Airbnb partners with leading chefs to launch Airbnb Kitchens of Asia

FOOD INFLUENCES HOLIDAY DESTINATION FOR 76 PERCENT OF APAC TRAVELERS

According to the Airbnb Asia Pacific (APAC) Travel survey, Asia Pacific (APAC) travelers are getting more adventurous with 71% of people surveyed emphasizing the importance of trying local cuisines on vacation, and 6 out of 10 (59%) travelers keen to try new experiences or activities.

That’s why Airbnb has partnered with four high profile and award winning chefs: Chef Manish Mehrotra (India); Chef Tony Yoo (South Korea); Chef Ian Kittichai (Thailand); and Chef Koh Kentetsu (Japan) for the Airbnb Kitchens of Asia initiative, which encourages travelers to try authentic Asian dishes and delicacies that capture the flavors of India, Japan, South Korea and Thailand.

APAC women travelers are more adventurous when it comes to trying new cuisines

The Airbnb APAC Travel survey (the Survey), which was conducted in seven countries - Australia, China, India, Japan, Singapore, South Korea and Thailand -  found women travelers from China (73%), India (74%), Japan (80%), Singapore (84%), South Korea (59%) and Thailand (69%), are more inclined to feel it is important to sample local cuisine than their male countrymen. The only exception is Australia where men are more keen to try local dishes (76%) compared to 71% of women.

Comparatively, in general, Singaporean travelers are most likely to want to try local food (81%) whereas only 58% of travelers from South Korea do.

Thai travelers over 55 prove more open to trying new flavors than millennials

In Australia (77%), China (65%), India (72%), Japan (83%), Singapore (79%) and South Korea (59%), the 18-24-year-old age group is most open to new ideas and the importance of trying local foods. Yet surprisingly, in Thailand, it is the over 55s who are more open to trying new flavors and cuisines on their vacations (82%).

Moreover, while 76% of APAC travelers say local food influences their choice of holiday destination it increases to 87% for Indian travelers and dips to 62% for Thai travelers. 

Travelers don’t have to miss out on trying local cuisine - 80% of Airbnb listings have kitchens

Findings for the Survey showed almost half of APAC travelers (46%) are reluctant to cook in their accommodation due to the lack of kitchen facilities, while 41% do not want to spend time cooking or shopping on holiday and 43% have a preference to eat out and try local dishes.

However, more than 80% of Airbnb listings in APAC have kitchen facilities, allowing travelers the flexibility of preparing their own meals whether they are staying in a treehouse, beach villa, loft apartment or cozy city flat.

In addition, even the most reluctant adventurer and time-poor traveler can explore local flavors quickly and easily. The Airbnb Kitchens of Asia collaboration brings together these four renowned Chefs and Airbnb ‘foodie’ hosts to share their twist on a selection of authentic Korean, Indian, Japanese and Thai recipes created using 10 ingredients or less, or that can be made in under 30 minutes.

One fifth of solo travelers cook on vacation, compared to 46% of family travelers

When vacationing with family, travelers do not always have the opportunity to explore the local food scene. In fact, the Survey revealed that 46% of travelers are more likely to cook in their accommodation when they travel with family as compared to only 21% of solo travelers, so this Chef collaboration ensures families do not miss out on the whole local food experience, and what’s more can continue to explore the flavors of their vacation once they return home.

There are regional variations to the findings, with family groups traveling from Japan least likely to cook with just 23% keen to do so. On the other hand, 46%, 47%, 64% and 66% of Indian, Chinese, Thai and South Korean travelers respectively would be more likely to cook in their accommodation when they are traveling with their families.

Six of out 10 travelers like to try new experiences and activities

As well as wanting to try local cuisine, the survey found that 59% of all APAC travelers interviewed want to try new activities or experiences on holiday. This rises to 70% of Singaporean, 68% of Indian and 65% of Australian travelers who are keen to try something different and new. Japanese travelers are the least likely to embrace new activities and adventures at 31%.

