NEWS

Park Hotel Group will open its first hotel in Malaysia with a Malacca property scheduled to open in the first half of 2019.

The group signed a management contract for Park Hotel Melaka with a subsidiary of Malaysian developer Jaya Mapan last Friday, marking a step forward in the group’s Asia-Pacific expansion following the opening of Park Hotel Nusa Dua in Indonesia late last year.

Featuring 245 keys over 16 storeys, the new property will sit alongside retail outlets, offices, and serviced apartments that form mixed-use development The Green, located in the entertainment and business district of Kota Laksamana.

Facilities at the new-build hotel include a bistro, rooftop bar, infinity pool, sauna, gymnasium and meeting spaces for 30-100 pax.

Attractions such as the historical A’Famosa fortress, St Paul’s Church and Baba and Nyonya Museum are 10 minutes away, while the commercial area in Melaka Raya is within five minutes from the hotel.

Commenting on the significance of Malacca in the group’s expansion strategy, Allen Law, Park Hotel Group’s CEO, said: “Malaysia’s international tourist arrivals increased from 16 to 26 million over the last 10 years... and Malacca, as its historical city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site will receive increased attention and visits as it continues to develop.”

Mohd Rafin, Park Hotel Group's chief corporate officer, added that Malacca is a major destination that the government is “putting a lot of efforts in”, pointing to upcoming developments such as the 609-acre Melaka Gateway precinct.

As well, Park Hotel Melaka will open in time to benefit from the expected increase in tourist footfall after the launch of Impression Melaka in 2018, a famed musical production to be performed outside China for the first time, added Rafin.

The group, which operates 11 hotels in Singapore, Indonesia, Hong Kong, China and Japan, hopes to grow its portfolio by “two to three hotels per year”, with Park Hotel Farrer Park in Singapore set to open this year and a new property in Australia's Adelaide slated for 2018.

South Korea is likely to be the next market in line, shared the group with reporters last week.