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REPORT – ATF 2012 – MANADO, INDONESIA: IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) announced that the new 270-room Crowne Plaza Semarang will open its doors on 22 January 2012. Owned by the Golden Flower Group, the hotel will be managed by IHG.
The first Crowne Plaza hotel in Central Java is strategically located at Semarang’s central business district, near government and regional corporate offices, major banks and popular shopping malls. The hotel is also just a 15-minute drive from Ahmad Yani Airport.
“Being the first Crowne Plaza-branded hotel in Central Java – and the second in Indonesia following Jakarta – Crowne Plaza Semarang will add to the thriving tourism and economic activities in this part of the region,” said Ian Reid, General Manager of Crowne Plaza Semarang. “As one of the country’s busiest hubs, Semarang is an ideal gateway connecting both business and leisure guests who travel domestically and internationally.”
All of its 270 rooms and suites – including four Junior, 20 Executive, and one Presidential suites – are well-equipped with state-of-the-art amenities for guests to stay connected, such as docking stations, wired and wireless internet access. Guests of the Club rooms and suites have access to the Club Lounge and a personalised check-in /check-out area. For extended-stay travellers, the hotel has four suite units that each comes with 2-3 bedrooms, a kitchen, a living room, a dining room, laundry facilities and entertainment systems.
Designed with optimal guest satisfaction and convenience in mind, Crowne Plaza Semarang includes restaurants offering popular local and international cuisines, a business centre, a fully-facilitated health club, an outdoor pool, and a sauna.. It also features the largest pillar-less hotel ballroom in Central Java that can accommodate more than 2,000 people, complete with a wedding chapel and gallery.
IHG’s expansion in Indonesia and Southeast Asia
“The opening of Crowne Plaza Semarang underscores IHG’s strong expansion in Southeast Asia,” said Alan Watts, Vice President of Operations, Southeast Asia at IHG. “Indonesia has reflected strong GDP growth in the past few years. This encourages long term economic and tourism growth in terms of investments, infrastructural developments and employment opportunities, while continuing to be a favourite travel destination for both business and leisure travellers.”
In 2011 alone, Indonesia recorded 7.63 million tourist arrivals, representing a 9 percent growth from the previous year. The country targets 8.72 million tourist arrivals by end-2015.
The opening of Crowne Plaza Semarang marks IHG’s seventh property in Indonesia; two of which are under the Crowne Plaza brand. IHG currently has a pipeline of 32 hotels and resorts under the group’s brands across the region. The first quarter of 2012 will see IHG opening three other new properties in Southeast Asia – Holiday Inn Express Bangkok Siam, InterContinental Samui Baan Taling Ngam Resort, InterContinental Danang Resort, and Holiday Inn Bangkok Sukhumvit 22.
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.