As well as providing a variety of listings from home hosts to entire homes, Airbnb offers a variety of F&B Experiences for individuals who love all things food. Whether you want to forage for lunch in Delhi, take a market tour and learn authentic Sobaan cooking in Korea, or master making Miso in Japan, Airbnb has you covered.

“Our Survey has shown that people across the region, irrespective of age or gender, have a desire to really experience the places that they travel to, not just visit. Food is such an influence on destination decision-making, and is also one of the easiest ways that you can immerse yourself into a local culture or community, whether travelling with your family and friends, or alone. For that reason, the Airbnb Kitchens of Asia initiative brings together four of the best Chefs from the region - Chef Ian Kittichai; Chef Manish Mehrotra; Chef Koh Kentetsu; and Chef Tony Yoo - and our community ‘foodie’ hosts who share their culinary ideas. The result is a series of great tasting recipes packed full of the essence of Indian, Korean, Thai and Japanese cuisine for travelers to re-create either on vacation at an Airbnb listing or once they are back home,” said Siew Kum-Hong, Regional Director, Asia Pacific, Airbnb. 

Kitchens of Asia – APAC Listings

Mumbai

Alchemy 1 - Luxurious home with balcony in Andheri

Tastefully furnished and conveniently located, this apartment comes with a functional kitchen and comfortable seating space for everyone.

Goa

JUST.READ.THE.REVIEWS. Entire home.

This home comes with a fully equipped kitchen and a cosy dining space, perfect for the group getaway.

Jeju

The hado spa villa(the east,jeju)

Apart from having a sky garden with a Hinoki bathtub, the spacious kitchen and dining area offer lots of utility for families.

Jeju Motherstay

This stonewall house was built based on the host’s parents’ house and offers you a home away from home with its open dining and kitchen concept.

Tokyo

BRAND NEW 3-Bedroom 80m2 Apartment near Shibuya!

The perfect roomy home that will suit all your cooking and dining needs!

New! OMOTESANDO Stylish Studio /w Balcony -SHIBUYA

If you are seeking for a cozier space, this bar-style kitchen has everything you need to whip up a quick meal.

Bangkok

Designer Loft Bangkok Silom

With its concrete tops and deep sinks, this industrial loft in Bangkok has the kitchen that would please any minimalist.

RIVER PENTHOUSE,30FL,5 PERS, FREE AIRPORT SHUTTLE

The open kitchen and bar counter provides a perfect place for families to gather around during mealtimes.

Bali

Stunning All Bamboo House by River

Set on the Ayung river valley and made entirely out of bamboo, this bamboo villa has a fully equipped kitchen that is both beautiful to look at and super functional for travelers who want to cook.

SANGLUNG VILLA, PRIVATE POOL.

Overlooking the Bali Sea, this dining experience is the perfect place to relax and recharge with your family and friends.

Sydney

THE MOO PROJECT

Overlooking Woolloomooloo and featuring an amazing kitchen, this home will be perfect for anyone who enjoys cooking with a great view.

Sydney centre loft, New York style

Complete with stainless steel tops and appliances, this gas kitchen will be every cook’s dream. The rooftop will provide guests with a view and an alternative outdoor dining space.

Treehouse Blue Mountains

Ever imagined cooking in the treetops? Now you can at this treehouse in the Blue Mountains with its well-equipped kitchenette.

-End-

Approval rates picking up

Published in NST Property, September 21, 2017

COOLING measures may have led to an increase in loan rejections, but the good news is that housing loan approval rates are slowly increasing.

There are more property transactions in the market, especially those below RM500,000.

The approval rate is the ratio of the number of housing loan applications approved by all local banks to the number of housing loan applications received during the same period.

According to Bank Negara Malaysia, the overall housing loan approval rate remained high at 74.2 per cent with an average of 74.1 per cent between 2012 and last year.

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A total of RM22.3 billion house financing was approved in the first quarter of this year to 90,137 borrowers. Of these, more than half was for buyers of affordable housing units priced below RM500,000.

But, there are still many dissatisfied, citing the high interest rate, given the present economic challenges.

“While more loans are being approved, especially due to more joint applications, consumers are declining on account of the margin obtained and monthly installment amounts.

