Taiwan's Sinyi Group, UK-Based Intercontinental Hotels Building US$215.14 Million Resort In Malaysia's Sabah
PAPAR (Sabah, Malaysia), Nov 21 (Bernama) -- Taiwan's Sinyi Group and UK-based hospitality company InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) are constructing a US$215.14 million (RM1 billion) 5-star luxury resort in Melingsung, Papar, further catalysing east Malaysian state, Sabah's hospitality and service industry. (US$1 = RM4.64)
Chief Minister Hajiji Noor said the strategic investment is set to provide a multiplier effect on the state's economy, growing the tourism sector and providing employment opportunities.
"Your (Sinyi and IHG's) decision to invest in this property demonstrated a larger strategy of not merely building a facility to fill rooms with visitors but also making a strategic investment in Sabah.
Hajiji said the 450-room resort would create more than 500 employment opportunities and contribute to the growth of the tourism sector.
"We also want to see that such investment is measured by the effect it will have on local enterprises, in addition to seeing that their impact will ripple through the local communities to benefit them," he said.
Hajiji said the Sinyi Group and the IHG chose the right location to build the resort as the area is expected to boom with the construction of the Pengalat-Papar bypass project and the upgrading of the Lok Kawi Road.
Regarding water supply, the chief minister said he had launched the RM379 million Kogopon Water Treatment Plant upgrading project three months ago to boost production capacity to 80 million litres daily for the Papar district.
He said the project will address water shortages in southern West Coast Sabah, aiming to benefit some 160,000 consumers in Putatan, Kinarut, Lok Kawi, and the vicinity.
Meanwhile, Hajiji said Sabah had targeted 2.2 million visitor arrivals for 2023 and 86 per cent of the target has been achieved.
"Drawing from the performance over the past nine months, Sabah is on the right track to achieve the target set for the year 2023," he said.
Hajiji said the addition of the InterContinental Resort is another positive development for Sabah, which is already seeing several hotels being built, ranging from five-star to budget hotels, with a total room capacity of 26,822, in anticipation of the influx of more visitors to Sabah.
"I believe this partnership between the Sinyi Group and IHG, a global hospitality company, will bring the service sector to greater heights. The commitment aligns seamlessly with our Hala Tuju Sabah Maju Jaya development plan to ensure that we do the very best for Sabah," he said.
Hajiji said Sabah welcomed investors to look into investment and business opportunities not only in the tourism sector but in other sectors such as downstream food processing, capitalising on the emerging Blue Economy concept of sustainable use of marine resources.
"Others include the energy sectors such as solar, wind energy, hydro and storage technologies, among others, as well as oil and gas and production of green technology-based products and biomass downstream products," he added.
-- BERNAMA
