First Gold Anchor award presented to a New Zealand marina

Auckland’s 1,800-berth Westhaven Marina gains 4 Gold Anchor accreditation

Auckland’s Westhaven Marina has become the first in New Zealand to gain a Gold Anchor award. The huge 1,800-berth marina secured 4 Gold Anchor accreditation from the Marina Industries Association (MIA), the global scheme run in association with The Yacht Harbour Association (TYHA) in the UK.

Westhaven Marina is home to over 1,800 recreational boats

Westhaven Marina is located in Auckland’s city centre and has grown steadily since 1946 as the recognised hub of recreational boating in Auckland. The bustling marina is home to over 1,800 recreational boats, four yacht clubs and a variety of marine businesses and hospitality establishments.

In announcing this award, Suzanne Davies, MIA CEO, said: “Westhaven Marina is the largest recreational boating facility in the Southern Hemisphere and the first Gold Anchor marina in New Zealand. It’s an amazing achievement and a credit to the Westhaven team in creating such an incredibly comprehensive marine facility.”

Responding on receiving the 4 Gold Anchor award, Westhaven’s Marina Manager, Karenza Harris, said: “Westhaven Marina is honoured to be the first Gold Anchor marina in New Zealand. Our team is focussed on providing customers with the highest level of service and facilities and we are pleased that our efforts have been recognised with this award.”

Davies further noted: “There are over 200 Gold Anchor marinas accredited in 28 countries around the world. The programme is really on the move and expanding in numbers. To have our first New Zealand marina join the programme shows the strength of the Gold Anchor brand as a credible way of communicating to potential customers the marina’s commitment to quality facilities and services. We look forward to more New Zealand marinas joining the programme.”

The global Gold Anchor is an international accreditation which requires a rigorous assessment of a marina’s services, procedures and facilities. It involves an independent audit of 86 criteria across all areas of the business, plus a customer survey. The accreditation aims to inform consumers as to the level of services and facilities at marinas and to provide marinas with a set of benchmarks to maintain and a pathway for continual improvement.

By David Robinson

source:ibinews.com