SEDC building new 18-storey four-star hotel, says Talib

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Datuk Talib Zulpilip

KUCHING: SEDC is building a new 18-storey four-star hotel costing RM60 million located just next to the present Riverside Majestic Hotel, revealed SEDC chairman Datuk Talib Zulpilip.

He said the 263-bed hotel will be value for money due to reduced cost of construction as SEDC had learnt from its past mistakes in its previous ventures.

Preliminary construction works on the new hotel, which would be called Majestic Tower Hotel, had started and it is expected to be completed in 2014.

According to Talib, the most unique feature of the hotel would be its nine family rooms.

“These family rooms will be suitable for families checking into this new hotel. This will be the first of its type in our chain of hotels,” Talib told the media after SEDC’s re-imaging of its tourism and leisure sectors at Riverside Majestic Hotel here yesterday.

He added that by 2015, SEDC would have at least 1,200 beds from its chain of hotels.

On the re-imaging exercise by SEDC, Talib said it will be an ongoing process where it would not cost much as it would just involve concepts and ideas including the updating of its websites.

“Re-imaging for us will involve concepts and ideas which will not cost much,” he said.

Talib also revealed that SEDC would continue to attract high end visitors from foreign countries such as China, Japan, Korea and Middles Eastern countries.

Earlier in his speech, Talib, who is also the Assistant Minister of Tourism, revealed that SEDC was embarking on new tourism projects which include the Kuching Waterfront Extension, Stage 1 which commenced in August this year and expected to be completed by the second week of June next year.

It will also upgrade the Damai Golf & Country Club, which would be completed by June 2013.

SEDC would also upgrade its Damai Beach Resort which is expected to be completed by third quarter of 2013.

Besides that, it would also undertake the ‘Golden Bridge’ project– a pedestrian bridge linking Kuching Waterfront to the iconic Dewan Undangan Negeri building.

Other projects on the pipeline are: a new hotel in Kota Samarahan; an eco-tourism resort in Telok Melano, Lundu; an eco-tourism resort at Bakun HEP Lake; a new hotel in Sibu and a mixed development at the eastern parts of the Santubong Rainforest Island.