The International Council of Marine Industry Associations held its World Marinas Conference Oct. 9-11 at the Tivoli Conference Centre in Vilamoura, Portugal. It was hosted by the Portuguese Association of Ports and Marinas and attended by more than 350 delegates from the international marina community.
The event included speakers, meetings, discussions and forums related to best practices in the marina segment. Speakers covered such topics as culture, economy and marketing to specific business interests, including financing, communications, regulations and taxation.
ICOMIA president Darren Vaux said in a statement that “technology is essential to improve the customer experience, with adaptability being a key facet as we move into the future, as well as the importance of sustainability and sustainable goals.”
More than 72 presentations and discussion groups were held, and delegates visited three marinas. Speakers focused on technology available to make marina operations more efficient and improve the customer experience. The concept of “smart marinas” was a popular topic, but attendees summed up the discussions with the idea that people providing quality customer service should remain the goal of marina management.
The next ICOMIA World Marinas Conference is scheduled for 2025 in Venice, Italy.