“Banks are now approving more applications, but at times the package offered by the banks is not attractive to them,” said PropertyGuru Malaysia country manager Sheldon Fernandez.

According to PropertyGuru’s Consumer Sentiment Survey, 46 per cent of those who were surveyed said interest rates were too high for them to consider buying. Surprisingly 31 per cent accepted the current interest rates charged on home loans, while the rest were undecided or chose not to comment on the matter.

The survey measured property sentiments and expectations in the property market with 949 local respondents.

Meanwhile, house buyers have been struggling to obtain loans because of measures introduced by banks since 2010 to curb excessive speculative activities in the housing market and prevent over-borrowing. One of it was the maximum loan-to-value ratio of 70 per cent imposed on borrowers with three or more outstanding housing loans.

Fernandez said home loans remained a vital component for the property eco-system.

According to PropertyGuru data, an astonishing 91 per cent said they would require a bank loan to purchase a property, of which 45 per cent would opt for a 90 per cent financing, while 25 per cent would go for a 70-80 per cent financing. Another 18 per cent preferred full financing.

Obstacles still remain for purchasers, especially first-time home buyers who are left with insufficient funds after paying their monthly installments or meeting upfront costs, such as stamp duties, legal fees, moving costs and so on.

Fourty-three per cent of the respondents had used their Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) savings to purchase property, either as part of the initial downpayment or to offset their principal home-loan amount. This is a five per cent rise in the sentiment this year compared with 38 per cent in the second half of last year.

Fernandez said the use of EPF funds, which were essentially retirement savings, provided much insight into the mindset of consumers.

“Generally speaking, dipping into one’s savings for retirement to buy a property is a sign of unaffordability in the market. It could also mean consumers are prioritising home ownership over their retirement.

“Others may feel returns from EPF are not that attractive, hence the money is better invested into a home that would generate capital appreciation and also provide a roof over their heads,” added Fernandez.

Economic growth a boost for market

Published in NST Property, September 21, 2017 

BETTER-THAN-EXPECTED economic results have lifted the Asia Pacific prime office market, according to independent global property consultancy Knight Frank.

The firm recently launched the “Asia Pacific Prime Office Rental Index Q2 2017”, which saw a growth of 1.2 per cent quarter-on-quarter and 0.6 per cent year-on-year as at the end of the second quarter of this year.

The increase in the index was the result of rising rents in 15 markets in the region over the quarter.

Phnom Penh topped the chart this quarter with a 4.2 per cent increase quarter-on-quarter, compared to a flat performance in the last quarter.

The completion of Exchange Square not only set a new benchmark standard for Grade A office but its strong pre-commitment level also boosted prime rental levels in the Cambodian capital.

A total of 20 markets were tracked in the region and only two experienced rental declines, namely Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok.

Bangkok, which topped the chart last quarter, saw its first decline this quarter in close to three years, said Knight Frank.

It noted that given the limited supply however, a rising trend may resume for the remainder of this year.

Knight Frank Malaysia corporate services executive director Teh Young Khean said Kuala Lumpur had been experiencing rental decline for a year, coupled with creeping overall vacancy rates.

However, he expects to see sustained demand in selected established and upcoming decentralised office locations served by the light rail transit (LRT) and the Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit (KVMRT) lines.

The KVMRT system is one of the most important and largest transport infrastructure projects Malaysia has embarked on, providing a boost to the residential, office and retail markets.

It involves the construction of a rail-based public transport network which, together with the existing LRT, monorail, KTM Komuter, KLIA Ekspres and KLIA Transit systems, form the backbone of the Greater Kuala Lumpur/Klang Valley region.

The KVMRT project will have three MRT lines; MRT Line 1 (Sungai Buloh-Kajang), MRT Line 2 (Sungai Buloh-Serdang-Putrajaya) and MRT Line 3 or Circle Line.

The MRT Line 1, which begins from Sungai Buloh and runs through the city centre of Kuala Lumpur before ending in Kajang, was fully completed in July.

