St. Regis Hotels & Resorts, part of Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Inc. (HOT:NYSE), has announced the brand's debut property in Malaysia. Scheduled to open on April 6, 2016, The St. Regis Langkawi Resort will become the first luxury resort to open within the last decade in Malaysia's coveted "Island Jewel of Southeast Asia".
Best Western® Hotels & Resorts has expanded its portfolio in Malaysia with the signing of its first hotel in Kuching. The new-build Best Western Plus Kuching is scheduled to welcome its first guests in 2018, providing an exciting new midscale option for travelers to this emerging city. Upon completion, the Best Western Plus Kuching will offer 200 contemporary rooms and suites, all equipped with flat-screen televisions and international satellite channels, mini- bars, comfortable beds and complimentary Wi-Fi.
From the busy streets of St. Petersburg to the idyllic paradise of Langkawi, The St. Regis Langkawi’s new Executive Chef David Mottl has traversed the globe to call this island his new home. Mottl is responsible for the smooth running of all culinary offerings at the resort’s over-water specialty restaurant Kayuputi, signature restaurant L’Orangerie, Gourmand Deli, The Drawing Room, St. Regis Bar, Decanter Wine Bar, as well as all the resort’s banqueting facilities.
Dorsett Putrajayas Azrule Aziz has been promoted to Executive Assistant Manager. His immense wealth of knowledge and dedication to the hotels pre-opening activities and strategic business planning led his promotion in less than a year.
A forest and sea-themed resort, Ramada Resort Lumut lies next to a forest reserve with views of the Straits of Malacca. The mixed-use property will feature 170 guestrooms, 269 residential and serviced apartments, seven forest villas complete with plunge pools and a forest spa nestled under a spring pool.
In this role, Anne will oversee the pre-opening initiatives of the property, comprised of 208 guestrooms and suites, and 160 residences. The property is scheduled to open in Q2 2016.
CapitaLand's wholly-owned serviced residence business unit, The Ascott Limited (Ascott), has strengthened its leadership position as the largest serviced residence operator in Southeast Asia with the clinching of seven new management contracts, adding over 1,500 apartment units to its portfolio. It has expanded in Bangkok in Thailand, Hanoi in Vietnam, and Petaling Jaya in Malaysia while venturing into Bandung in Indonesia, Penang and Shah Alam in Malaysia, and Nha Trang in Vietnam as demand for serviced residences heats up. It also celebrated the opening of Somerset Medini Nusajaya, Ascott's second serviced residence in Iskandar Malaysia.
As part of its continued expansion in Asia, ReviewPro announces the appointment of Younes Hammoumi as VP of Customer Success, Asia Pacific. With more than 15 years of experience in the hospitality industry, including strategic roles at Revinate, Market Metrix and Trust International, he brings a wealth of experience and market knowledge to both the company and its clients. Hammoumi has an extensive understanding of how to help hotels to make the changes necessary to create a guest-centric culture and improve guest feedback .
Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts is consolidating its expansion campaign in South-East Asia with two new properties announced for Malaysia and Vietnam, both of which will open in 2018.Strengthening its development plans in Malaysia, the Swiss hospitality firm has signed a deal to manage the 30-storey Mövenpick Hotel Kota Bharu, a 453- key five-star resort in Kelantan, a state under rapid transformation on the country's east coast. This takes the group's portfolio in Malaysia to three properties strong, with an upcoming hotel in Kuala Lumpur and a beachfront resort in Terengganu.In the same year, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts will open Mövenpick Resort Cam Ranh Bay, an integrated beachfront resort located in Khanh Hoa Province, Vietnam, spanning some 20 hectares and featuring 250 rooms, 100 residences and 100 villas. This will be the fourth Mövenpick hotel in Vietnam. The brand currently has presence in Hanoi, with new openings scheduled for Phu Quoc and Quy Nhon in the next two years.The two new management deals come as Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts prepares to unveil its fifth property in Thailand, with Mövenpick Siam Hotel Pattaya's opening next month (January).Debuts in the Philippines and Indonesia will follow hot off their heels, as Mövenpick Resort Boracay and Mövenpick Resort & Spa Jimbaran in the south of Bali are both on track for a 2016 opening."We are rapidly cementing a solid presence in South-East Asia, where we have identified strong growth opportunities for the upscale hospitality concepts Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts delivers," said Andrew Langdon, Senior Vice President Asia, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts."With the new properties signed for Vietnam and Malaysia, we see our cluster strategies for these exciting markets start to be realised, while our debuts in new countries mark another milestone in our strategy to be a major player in a region where we plan to open at least 15 new properties by 2020."Highlights of Mövenpick Hotel Kota Bharu in Malaysia, a certified "green building" featuring the latest environment-friendly technology to save energy and reduce wastage, will include the 815-sqm Emperor Suite, which will occupy the top three floors of the hotel, a helipad, an expansive banquet hall for 1,000 guests, a restaurant and café, stylish boutiques and retail outlets, male and female swimming pools, spa and gym, club lounge and business centre.Meanwhile, stand-out features of Mövenpick Resort Cam Ranh Bay, a mixed-use resort situated along the pristine white beaches of Vietnam's Cam Ranh Bay, will include an amphitheatre, a cooking school for guests, themed retail village, water park, spa, adventure zone for family activities and team-building retreats, and an exclusive kids' zone featuring miniature famous buildings and landmarks from around the world.
