Carlos Leal elected President of Portuguese Resorts Association

 In Original

The Director-General of United Investments Portugal (UIP), Carlos Leal, has been elected the President of the Portuguese Resorts Association (APR).

 

In addition to Carlos Leal taking the helm at the APR, the resorts association also has a new board of directors comprising João Pedro Madeira, Federico Brion Sanches, António Pinto Coelho and Franck Carreo, representing Troiaresort Investimentos Turisticos, Discovery Hospitality Real Estate, Palmares Companhia de Empreendimentos Turísticos de Lagos and Vilamoura Lusotur (Vilamoura World), respectively.

The executive board is headed by Pedro Fontainhas. The APR represents the following resorts in Portugal: Ombria Resort, Onyria Palmares, Pestana Tróia, Pestana Vale da Pinta, Pine Cliffs Resort, Praia D’ÉL Rey, Castro Marim Resort, Quinta da Marinha Resort, Salgados Vila das Lagoas, Sheraton Cascais Resort, The Lake Spa Resort, Tróia Design Hotel, Tróia Resort, Vale de Lobo, Vilalara Thalassa Resort, Vilamoura World, West Cliffs Resort, Amendoeira Golf Resort, Belmar Spa and Beach Resort, Herdade de Aroeira, Herdade da Comporta, Herdade Monteverde, Quinta do Lago, Quinta do Pinhão and The Crest.

Carlos Leal was appointed Director-General of United Investments Portugal (UIP) in 2007 and has led the overall growth and development of the entity since then. He is a member of the consortium IFA Hotels and Resorts which is considered one of the main international companies involved in the development of luxury hotels and resorts. Leal joined UIP in 1999 and in his career has clocked up more than 30 years of international know-how and experience in the investment, development and management of tourism and leisure industry assets.

A qualified Quantity Surveyor with a master’s Degree in business administration, the new APR president began his career in the civil construction industry until getting involved in the tourism and resorts market where he specialised as a manager. Before joining UIP he undertook management and administrative functions at Murray and Roberts and Nedcor, both in South Africa.

The APR (Portuguese Resorts Association) is a non-profit-making organisation which defends the interests of resorts, tourism developments and entities linked to the residential tourism sector. The association also carries out studies and compiles sector statistics, participates in international trade and commercial events and broadcasts its acquired experience and know-how.