming two years these marinas will move across to the new Scheme as well as many more that have been attracted by the one global Scheme.

Abell Point Marina owner Paul Darrouzet said it is an honour to be the first accredited marina under the new Scheme. “What we are creating here is a significant regional tourism asset for Australia. It is fitting that we are receiving this high level global accreditation which reinforces our position as a leader in tourism and recreational boating”.

MIA President Andrew Chapman CMM said this is an exciting day for the marina industry. “After two years of cooperative development the Global Gold Anchor Scheme is up and away. Over coming weeks and months I will be presenting Global Gold Anchor accreditation to marinas across Australasia. This first presentation to Abell Point Marina is very appropriate given its high profile, strong customer focus and commitment to continual improvement”.