International property developers covet the International Property Awards in the same way that international film stars covet the Oscar.
Portomaso, from little Malta, scored in a big way in two of the top three awards at the International Property Awards ceremony held at the Dorchester Hotel, London last Tuesday.
Portomaso received the Gold Award in the Best Marina Development category and the Silver Award in the Best Luxury Development category.
The awards are highly respected symbols of prestige and excellence in a competitive market, recognised by developers as the awards to win and by the public as the homes to buy.
Entries for the awards hailed from four continents particularly Florida, USA, the Gold Coast, Australia, Dubai, South Africa, the Caribbean, Spain, Portugal and Cyprus among others.
Independent judges assess all entries and shortlist the best five entries in each category. The judges then visit all short listed properties to make the final selections.
The judges’ official written report among other comments states that “the development in the flesh, exceeds the impression given by the superb marketing material and justly deserves the developers accolade of ‘Best Waterfront Address”. The judges go on to say that the development is not overpriced given its position and facilities.
All short listed candidates are invited to the Awards Ceremony but the winners are announced at the ceremony.
Portomaso, which is being developed by the Tumas Group, was represented by George Fenech, managing director, and Maurice Tabone, Sales and Marketing director. They described the Awards night as one of the most nail-biting experiences they had to endure – and eventually revel in!
As they described it, “First the minor awards are announced and we were already wondering if our development had made the grade. At that stage we would have been quite content with a bronze or a commendation. The previous hubbub in the room changed to a church-like silence as the turn of the main three awards came up.
“The Developer of the Year Award is limited to international developments ‘which have done the most to help UK buyers in the previous year’. We had no expectations there so we were still relatively calm.
“The bronze and silver awards in the Best Luxury Development Category were announced – no mention of Portomaso. By this time the contents of the sumptuous banquet had turned to pure acid in our stomachs and, while we were clapping enthusiastically for the winners, we were wishing we were somewhere else.
“And then the M.C. announces ‘and the Gold Award for the Best Marina Development goes to … (several seconds tense silence) – Portomaso Malta’. We both could not believe it and remained glued to our chairs in spite of the cheers and clapping around us. We had to be nudged to get up and collect the award. When it sunk in we were most gratified.
And it did not stop there. There was another surprise in store.”
A few minutes later while George and Maurice were still digesting the fact that Portomaso had received the Gold Award, the awards for Best Luxury Development were being announced. To their surprise and jubilation Portomaso received the Silver Award in this category too!
To receive one award is gratifying – to receive two is euphoric.
Winning these awards acknowledges the Tumas Group’s efforts to set high standards. They have managed to achieve this with Portmaso and it augurs well for their next fabulous big project in Mellieha where the first phase was sold in less then two months last year.
The second phase of this Mellieha project comes on the market within the next few weeks. The group have also started construction of a Hilton Hotel on Lake Geneva which is scheduled to open in June 2006.
As regards Portomaso, further apartments in the last phase are being placed on the market later this month.
The international recognition and publicity resulting from the awards to Portomaso is a further step in putting Malta on the map and is proof that aiming for excellence pays.