Leisure marine association created for Middle East North Africa
A leisure marine association for Middle East North Africa (LMA MENA) has been established to represent and support the maritime industry in the region.
LMA MENA will focus on supporting marine industry businesses such as marina operators, boat builders, equipment suppliers and service companies, and aims to establish a supportive network for all its members. The main objective of LMA MENA is to increase recreational boat ownership and use in the region, in addition to promoting and protecting the interests of its members and the marine industry and boating community as a whole.
“The association is a welcome addition to Dubai’s proactive leisure marine community, and we are excited to the potentials and key prospects it is keen on bringing to the marine sector,” says Saeed Bin Ahmed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum, executive director of the Dubai Maritime City Authority.
“The Dubai Maritime City Authority is ready to support its initiatives and plans that would further boost the development of leisure marine in Dubai and the region. I am confident that the establishment of a regional organisation for the leisure marine sector is the way forward to grow sustainably.”
LMA MENA says the United Arab Emirates and MENA region have a rich maritime history in terms of both commercial business and leisure activities. The industry is changing rapidly, so much so that it is projected that the number of boat owners by 2025 will increase to around 20,000.
“It is a proud moment that we finally are able to launch the LMA. Our goal has always been to bring together the industry under one umbrella in order to support each other and promote leisure boating in our region,” says John W.R. Paul, chairman of LMA MENA. “Ultimately, we want the boating public to have an enjoyable boating experience which will in turn benefit the industry. We will work hard to support all the various stakeholders.
“With the support of our members, we are confident that we will reach our objectives of developing a healthy regional maritime community that will positively impact the area as a world-class marine destination.”