The MRT Line 2 will serve a corridor with a population of around two million, stretching from Sungai Buloh via the central business district of Kuala Lumpur to Bandar Malaysia, Kuchai Lama and Serdang before ending at Putrajaya.

The initial phase of the line between Sungai Buloh and Kampung Batu is due to be operational by July 2021 and the remainder of the line from Kampung Batu to Putrajaya Sentral is scheduled to be opened by July 2022.

Market experts said despite challenges faced by markets globally, the MRT lines were expected to spur foreign direct investment in the Klang Valley.

Over the next 12 months, Knight Frank expects rents in 15 cities out of the 20 tracked to either remain steady or increase, which is the same as its previous forecast.

Nicholas Holt, its head of research for Asia-Pacific, said: “The pickup in global trade and domestic demand has negated geo-political risks to a certain extent, thereby providing a strong foundation for the Asia Pacific prime office markets”.

In the first half of this year, the regional economies of China, Asean-5 countries (Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand) and Japan performed considerably better than expected, as the International Monetary Fund revised its growth projections upwards for emerging and developing Asia.

Boomtown Semenyih

By SHAREN KAUR & Khairul Ashraf Kammed -Published in NST Property, September 21, 2017

SEMENYIH is one of the most rapid growth areas in Greater Kuala Lumpur or the southern corridor of the Klang Valley.

Semenyih, in the Hulu Langat district in Selangor, is popular with day trippers because of its eco-tourism offerings.

It has plenty of areas for recreational activities, such as a weekend hike on Broga Hill or a picnic at the Sungai Tekala waterfalls.

More than 10 years ago, it would probably have taken you about 45 minutes to an hour to reach Semenyih from Kuala Lumpur city centre, especially when you use the old Kajang-Semenyih bypass.

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Things have changed today! The little Semenyih town that used to be a sleepy hollow is no longer how it used to be. There are more roads and highways as well as interchanges connecting it to other major towns and cities, including Kuala Lumpur.

There’s also more traffic because of new developments in the area. New housing and commercial developments have taken Semenyih by storm.

There was a time when the prices of landed houses were just below RM130,000 but today, the prices of sub-sale residential properties have quadrupled from the initial figures.

Big developers like Eco World Development Group Bhd, MKH Bhd, SP Setia Bhd, UEM Sunrise Bhd and Kueen Lai Group of Companies as well as China’s Country Garden have been buying up land in Semenyih.

Based on a recent census by the Kajang Municipal Council, the current population in Semenyih is at 92,491. The council also expects Hulu Langat district to have a population of more than one million, from 738,067 currently, in the next few years as more residential developments take place.

Eco World has changed the landscape in Semenyih to something more inviting.

Strong Chinese interest in Semenyih

Country Garden, through its property arm Country Garden Properties Sdn Bhd, is developing Diamond City — a 104ha Spain-inspired township located across the University of Nottingham Malaysia campus.

This premium township offers spacious homes with built-up areas of between 2,385sf and 8,681sf and has attracted many buyers since its launch in 2014.

The whole development will have 450 houses comprising 120 units of linked houses, 272 bungalows and 23 mansions.

The linked houses, with built-up area of 2,385 sq ft and 2,650 sq ft, are priced from RM900,000 each.

The bungalows range from 3,333 sq ft to 3,657 sq ft, and are priced from RM1.3 million to RM1.4 million.

The mansions, ranging from 5,560 sq ft to 8,681 sq ft, are priced from RM3.9 million to RM5.5 million.

Phase One (40.4ha) of the township (launched June 2014) is slated for completion next year. This phase has two-storey terraced houses, bungalows and mansions.

The Chinese developer, which has built luxury serviced apartments as well as commercial, leisure and entertainment properties across 23ha of freehold land in Danga Bay, Iskandar, Johor, since 2014, launched the first parcel of Phase Two in the middle of last year.

This parcel features 60 units of two-storey terraced houses with built-ups ranging from 1,862 sq ft to 2,097 sq ft. Prices for the units start from RM618,688. The houses come with four bedrooms and three bathrooms and will be fully completed in 2019.

