Marina de Vilamoura marina of the year

The Algarve’s Marina de Vilamoura has been awarded International Marina of the Year 2018/2019 by the Yacht Harbour Association Ltd in the category ‘International Marinas’.
In 2015, 2016 and 2017 the marina won the titles of ‘Marina of Distinction’ from the same international yachting association.
Votes were cast exclusively by boat owners who visited marinas classified with 5 anchors, the highest classification attributed to marinas.
The Marina de Vilamoura was built in 1974 and was groundbreaking at the time. Over the past four decades the facilities at the marina have been developed considerably, today having 825 mooring posts, a fully-equipped working boatyard and a professional sailing training centre.
The marina also hosts or is involved in various prestigious international events including the 1st Portugal Grand Prix which brought together one-hundred Olympic class yachts (Nacra 17 and 49ers) in December last year and February this year.
Earlier this month it hosted the 45th Carnival Regatta between 2 and 4 March.
Vilamoura was one of the first Portuguese marinas to obtain the Quality & Environment certification (ISO 14001 and ISO 9001) as well as the EU Blue Flag for Marinas.
The marina forms part of the jewels in the crown of Vilamoura, a luxury golf and holiday resort and is surrounded by large hotels, luxury holiday homes, a large casino, numerous restaurants and vibrant bars.
The marina is to be extended to include Vilamoura Lakes, a new project that Vilamoura World will be developing in Vilamoura in the next few years.
The marina redevelopment and extension is part of a wider development project under an umbrella company and master developer Vilamoura World managing a project over 400 hectares worth €1Bn which is trumpeted as the largest real estate development in Portugal.
The financiers behind Vilamoura World are US vulture fund Lone Star which also owns a 75% in troubled Novo Banco.