Avani Sepang sees revenue exceeding RM50m this year

By Sharen Kaur

SEPANG: Avani Sepang Goldcoast Resort is confident its revenue will exceed RM50 million this year as it targets Asia Pacific and European travellers.

The five-star resort (formerly known as Golden Palm Tree Resort & Spa) in Bagan Lalang, Sepang, expects its revenue to post double-digit growth year-on-year in 2014, said its general manager Thomas Fehlbier.

The resort, which began operations in 2010, is owned by Sepang Goldcoast Sdn Bhd (SGSB) and operated by Thailand-based Minor International.

SGSB is a joint venture between the Selangor investment arm Permodalan Negeri Selangor Bhd and Sepang Bay Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Indonesia's Istana Group.
They have invested more than RM200 million to set up the resort, which has 389 studio, two-bedroom and three-bedroom villas that spread out into the sea in the shape of a palm tree.

                                    

Minor International took over the management of the resort from Hong Kong-based Swiss-Belhotel International a year ago and has completed a re-branding exercise recently.

Avani is among the more than 100 hotels and resorts in Southeast Asia owned and managed by Minor International.

Fehlbier said under the new management, Avani Sepang Goldcoast is moving up its ante to provide world-class services to travellers.

Some RM7 million has been invested to upgrade the lobby and clubhouse, and another RM8 million will be spent to set up a kids club, a multi-purpose hall and a pool, he said.

"We are changing our marketing approach by reducing occupancy and increasing room rates.

"We are targeting travellers who want to stay for at least a week, especially Europeans and Australians," he said.

The majority of the stay-in guests are locals and the rest are tourists from Australia, Vietnam, Singapore and parts of Europe.

"We are quite confident that more foreigners will stay with us because of the changes that we are making. We are trying to regain the European market," he said.

The villas are priced at between RM500 (studio) and RM2,400 (three-bedroom) a night and the rates will be increased by 15 per cent this year, Fehlbier said.

Last year, the rates were raised by 18 per cent.