A key attraction of Diamond City is the 57,000sf built-up clubhouse. which is home to the largest infinity pool in Kuala Lumpur, a private cinema, bowling alleys and a spa.

Eco Majestic — Semenyih’s more precious gem?

Eco Majestic is without a doubt the most stunning development in Semenyih. Developed by Eco World Development, Eco Majestic is a wholesome synthesis of form and functionality, environmentalism and luxury, capturing the easy contentment of home and a balanced lifestyle surrounded by rolling hills with gentle creeks meandering through the site to provide a sense of peace and serenity.

It is designed with a colonial straits flair and the master plan includes a 60.70ha dedicated commercial hub that will make it the centre of business and economic activities for the Kajang, Bangi and Semenyih areas.

Also planned for the township is a lifestyle sports centre offering among others, facilities like a swimming pool, football field, indoor futsal court, badminton, basketball and squash courts, a sports hall and function rooms.

The project with a gross development value (GDV) of RM11.2 billion launched its first component in May 2014. This was the Cradleton Precinct comprising terraced houses, followed by bungalow lots, cluster homes and semi-Ds.

In 2015, Eco World opened the Eco Majestic Red Carpet Bridge, a 118m bridge constructed using red interlock pavers to symbolise the red carpet, where residents are welcomed by the one-of-a-kind entrance statement and the simple act of coming home every day becomes a grand homecoming.

The bridge is part of a new link road from the Semenyih toll (exit 2102) to shorten the travelling time for those going to Eco Majestic via the North Gate and to avoid the heavy traffic on Jalan Semenyih.

Eco Forest Entrance.

In March last year, Eco Majestic launched 750 units of Karisma Apartments and because of the success rate, Eco World launched 352 units of Harmoni Apartments five months later.

Another milestone for the township with the official opening of the dedicated and elevated LEKAS-Eco Majestic Interchange (exit 2102A) which acts as a third major entry/exit point for the development.

Some 182 units of bungalow lots were also handed over last year.

This year it is mostly about constructing and handing over the properties that were sold in the last two years as well as launching new projects within the township development to meet demand.

Early this year, 612 units of Phase 1 Cradleton terraced houses with colonial style architecture were also handed over.

During the handing over ceremony, Eco World president and chief executive officer Datuk Chang Khim Wah said the group was excited and delighted to welcome the first residents to Eco Majestic.

Chang said Eco World was also thrilled to showcase the environment and landscape of Eco Majestic as it is a testament of the group’s promise to deliver unmatched products and service quality in all its developments.

Eco Forest Show Houses.

EcoWorld’s latest offerings in Semenyih

Near Eco Majestic is the highly-anticipated Eco Forest development, a freehold 208.4ha mixed-township located next to Broga Hills. Strategically situated with connectivity to various highways and expressways such as LEKAS, SKVE and SILK and situated near tertiary educational institutions such as UTAR, University of Nottingham, UNITEN, UKM and UPM, Eco Forest is set to cement the group’s leadership position in the growing southeastern Semenyih corridor.

With a GDV of RM3.5 billion, the freehold development will have more than 1,800 landed-strata homes, 3,500 apartments and more than 200 commercial units to be developed in the next 10 years.

To get the ball rolling, the developer will launch Phase 1 and it will feature 685 double-storey terraced houses in its Ebonylane precinct consisting of Artisan homes, priced from RM590,000 (20ft by 65 ft, 20ft by 70ft and 22ft by 70ft) and Garden homes (measuring 30ft by 62ft).

According to Eco World divisional general manager Evon Yap. the Garden Homes are a replica of the successful Eco Grandeur Homes (Eco World’s other project in Ijok, Selangor), which has received great demand as it provides an innovative lifestyle when it comes to terraced houses.

The Chirpy Tree will be one of Eco Forest's landmark in its central park.

“Priced from RM700,000, the Garden Homes with a width of 30ft enables the owners to create another space out of the normal living, dining, entertainment and you still have another patio/garden outside to enjoy, so this is something different that we are offering,” said Yap.

