June 1, 2021

The Portuguese Association of Ports and Marinas (APPR) will host the prestigious ICOMIA (International Council of Marine Industry Associations) World Marinas Conference 2023 in Autumn, bringing this international event to Portugal for the very first time.

The bidding took place during an ICOMIA Marinas Group meeting in November 2020 with a good setup from other applying candidates from Europe and the US. Vilamoura Marina at the heart of the Algarve in Portugal was selected as the next location for IWMC 2023. With 300+ sunny days, 1 794 km of coastline, and 50 marinas, as well as being voted the World’s Leading Destination for the third consecutive year in 2019’s World Travel Awards, Portugal won the bidding process.

Founded in 1991 APPR unites and represents the marinas and the recreational port facilities of Portugal, maintaining a constant relationship between them, addressing any challenges they face, and representing them in government circles.

Isolete Correia, President, APPR said:

“IWMC is the largest gathering of the marine industry and we are very pleased to have been selected to host this prestigious event in 2023. It will be a great honour to welcome the world’s leaders in the boating industry in Portugal – a country that has strong nautical traditions, a pioneer in sailing unfamiliar seas and therefore the perfect place to host this conference. This would give APPR the opportunity to welcome and show to all the participants our country in general and the Algarve region (south coast) in particular. Introducing the amenities which allow recreational boating all year round, with excellent climate, friendly and hospitable people, formidable hospitality and wines, stunning beaches, rich history and monuments. We are absolutely delighted to bring together the greatest experts in the nautical industry, contributing to a process of exchange of information, ideas and collective learning.”

Udo Kleinitz, Secretary General, ICOMIA said:

“Amidst the challenging economic situation, it was good to see a host of strong bids for the 2023 edition of ICOMIA World Marinas Conference for which APPR was finally chosen by our members. My thanks and respect go to those bids who were not chosen this time. The ICOMIA World Marinas Conference 2023 will focus on what we have learned from the ongoing pandemic crisis, what has changed in terms of regulations and how can we make the industry even more sustainable.”

Currently, the ICOMIA team, as well as the organisers of the World Marinas Conference in Dubai, scheduled for 12-14 October 2021, have been busy planning the event and look forward to welcoming the industry to Dubai this Autumn.