China’s Wanda roped in for Langkawi project

LANGKAWI (Aug 9): Property developer Cenang Resort Sdn Bhd yesterday announced a strategic partnership with China’s largest five-star hotel management company, Wanda Hotels & Resorts Co Ltd, which will see the latter manage the Wanda Realm Resort Langkawi within the Tropicana Cenang mixed development here.

Cenang Resort will develop the Wanda Realm Resort Langkawi, while Wanda Hotels & Resorts will take over its day-to-day operations.

The Wanda Realm Resort Langkawi is the first Wanda Realm premium hotel in Malaysia. Construction of the hotel, which has a gross development value (GDV) of about RM297 million, will begin sometime this year.

Wanda Hotels & Resorts manages four brands under its portfolio, namely the ultra-luxury brand Wanda Reign, luxury brand Wanda Vista, premium brand Wanda Realm and select-service hotel brand Wanda Jin.

Through the strategic alliance, Cenang Resort and Wanda Hotels & Resorts will spearhead new directions in resort management, leveraging the latter’s extensive experience in offering premium, international standard hotel management that will further boost the attractiveness of Tropicana Cenang.

Tropicana Cenang is located on a 5.28-acre (2.14ha) tract fronting the Andaman Sea and comprises the 350-room Wanda Realm Resort Langkawi, two 40-storey residential towers and commercial components. It carries with it a GDV of RM1.55 billion.

“We believe this development meets the needs for high-end, seafront resort-living lifestyle, one that is tailored to further boost the tourism and services industry here,” Cenang Resort’s chairman Datuk Abdullah Hasnan Kamaruddin said during the signing ceremony.

“We are proud to collaborate with Wanda Hotels & Resorts, a company with a strong history of managing world-class hotels and resorts. Together, we hope this project will not only meet the demands and requirements of luxury tourism on the island but raise the standards of the facilities and services offered [as well],” he said.

Concurrently, Cenang Resort also inked a separate strategic partnership deal with Sino Great Wall Co Ltd, which will be the contractor of the seafront mixed development project.

Tropicana Cenang is expected to be completed by 2023.

On the matter of the two residential towers, Tower A is scheduled to be completed by end-2021, whereas Tower B is expected to be fully built by end-2022.

This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on Aug 9, 2017.

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