Asked if landed strata titles would deter potential buyers from owning a house, especially under the current soft market sentiment, Yap said that it wouldn’t be a problem because from the feedback that she had gathered, customers didn’t mind paying for the maintenance of common properties and security.

“Building and maintenance is important so strata is good. We have completed two strata projects in Eco Majestic and the feedback is that buyers like strata developments as there is standardisation in terms of colour scheme among other things.

“The colour code will become timeless compared with normal housing schemes which after a while will be randomly painted by the respective owners. If the colour is distasteful, will it bring value to you?” she asked.

“For a strata development we still have 1.05ha of the central park and the back lane gardens. Unlike normal developments, they have individual titles with 10ft extra space for the back alley, but for Eco Forest, we utilise 16 to 20 ft of space and turn it into a linear garden,” said Yap.

She added that because cars were parked at the front of the terraced houses, children or even the elders could use the linear gardens to walk about without worrying about passing traffic.

Yap said the Garden Homes was indeed a breakthrough for Eco World.

Garden Homes has attracted potential buyers from Semenyih, Kajang, Cheras, Puchong and Serdang which lack developments with a similar concept.

“The project has also attracted buyers from Seremban. It is not new for people staying there to commute to Kuala Lumpur daily to get to work. If they stay in Garden Homes, they can shorten their travel time to get to their workplace,” she said.

Located nearby Eco Forest is UniVillage which provides accommodation for students of the Nottingham University Malaysia Campus.

Pioneer residents who have benefited from new developments

Aisamuddin Afiq, 33, who is currently residing in Taman Pelangi Semenyih 2, said when he bought his 20 x 70 double-storey terraced house in 2013, it cost just RM365,000. But today, the same property can easily fetch up to RM500,000.

When asked what he likes about living in Semenyih, Afiq said it was the rustic feeling of living in the countryside with complete amenities.

“What I’ve heard is that SP Setia will build Ecohill Taipan, the first shopping mall in Semenyih that will be completed in 2020,” he said, adding that residents were excited about this new development.

With regards to the current traffic which has built up over the years, Afiq feels that the situation is still manageable as some of the developers have opened up road access to highways.

“Road access has improved ever since Ecohill opened up its door to get to LEKAS. So you have an option of using the road to Semenyih town or Ecohill to get to Kuala Lumpur. EcoWorld also has access to LEKAS. So basically there are several options to get to the destination you want,” said Afiq.

Located nearby Eco Forest is UniVillage which provides accommodation for students of the Nottingham University Malaysia Campus.

The road leading to Eco Forest with scenie view of the mountain.

An artist impression of a house in Diamond City by Country Garden.

Everbridge in Eco Majestic.

Turning malls into destination

By SHAREN KAUR - Published in NST Property, September 21, 2017 

Sunway Velocity Hotel is within the Sunway Velocity Development.

BRICK-and-mortar retailers are upping their game to stay relevant in the market now that anyone can buy anything online.

Latest malls in the market are bringing in new concepts and bigger brands to draw customers in. Not just that, developers are building malls as part of a bigger integrated development and turning it into a destination.

The Sunway Velocity Mall, which opened in Cheras last October, saw the launch of a premium boutique concept by Marks & Spencer, which is also the first of its kind in the country. Occupying more than 10,600 sq ft, the boutique has a food hall and in-store bakery offering coffee and tea alongside breads and pastries.

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The mall, which is part of the RM4 billion Sunway Velocity integrated development by Sunway Group, is the biggest mall in Cheras.

The retail centre spanning over one million sq ft in total nett lettable area is 96 per cent-tenanted. Tenants include Parkson, TGV Cinemas, Harvey Norman, Popular, Toys “R” Us, Japan’s Doutor Coffee and Grand Imperial Restaurant.

The mall should continue to enjoy high tenancy rate in the future, given the expertise of Sunway group in managing shopping malls, and its connectivity to public transport.

Sunway Velocity comprises office and residential towers, the newly-opened Sunway Velocity Hotel, Sunway Velocity Medical Centre and the mall.

The project is located 4km away from KL City Centre and with direct link to the Cochrane and Maluri MRT stations.

