THE Keppel group’s Marina at Keppel Bay has become the first such facility in Asia to be awarded the 5 Gold Anchors rating from the Marina Industries Association of Australia (MIAA).
The award, for excellence in services and facilities, was presented to the group this week. MIAA is an industry association for the marina industry across the Asia-Pacific region. It launched the Gold Anchor International Rating Scheme for marinas last year, with ratings of 3 Gold Anchors to 5 Gold Anchors.
Keppel Bay’s latest award comes less than two months after the marina was named Best Asian Marina at the 6th annual Asian Boating Awards.
Andrew Chapman, MIAA president, presented Marina at Keppel Bay with the 5 Gold Anchors award at a ceremony on Thursday. He said that the marina had set the benchmark by attaining the new certification designed to keep marina businesses at the forefront of best practice.
The Gold Anchors, which is somewhat similar to the five-star rating system for hotels, was developed by MIAA as a reference system to help boaters and marina users determine which marinas in the Asia-Pacific best fit their requirements and needs.
Gold Anchor marinas are independently audited with assessment across nine areas including marina design, infrastructure, access, services including customer service and feedback, environmental considerations, land facilities, food and beverage facilities and local attractions. Participating marinas are also subject to ‘mystery shopper’ checks during the three-year rating period to ensure the integrity of ratings.
Marina at Keppel Bay was designed to complement the waterfront lifestyle offering at Keppel Bay. Home owners of the two key projects in the area – Caribbean at Keppel Bay and Reflections at Keppel Bay – enjoy complimentary membership at the marina for 10 years, as well as free subscription for five years.
The marina, which is associated with sister marina Nongsa Bay Marina & Resort in the Riau Island of Indonesia, has been the venue of choice for international events such as the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race and Boat Asia. More recently, it hosted the Jewel of Muscat, a heritage vessel which is a gift from the Sultanate of Oman to Singapore.
Source : Business Times – 17 Jul 2010