Fifteen members of the International Council of Marine Industry Associations toured St. Thomas marinas on Sunday, Dec. 12, following a meeting of the council's International Boating Facilities Committee at Marriott's Frenchman's Reef Beach Resort the day before.
On behalf of the V.I. Marine Industries Association, Kathy Mullen of Regency Yacht Vacations escorted the group on a quick swing through the Yacht Haven, Compass Point, American Yacht Harbor, Sapphire Beach and Crown Bay Marinas.
According to council secretary general Tim Donkin of Britain, "Increasing professionalism" is an evident trend in marina management worldwide.
Committee member Dennis Kissman, who is involved in the new management of Crown Bay Marina, echoed Donkin's remarks, saying that "maintaining a high level of professionalism is a top priority." Kissman, president of Marina Management Services Inc., was instrumental in organizing this first meeting of the council body in the Caribbean.
The London-based council comprises 25 national industry associations from 24 countries. It has served as umbrella organization for the global recreational boating industry since 1967 and is regarded as the "voice of the industry" worldwide, according to a release. The council's working committees consist of industry or federation representatives from member countries.
The Boating Facilities Committee members visiting St. Thomas included marina operators, consultants and media specialists from North and South America, Southeast Asia, Australia and Europe. Among them were David Williams, chief executive of Baltic Publishing Ltd. in England, which publishes Marina International, a business-to-business magazine; and Y.P. Loke of Singapore, an affiliate of Raffles Marina and managing director of Spinnaker International Pte Ltd.
Ron Stone, a California-based consultant with the National Marine Manufacturers Association, chairs the committee. His agenda for the St. Thomas meeting included preparations for the 4th International Marina Conference, set for Sydney, Australia, in March 2002. The conferences are held every three years, and the idea of the Virgin Islands possibly hosting the next one, in 2005, was mentioned.
The IBFC members were guests at a Tourism Department reception at Hervé on Saturday evening hosted by acting commissioner Monique Sibilly-Hodge.
