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2016 September October Marina World

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TALKING SHOP Model of Qin Huan Dao Marina – the ‘seashell’. resort or commercial development, as the case may be, is needed. Hainan would link China to marina developments in Vietnam, where there are plans for sites from Ha Long to Phu Quoc. To me, that is the key network for East Asia, opening a coastal cruising route from Malaysia and Singapore to China. For the Chinese market per se, Shandong Province has to be watched with interest, especially around Qingdao. As for the future of Hong Kong, with the coming of the Pearl River Delta megalopolis (estimated population 80 million!) bringing Hong Kong together with Macau, Shenzhen, Zhuhai and Guangzhou, the picture is likely to change with the consolidation of commercial ports, which may create more marina opportunities in Hong Kong Harbour. I am, however, of the view that Hong Kong will not wish to lose its ‘commercial gateway’ status. Q: What kind of marine leisure developments are we seeing in Macau and Taiwan? A: Macau, being a much smaller SAR than Hong Kong has limited development opportunities. There are however plans for commercial waterfront developments which include marinas. Looking to the future, and with the bridge link (under construction) between Hong Kong and Macau my personal belief is that we will see a mix of commercial and resort developments offering marinas in the wider Pearl River delta, encompassing Hong Kong, C&NM is now working on the realisation of Tanjung Aru Marina in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. Macau, Zhuhai and Shenzhen. New initiatives, sparked by recent changes in government policies are likely to be realised in Taiwan. We are watching this market with interest, as its close proximity to China allied with its more lenient tax regime, may well give rise to real progress in the development of marinas in the next two or three years. Q: Do you see any evidence of Japanese marinas making bids to attract transient visitors or become involved in regional networks? A: Strangely enough, no. Yet I have to confess that I am not well-informed on the Japanese market, and that is mainly because Japan seems to be somewhat in isolation from the rest of East Asia and seldom does it feature in market reports. Going back 10 or 15 years Japan was developing marinas ahead of the rest of Asia, but I cannot say with any authority what is really happening in Japan and how it will feature in East Asia as a whole. Q: Singapore has the most established marina infrastructure in Southeast Asia but Thailand (Phuket) is currently making great efforts to replace it as the Aseanean hub. Which of the other nine countries in Southeast Asia do you think will gain notable ground in the development of marinas over the next decade? A: Singapore is quite well established and I believe it has room for yet further expansion. It is also highly cosmopolitan, which will probably help in maintaining its position as the main Aseanean hub. As for emerging nations with the ability to develop sustainable markets, I see Vietnam and Indonesia as the prime movers in the next decade. Q: What should industry be doing now to boost opportunities in Asia? A: Put aside the business approach of ‘in it to win it’. Take time to understand the culture and the ethics of doing business in Asia, and how we are best placed to assist our Asian colleagues. The region is huge and there are opportunities for all. As professionals we need to work together in a www.marinaworld.com - September/October 2016 17

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