REGENCY HOTEL EYES OVERSEAS EXPANSION

By Nurul Jannah

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 26 (Bernama) -- The operator of Regency Hotel, Regency
International Hotel Incorporated Sdn Bhd is planning to expand its hotel network
into London, New York, Bangkok, Jakarta and Istanbul, said executive chairman
Matshah Safuan.

"We are still looking at it. It depends on the property market. We will
go for it when the time is right," he told Bernama recently.

Established 23 years ago, Regency currently owns nine hotels, of which one
is in Bali, three in Sarawak (east Malaysia state), two each in Kedah (northern
state) and Negeri Sembilan (southern state) and a newly launched hotel in Kuala
Lumpur.

Located strategically in front of the Chow Kit wet market, more than RM100
million (US$1=RM3.5) has been invested for the new hotel, Matshah said.

The 330-room hotel opened it doors for business in April 2008, giving a new
aura to the area.

Since its opening, the hotel has been receiving business visitors as well as
tourists mostly from the East Coast, with most of them getting to shop around
the many shopping centres and malls in the area.

Together with its expansion plans overseas, Matshah said Regency was also
looking to expand its presence locally in strategic areas in Johor Baharu,
Kuantan, Kuala Terengganu, Kota Baharu and Kota Kinabalu.

"It new areas that we want to go," he said. However, he did not disclose any
specific investment amount for the hotel group's expansion plan.

The hotel also expects to launch its new hotel in Jitra, Kedah by end of
this year while another hotel in Bukit Tinggi is still under construction.

-- BERNAMA