Portugal’s Costa Azul (Blue Coast) is growing in international stature – Troiaresort is attracting interest

The Tróia Peninsula, a traditional weekend and holiday destination for Lisbon’s influential inhabitants, is rising into international prominence with the launch of Troiaresort, a new 440 hectare resort development which encompasses the existing Robert Trent Jones 18-hole golf course. Like Martha’s Vineyard, the premier resort destination of presidents and international elite, Troiaresort can only be reached by ferry. Troiaresort’s world famous golf course, which will close for a six-month, £1 million overhaul in October 2007, will be enhanced with the addition of a new clubhouse, 12 miles of wide, white, sandy beach, two five-star hotels, two four-star aparthotels, a 184-berth marina, a casino, a conference centre, a beach club, a country club, a tennis centre and an equestrian centre. A range of contemporary residences, including 211 beach apartments, 79 marina apartments and 98 private villa plots, is now available at Troiaresort. All of the apartments have water views, while the villas have views of the ocean, the lakes or the golf course. Villa owners have golf rights included. The resort will be divided into four areas, each offering a different range of facilities and amenities. The Central Area will be the centre of commercial activity with the marina, casino and conference centre, the two four-star aparthotels and one of the five-star hotels as well as restaurants, bars and shopping facilities. The Beach Area will offer both active pursuits and space for complete relaxation on the sand. The beach club and the country club will be located here, as well as a wide range of water sports, including jet skiing, waterskiing, surfing, water polo, snorkeling and scuba diving. The second five-star hotel, the new clubhouse and the rejuvenated par-72, 18-hole championship golf course will be located in the Golf and Hotel Resort area. Finally, the Eco Resort will provide a tennis centre, an equestrian centre, an archaeological centre and an environment centre. The first phase, which comprises three hotels, a marina, casino, conference centre, commercial facilities, restructuring of the golf course and delivery of the Marina and Beach apartments, will be completed by September 2008. Flights to Lisbon from London and regional airports in the UK run on a daily basis. Flight times are around two hours and forty minutes, and airlines include British Airways, easyJet, TAP, BMI Baby and Monarch. Cars can be hired from Lisbon airport and it takes about half an hour to drive to Setúbal, which is a 20 minute ferry ride from Tróia. Prices at Troiaresort range from €290,400 (approx. £209,375) for a one-bedroom marina apartment to €1.3 million (approx. £937,330) for a six-bedroom villa. For further information, please visit www.irgtroiaresort.com or call +351 214 643 322 -ENDS- For media information and/or images, please contact Nicola Preston, BlueIce Communications, Tel: +44 (0) 20 7937 7537, Email: npreston@blueicecom.com EDITOR’S NOTES Background The Tróia Peninsula, known for superb golf and water sports, is the setting for the 440 hectare Troiaresort, a new development on this northern tip of the Alentejo region of Portugal, just 30 minutes south of Lisbon. Location Located on one of the most southerly latitudes in Europe, the Tróia Peninsula enjoys a mild climate with agreeable temperatures all year round. The Developer Sonae SGPS has a worldwide presence with total assets of €9 billion and 58,000 employees in 14 countries. Sonae manages a portfolio of diversified business by setting strategic guidelines, monitoring their performance, fostering synergies between them and identifying new business opportunities. Sonae's business portfolio includes interest in retail, shopping centre, telecommunications, services and tourism. Sonae Turismo specialises in the tourism sector. Its core business is the development and marketing of recreational property projects. The synergies between the various businesses such as the hotel management, leisure and travel create clear competitive advantages for the group. Sonae announced a turnover of more than €6.6 billion in financial year 2004. Furniture packages All apartments and townhouses at Troiaresort come fully furnished. Inspection trips Two-night, three-day inspection trips are available to Trioaresort, with the hotel accommodation provided on a complimentary basis. Finance Finance is available for the purchase of freehold land, buildings, apartments and houses in Portugal. Banco Santander Totta SA. Barclays International and Deutsche Bank are some of the banks offering mortgages on Portuguese property to UK residents. Investment opportunities While Trioaresort doesn’t offer any rental guarantees, there will be a full rental service available for those buyers who wish to let out their property. The developer, Sonae, also operates a travel agency which will work alongside the rental department in order to maximise rental potential. Healthcare There will be a full medical post available on the resort. The nearest hospital is located two kilometers away in Setúbal, while Lisbon is also easily accessible in case of emergency. Sustainability From earliest stages of the Troiaresort concept, sustainability and concern for the environment were foremost in mind. IMAR, the Maritime Research Institute, carried out the strategic environmental assessment which guided the development of the resort. Numerous environmental impact studies have been carried out, some of which are ongoing. A comprehensive environmental management system has been implemented for the resort, which included best practice demolition of 40% of the existing buildings, including two tower blocks. The buildings to be demolished were emptied of reusable material and equipment and, if suitable, these were donated to charitable institutions. Then, the buildings were stripped of all hazardous and recyclable waste which was appropriately disposed of. Since 98.5% of the total waste was made up of concrete and ceramics, a recycling facility was installed on site at Troia. The recycled material is being used in the construction work of the Troiaresort as a base for roads and for landscaping.