318-room Holiday Inn Johor Bahru City Centre will be amongst the few internationally branded hotels in the downtown area.
Singapore – InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), one of the world’s leading hotel companies, has signed a management agreement with SKS Hotel Residences and Resorts Sdn. Bhd., a member of SKS Group, to debut the Holiday Inn brand in the capital of Johor, Malaysia, with the new 318-room Holiday Inn Johor Bahru City Centre.
With its flagship location in the city’s downtown core just 30 kilometres away from the Senai International Airport, the hotel will offer convenient access to international travellers, while visitors from neighbouring Singapore will appreciate the excellent pedestrian connectivity to the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex (CIQ), as well as its strategic proximity to the upcoming Singapore-Johor Bahru Rapid Transit System (RTS) linking Johor Bahru to Woodlands in Singapore.
Holiday Inn Johor Bahru City Centre will be part of the Komtar JBCC mixed-use development comprising retail and commercial office spaces. Situated a stone’s throw away from two of Johor Bahru’s most popular malls – Komtar JBCC and Johor Bahru City Square – leisure guests can look forward to a variety of shopping, dining and entertainment options at their doorstep or a quick stroll away, including the Angry Birds Activity Park located at the mall situated underneath the hotel. The hotel will also be connected to the Persada Johor International Convention Centre via the Persada Link Bridge covered skywalk, enabling corporate and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing, Exhibitions) delegates to commute easily to the convention centre and downtown offices.
Rajit Sukumaran, Chief Development Officer AMEA, IHG said: “Johor Bahru holds enormous economic potential that is further fuelled by its strong connectivity to Singapore – with heightened visitor influx expected with the completion of the Singapore-Johor Bahru Rapid Transit System in 2024.”
“The state government is also investing in developing the downtown area into a tourism and business hub. These factors bode well for us, representing an excellent opportunity to bring the most recognised hotel brand in the world, Holiday Inn, to Johor Bahru,” he added.
As one of the first hotels in Johor Bahru to offer internationally branded mid-scale accommodation, Holiday Inn Johor Bahru City Centre will be equipped with six meeting rooms, a business centre, as well as an outdoor pool and gym for guests to enjoy their downtime. It will also feature an all-day dining restaurant and a lounge offering the Holiday Inn brand’s signature Kids Stay and Eat FreeÒprogramme, where kids under the age of 12 can stay and dine for free – making it an ideal accommodation choice for family, leisure and business travellers alike.
The owner, SKS Group, is one of Johor’s largest developers with a strong hotel portfolio that includes four upcoming hotels in Western Australia, as well as several existing and pipeline hotels in Johor Bahru and Desaru.
Cindi Sim, Group Managing Director, SKS Group said: “With our growing portfolio in the hospitality industry, it is a natural progression for us to look for a hotel partner with a strong track record of operating international hotels. We are delighted to work with IHG to bring the Holiday Inn brand to Johor Bahru. The brand’s mid-scale positioning will be an excellent fit for corporate and leisure travellers, and coupled with its strategic location, we believe Holiday Inn Johor Bahru City Centre will be well-received when it opens its doors to guests in 2020.”
The Holiday Inn brand enjoys a strong presence in the region with 23 hotels and resorts in South East Asia. In Malaysia, IHG has five hotels open across three brands: InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn Hotels & Resorts, and Holiday Inn Express. The group plans to grow its presence by more than double in the next three to five years, with a further eight hotels in the country’s development pipeline.
Photo caption (from left): Mr. Alan Sim, Chairman of SKS Group, Ms. Cindi Sim, Group Managing Director of SKS Group, Mr. Rajit Sukumaran, Chief Development Officer, Asia, Middle East and Africa, IHG, Mr. Clive Murray, Area General Manager Malaysia, IHG
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales. She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
