AHMS Collection, a hotel development firm, will expand its operations beyond Thailand in early 2015 with the opening of its luxury private island resort in Cambodia targeting the high-end medical, beauty and wellness-focused tourism sectors.
Akaryn Koh Krabeay Retreat & Spa is located a 15-minute boat ride away from the resort-town of Sihanoukville.
Anchalika Kijkanakorn, founder and owner of Akaryn Hospitality Management Services (AHMS), said: “Unlike many other resorts we won’t be just selling the accommodation; it’s about the whole holistic experience, the seclusion, the villas, the technology (of the spa treatments), everything.
“We’re targeting guests who want to stay for seven to 14 days. Part of that is due to the location, which is quite out of the way, but mostly it will be down to the experience they can have there.”
The resort, which is being built at a cost of 700-900 million baht (US$20.9-26.8 million), will feature 40 pool villas ranging from 120-150m2, a medical spa and a meditation cave, among other facilities. Room rates will start from US$1,000 per night.
AHMS will work with travel consultants specialising in medical, meditation and anti-ageing tourism to tap established and emerging markets. “The world has become so small that I can’t say we’ll be focusing on the European markets as there’s so much opportunity from emerging markets in Asia,” she said.
“The UAE will also be one of our key targets as Arabs are very big on medical tourism these days.”
Anchalika explained that corporate fam trips would be key in educating consultants about the property and helping them convince clients that Cambodia can support such high-end products.
Connectivity will have improved by the first quarter of 2015, when the resort is scheduled to open, as AirAsia and Lion Air will have increased their capacity by then, she said.
