MINOR Hotel Group (MHG) and Destination Resorts & Hotels (DRH) have inked an agreement to co-develop a luxury resort and residences under the Anantara brand in Malaysia.

Under the agreement, both parties will identify a suitable location for the Anantara resort.

Dillip Rajakarier, group COO, Minor International and CEO, MHG, said in a release: “Following our first hotel management project in Malaysia in 2013, now operating as Avani Sepang Goldcoast Resort, we are proud to announce our first investment plan in the country under our core luxury Anantara brand.”

Additional information on the development will be announced later this year.

DRH was established in 2010 by the Malaysian Government’s investment arm, Khazanah Nasional.

FORMERLY Crowne Plaza Lijiang Ancient Town, the newly rebranded and renovated InterContinental Lijiang Ancient Town Resort started welcoming guests last week.

The property is situated beside the UNESCO Heritage site of Lijiang Ancient Town. Its 274 rooms are spread across a 51,000m² sub-tropical garden.

The Executive rooms have been modernised with new technology and furniture while the lobby area now includes a Club Lounge for Executive room guests. Other facilities include a ballroom for up to 500 guests and the InterContinental Spa.

F&B options include the Basil Leaf Restaurant, which serves international cuisine; the Seven Colors Chinese Restaurant, which has Sichuan, Yunnan and Guangdong specialties; and the Green Tea Lounge.

MYANMAR’S archaeological zone of Mrauk U in Rakhine State is preparing to be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, according to a spokesperson from the Ministry of Culture.

Mrauk U contains some 200 Buddhist monuments such as temples, stupas and monasteries mostly built in the 15^th and 16^th centuries AD. It is also known for its old temples with wall paintings of Indian influence.

Said Kyaw Lwin Oo, director general of the Department of Archaeology, National Museum and Library under the ministry: “We are working on GIS database and digital mapping in Mrauk U. Nandaw Yar Gone will be converted into an archaeological park.

“We will also maintain the first, second and third brick walls of Nandaw Yar Gone, as well as the north wall of Shi Thaung Stupa. Maintenance works funded by Rakhine state have started.”

He added: “These are important steps to be taken ahead before we try to be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The ministry is also collecting important information on all of Myanmar heritage sites, preserving and producing the map of archaeological sites, and inviting UNESCO experts to jointly discuss further steps.”

Yangon-based travel consultants support the move. Myo Thwin, managing director, Sweet Memory Travel, said: “If Mrauk U indeed joins the list, tourist arrivals will increase. However, we will need to develop our infrastructure further and provide more accommodation in the city to cater to the influx.”

Wunna San Maung, managing director, Hamsa Travel and Tour, also believes the move will be a positive impact on tourist numbers. Although so far tourists mostly go to Bagan, he pointed out: “Mrauk U is different – its temples and pagodas boast unique architecture with Hindu cultural influence. There are so many things to see, including some Chin villages nearby.”

Myanmar first joined the UNESCO World Heritage List last June with the inscription of itsPyu Ancient Cities.

LUXURY hotel group ITC Hotels continues to assure security for female guests with the ITC Grand Bharat, which opened late last year with 100 suites, becoming the latest property to offer its Eva programme.

The group’s COO, Dipak Haksar, said: “Eva rooms have come a long way, from being just a room category to become a category with a dedicated wing and floor within ITC’s hotels across India.

“What started as a concept is today a value proposition at ITC hotels, entailing female butlers and security guards, an all-ladies-only access floor, cocktail hours within the privacy of the floor and video phones.”

On average about 10 per cent of the rooms in each of the 11 ITC hotels in India is dedicated to the Eva programme.

“In the event that the rest of the hotel is experiencing high occupancy rate, the Eva rooms are still kept available for potential female guests” said Haksar, adding that with 57 per cent of women likely to travel alone today, he has seen an increased in demand for these rooms, especially in recent years.

SRI Lanka’s hospitality brand Jetwing and Japan’s Bansei Securities have jointly opened the doors of Bansei by Hotel J in Hikkaduwa.

Located in in the southern coast of Sri Lanka, the budget hotel is within walking distance from Hikkaduwa Central Bus Station and the southern railway line.

It offers 30 rooms – 14 standard, 14 deluxe and 2 super-deluxe – each with free Wi-Fi and versatile showers; a swimming pool and a lobby bar.

Tilak de Zoysa, chairman of Bansei Royal Resorts Hikkaduwa, said: “Bansei by Hotel J has been modelled on the Jetwing concept, a uniquely designed no-frills hotel which we are excited to launch in Sri Lanka with our Japanese partners.”

Jetwing Hotels had in 2013 launched in Sri Lanka Hotel J, Negombo.

WITH an aim to help Myanmar’s tourism service providers create new and innovative products in order to compete with other destinations, the UK-funded Business Innovation Facility (BIF), with the support of Union of Myanmar Travel Association, recently held a seminar in Yangon offering related training and funding.

Two key activities required to enhance the competitiveness of the sector in Myanmar were announced at the seminar.

The first was a training programme in innovative product development that BIF will offer in May, covering innovative product design, marketing, finance and pricing, conflict sensitivity results management.

The second announcement pertained to a funding opportunity – up to US$450,000 over 2015 and 2016 – through the Package and Product Innovation Competition scheduled for June and July.

Companies can apply for up to US$20,000 to be spent within the tourist seasons, with the maximum award up to half the project cost for a new product that meets BIF’s criteria.

Winners will be expected to continue to offer and expand the product on a commercial basis following the piloting, and to provide sufficient information for BIF to be able to stimulate the market for others to develop innovative products.

MALAYSIA is stepping up promotional activities in other South Asian markets beyond India to increase tourist arrivals from the region.

As per the latest statistics of Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board, arrivals from Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan are growing, albeit from a small base.

Between January and October 2014, arrivals from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Nepal recorded a year-on-year increase of 54.1 per, 18.7 per cent and 12.7 per cent respectively, although Sri Lanka slipped a marginal 2.2 per cent. Indian tourist arrivals grew 20.7 per cent year-on-year to reach 643,335.

The NTO is targeting 1.2 million tourists from South Asia, including 800,000 tourist arrivals from India, this year.

On the sidelines of a press conference to promote Malaysia Year of Festivals (MYFest 2015) yesterday, Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board deputy director general (promotion), Azizan Noordin, revealed: “We will step up our trade and consumer promotional activities in these markets this year through tactical advertising with travel consultants and airlines as well as fam trips for the consultants and media.”

The board’s director, Manoharan Periasamy, added: “We are recording a good incentive movement from Pakistan. Our plan is to participate in all the tradeshows in markets like Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. We will intensify our joint marketing campaigns with travel consultants to showcase Malaysia as a family and business destination.”

Meanwhile, the board is also looking to organise a luxury travel mart in India in 2H2015 to promote the concept of affordable luxury in Malaysia among Indian travellers. About 25 suppliers from Malaysia are expected to participate in the travel mart.

The board has embarked on a sales mission since yesterday covering New Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai and Hyderabad until February 17, to create awareness for MyFest2015. Twelve to 14 activities under MyFest2015, pertaining to shopping, sports and culture are being promoted.