Sunway Velocity Hotel.

According to the managing director of property division, Malaysia and Singapore, Sarena Cheah, Sunway Velocity has a combined take-up rate of 95 per cent.

“Sunway Velocity is one of the game-changers for the mature neighbourhood of Cheras. We are planning a new development on 3.42ha of land which we have acquired. Known as Sunway Velocity TWO, the RM2 billion development will be linked to Sunway Velocity.

“It will have more than 2,000 residential units boosting traffic at the mall,” she said after the opening of Sunway Velocity Hotel, here, recently.

Cheah said the mall recorded 1.5 million visitations a month currently.

She said visitors had access to more than 500 retail stores, 150 food and beverage outlets, a host of entertainment centres and recreational facilities, making it an ideal destination for travellers at their convenience.

Cheah said the hotel would further improve the high-traffic at the mall and would also benefit from the commercial units, which were about 98 per cent sold and would house about 500 businesses.

Sunway Hotels & Resorts cluster director of operations Kelly Leong, Sunway Group property division managing director for Malaysia and Singapore Sarena Cheah and Sunway Hotels & Resorts cluster director of sales and marketing T.S. Cheah briefing the media after the opening of the Sunway Velocity Hotel.

The four-star 351-room hotel, with a gross development cost of RM146 million, is a 59:41 joint-venture project between Sunway Bhd and Fawanis Sdn Bhd, respectively.

Sunway Hotels & Resorts cluster director of operations Kelly Leong is confident the hotel will be able to operate at about 60 per cent occupancy in the first year of its opening taking into consideration the integration, connectivity, market size and competitive pricing.

“Cheras is a mature market, with a generous business population, especially in the trading and industrial segments. In addition to the ready catchment provided by the tenants of the office towers and healthcare tourists from the soon- to-be open medical centre within Sunway Velocity itself, we also anticipate welcoming visitors from the upcoming financial city of Tun Razak Exchange, Bukit Bintang City Centre development and the KL City Centre,” he said.

Leong expects Malaysians to constitute 60 per cent of the hotel guests, with the rest from Singapore, China and the Asia-Pacific region.

Next year, the hotel is targeting 75 per cent occupancy rate based on full-year operation.

Upon opening of the RM300 million 240-bed Sunway Medical Centre in the first quarter of 2019, the hotel will also be able to welcome healthcare tourists.

(From left) Sunway Hotels & Resorts cluster director of operations Kelly Leong, Sunway Hotels and Resorts chief executive officer (CEO) Albert Cheong, Fawanis Sdn Bhd director Ahmad Zulkarnain, Sunway Group property division managing director for Malaysia and Singapore Sarena Cheah and Sunway REIT CEO Datuk Jeffery Ng at the unveiling of Sunway Velocity Hotel.

Perak to build RM1.5b airport?

By SHAREN KAUR
Published in NST Business - September 8, 2017

KUALA LUMPUR: A new international airport for Perak may be built in Seri Iskandar at a cost of more than RM1.5 billion, said sources with knowledge of the plan.

The state government was looking at privatising the airport project through a long-term concession, they said.

Several companies and consortiums, including China-linked firms, were expected to bid for the airport job, added the sources.

“The airport project will be one of the biggest infrastructure developments in Kinta Valley. The state government will look into hiring a company or consortium with strong financial background and expertise to ensure that the project is completed within schedule and on budget,” said one of the sources.

He said the new airport would have a bigger runway that could accommodate wide-body aircraft.

“The new airport is meant to cater for regional flights from China, India and Indonesia and other Southeast Asian countries, including Singapore.

“The airport development plan will include a centre for maintenance, repair and overhaul, and for training purposes.”

It is understood that the state government is awaiting approval from the National Economic Council to proceed.

Talks to build a bigger airport in Perak to boost tourism and other industries have been going on for years. There is a need to build a new airport as the Sultan Azlan Shah Airport in Ipoh cannot be extended further due to limited land.

The airport can only take smaller aircraft and is surrounded by residential areas. A few years ago, the airport runway was extended to its limit.

