Zeal for marinas
Long-time marina industry proponent Luke McCaul has founded Zeal Marinas, offering specialist services to transform marinas and yards.
05 February 2024
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A marina growth partner called Zeal Marinas, located on the Gold Coast and led by Luke McCaul, has recently emerged from the industry to offer specialised services to transform marinas and boat yards across the South Pacific into multifaceted must-visit destinations.
As the marina and boating industry emerges from the economic hangover of the pandemic, so too has the customer demographic and expectations of boat owners. As McCaul explains, “Gone are the days where customers were happy with marinas and boat yards being a place to park their boat and tinker doing their own maintenance works.
“Boat owners now are far too busy to worry about the smaller detail, they are seeking out boating experiences that extend their own lifestyle and offer a one stop solution with people that are professional and trustworthy and present first-class facilities and services.
“This is where Zeal Marinas is equipped to assist transforming old and emerging marinas and boatyards, modernising infrastructure, business processes, people and the customer experience.”
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Zeal Marinas is a Growth Partner in Australia, collaborating with owners and managers to transform marinas and boatyards into industry-leading businesses. It specialises in defining the customer experience and using innovative business development and marketing strategies to deliver award-winning results and substantial return on investment.
Luke McCaul brings over 12 years of invaluable marina and boatyard experience, previously managing world-class facilities including Coral Sea Marina Resort, Gold Coast City Marina & Shipyard and Marina Mirage Marina.
In explaining the development of Zeal Marinas, McCaul states, “I wanted to combine my passion for the marina industry and the desire to develop my own business and make it a name in the industry that is known and reputable.
“In the various marina and boatyard businesses I’ve worked in, each has had its own opportunities to redefine their experience, grow in the market and go beyond an ordinary business to meet the market – this is the purpose of Zeal Marinas.”
McCaul is widely recognised across the industry for his expertise in optimising performance in marina businesses. Brett Bolton the Director of Coriolis Marine, Freedom Boat Club Brisbane and also Chair of BIA Queensland has been a part of Luke’s industry network and also a beneficiary to the services of Zeal Marinas.
“I’ve known Luke since he started in the industry and admire how he approaches the business from the eyeballs of the customer, providing customer experiences that meet or exceed their expectations,” says Bolton. “Luke has been integral in transforming marina businesses from basic boat parking and marine offerings, to fully integrated award-winning tourism operations.
“The boating customer has changed and Luke, through Zeal Marinas, is a trusted industry partner who can help evolve and grow your business. I know this firsthand, and have entrusted Luke to help grow my new venture Freedom Boat Club in Brisbane with end-to-end marketing and business development support.”
Zeal can provide a full marina management solution for a site, taking care of the full operation day to day with a focus on driving growth and sustainability of the business. Marina businesses can also utilise Zeal for specific parts of their business with services such as brand and marketing, customer experience management, business development, benchmark programs, human resources, safety and environment and events.
“Zeal Marinas focus on providing a leading customer experience taking a holistic approach considering every aspect of the customer journey, from the first interaction to ongoing support,” McCaul continues. “Working closely with marinas and boatyards, Zeal can curate a signature boating experience that goes beyond the ordinary.”
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