Royal Phuket Marina was recognised for its outstanding purpose-built marina, professional service and unique architectural design by picking up the ‘Luxury Yachting in Thailand’ award at the Luxury Lifestyle Awards in Singapore last week – and in doing so became the first marina in Thailand receive the honour.
Gulu Lalvani (pictured), Chairman of Royal Phuket Marina, said: “We are very proud to be the first company and first marina in Thailand to win this prestigious award.
“With the Thai Government striving to make Thailand the marina hub of ASEAN, it is impeccable timing that Royal Phuket Marina has been recognised for its professional standards and service, and strategic central location.
“I believe Phuket and Thailand have many of the best marinas in the region and is very well positioned to indeed become the regional marina hub.
“This award is recognition not only for all the team’s hard work at Royal Phuket Marina, but also serves as reinforcement of Thailand’s regional status as the number one marine leisure destination.”
Having been instrumental in invigorating Thailand’s marine industry through negotiations with the Thai Government in 2002 to reduce taxes on imported boats, Lalvani sees a bright future for Thailand’s marine industry and expects Phuket and surrounds to become one of the top sailing destinations in the world.
“After talks between myself and Thailand’s then Prime Minister back in 2002, taxes on importing boats were reduced from more than 200 percent to zero in 2004. This was something considered impossible at the time and is actually the key factor in kick-starting the marine industry into what it has become today.
“I believed so strongly in the future potential of the industry that I developed and opened Royal Phuket Marina in 2005, and today am very happy to have received recognition for all our efforts more than ten years ago.”
This was the third accolade in the past 12 months for Royal Phuket Marina following re-certification as a 5-Gold Anchor marina by the Marina Industries Association and also being the first marina in Thailand to receive the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence for 2015.
Royal Phuket Marina is a full service marina with capacity for 296 boats up to 35 metres with plans to increase capacity for yachts up to 60 metres next year, and also comprises award-winning residential properties, dining outlets and boutique shops along the Boardwalk.
“Over the next five years we will be investing a further THB 5 billion to expand our facilities. This will include development of our hospitality, residential and marine offerings with the goal to establish Royal Phuket Marina as the iconic mixed-use waterfront lifestyle destination in Asia,” added Lalvani.