The American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI) has signed a Global Academic Partner (GAP) agreement with the School of Hospitality, Tourism and Culinary Arts (SHTCA) at KDU University College Penang in Malaysia. SHTCA began offering a diploma in Hotel & Catering Management in 1991, and since 1997, has offered students the opportunity to obtain prestigious Swiss diploma and degree qualifications without having to go abroad, with the IMI Diploma in International Hotel & Tourism Management and 3+0 IMI BA in International Hotel & Tourism Management.In June 2012, SHTCA introduced the Work-based Learning (WBL) Diploma in Hotel Management programme with a comprehensive industrial training practicum, where the students apply what they learn in the classroom for 10 months in a paid internship programme. A partnership with a local five-star industry hotel (Equatorial Hotel) ensures students learn on the job in their industrial training programme. Currently, SHTCA enrols 446 students and boasts a 98 percent employment rate among its alumni. With the GAP agreement with AHLEI, SHTCA will be able to offer its students the opportunity to earn individual course certificates and the 12-course hospitality management diploma awarded by AHLEI. "AHLEI is an established institution offering a complete range of hospitality related training, education and learning materials. Students will have the opportunity to obtain a global industry-recognized certificate from AHLEI that provides additional credentials, which are imperative for better career prospects," said Cindy Loh, CHT, CMC, academic department head, SHTCA. "Our partnership with AHLEI reflects our commitment to meet and offer global standards of education in hospitality and hotel management studies."Over the years, SHTCA has garnered several accolades such as the World Association of Chefs Societies (WACS) Recognition of Quality Culinary Education as well as accreditation from the International Centre of Excellence in Tourism and Hospitality Education (THE-ICE) as an Associate Member. The school is also an Associate Member of the Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH), cluster leader (Northern region) for MyCenthe (Malaysia Centre for Tourism and Hospitality Education) and a member of the International Federation of Ice Cream, Pastry and Chocolate (FIP) and Penang Chef's Association (PCA).
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG®) today announces the signing of management agreements with leading Malaysian company, the Winbond Group, to develop two new Holiday Inn Express® hotels in the capital city of Malaysia: Holiday Inn Express Kuala Lumpur City Centre and Holiday Inn Express & Suites Kuala Lumpur Ampang.
Swiss national Riccardo Giacometti has been appointed as the hotel manager of St Regis Langkawai, where he will oversee the hotel’s daily operations.Giacometti joined the Starwood Hotels & Resorts family as an F&B management trainee in 2000 where he gained various experiences such as cost and revenue management as well as executing F&B sales and marketing strategies as a manager at Sheraton Frankfurt Hotel & Tower.
Following its recent partnership with Singapore based Peak Hospitality Solutions, HotelREZ Hotels & Resorts continues to add new hotels to its Asia portfolio; the latest of which is the luxury 5 star The Light Hotel in Penang.
Suzyana (better known as “Suzy”), will play a key role in developing and implementing sales strategies to drive business growth, maintaining good relationships with key corporate clients and overseeing the management of other potential business accounts. She reports to, and works closely with Silka Cheras’s General Manager, Lee Ng in facilitating the implementation of Sales and Marketing strategies.
Golden Sands Resort by Shangri-La announces the appointment of Tane Picken as its new Hotel Manager. A hotelier with over 14 years of experience across Africa, Middle East, China, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand, Mr Picken will assist Ms. Elaine Yue, General Manager of Shangri-la Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa, in managing the daily operations and developing key strategies for the 387 guest room family resort at Golden Sands Resort.
Gilbert Chai has joined Pullman Kuala Lumpur City Centre as its new Executive Assistant Manager – Sales & Marketing effective October 12, 2015.
Minor Hotel Group has announced additional details of its joint venture with Malaysian partner, Themed Attractions Resorts & Hotels Sdn. Bhd. (TAR&H), a subsidiary of Khazanah Nasional Berhad, to develop an Anantara resort in Desaru Coast in south-east Malaysia. MHG's shareholding of the 242 million MYR (USD 58 million) project is 60%, with TAR&H holding 40%.
Siti Arini, Executive Sous Chef brings with her credentials of 11 years of culinary experience from well acclaimed restaurants and international hotel chains in Malaysia. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Development from University Putra Malaysia and a Certificate in Catering. Siti Arini started her culinary journey in 2004 and has since worked her way up from a Commis Chef to her present position as the assistant to the Executive Chef.
Victor You is an experienced chef with 23 years of culinary experience specializing in fusion cuisine. Victor has served in well-known international hotels in Malaysia, Singapore, Dubai and China including an international luxury cruise liner. In addition to his experience and knowledge, Victor also possesses certification in Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP), a food management safety system which is an important requirement in the present world to ensure safe and healthy food preparation practices.
The article outlines the performance and outlook of the tourism and hotel industry in Malaysia. Given the strength of the market fundamentals and investment in tourism infrastructure, there's still potential for future growth.