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir said in June the state government had carried out discussions on the proposed airport project.

He also said the location had been identified and all that was required was cooperation from the Transport Ministry and Department of Civil Aviation.

He said the site was chosen after considering the economic growth of the area and its landscape.

Kinta Valley: Glory days return to former tin-mining areas

By SHAREN KAUR - September 14, 2017 @ 6:39pm

TIN mining is one of the oldest industries in Malaysia.

Malaysia was the world’s largest tin producer and supplied more than half of the world’s tin until the mid-1980s when prices fell. By late 1980s, more than 300 tin mines ceased operations.

Former tin mining land was largely controlled by the government. After the closure of several tin mines, the government alienated some areas to private developers for tourism-related developments to boost the economy.

Hon Fatt Mines in Seri Kembangan was the world’s largest open-cast tin mine — covering 530ha including the lakes.

It is now known as Mines Wellness City (formerly Mines Resort City). The government in 1988 alienated the land to Country Heights Holdings Bhd for recreational and tourism purposes.

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Mines Wellness City is home to Palace of the Golden Horses, Mines Wellness Hotel, Golden Horses Health Sanctuary, Mines shopping mall, Mines Waterfront Business Park, Mines Resort and Golf Club, Mines Convention Centre and Heritage Residences.

Other former mining settlements which have become major tourism landmarks include Sunway Resort City (SRC) in Bandar Sunway and Kinta Valley in Perak.

The multi-billion-ringgit SRC started when founder Tan Sri Jeffrey Cheah Fook Ling had a vision of turning 350ha of tin mining wasteland into a vibrant city.

Cheah paid RM100,000 for the land in the 1970s to make it a reality.

Today, SRC is the only integrated resort city in Malaysia which fully encapsulates the “livability” concept with six key components — shopping mall, hotel, office, theme park, education institute and medical centre.

KINTA VALLEY

An artist’s impression of Silverlakes Brand Village.

Kinta Valley, which covers areas like Kampar, Gopeng, Batu Gajah, Seri Iskandar/Tronoh, Ipoh, Tambun, Meru and Jelepang, used to be one of the most productive tin mining areas in the world.

After the mines closed, rapid development started to take place and this boosted the retail shopping and tourism industries.

Among the biggest township developments in Kinta Valley is the 507ha Bandar Seri Botani in Ipoh developed by Taiko Group.

The development will have more than 6,000 residential (bungalows, semi-detached houses, townhouses and link houses) and commercial properties when fully completed.

Several other township projects have also started, such as Bandar Meru Raya, Bandar Baru Sri Klebang and Bandar Baru Putra in Bercham.

Upcoming projects include Bandar Tasik Amanjaya (formerly Kinta Lake district), which was announced in 2014 by Menteri Besar Inc.

The 107ha project in Seri Iskandar, costing RM2.2 billion, will take about 15 years to develop. It will encompass housing, commercial, education and recreational centres with a gross development value (GDV) of RM6 billion.

Meanwhile, PCB Development Sdn Bhd and RSG MAPS Sdn Bhd have jointly developed Asia’s first Movie Animation Park Studios (MAPS) in Bandar Meru Raya.

Built at a cost of RM520 million, MAPS opened in June. It is an additional attraction in Kinta Valley, which is home to top tourist sites such as Kellie’s Castle, Lost World of Tambun, Pulau Pangkor, Last Tin Dredge, Lata Kinjang Waterfalls and Gopeng White Water Rafting.

MAPS is expected to receive about one million visitors a year.

SILVERLAKES — KINTA VALLEY’S MOST STUNNING DESTINATION

Actual site photos of Silverlakes.

Kinta Valley is home to many lakes and a few are located in Silverlakes, an area being developed by Silverland Capital Sdn Bhd.

The company, controlled by Eastern & Oriental (E&O) Bhd chairman Datuk Azizan Abdul Rahman, offers an impressive architecture on 206ha of secluded lakes, flatlands and rainforest.

The master plan for the project is tourism-centric commercial, with a premium outlet and residential development that would generate a GDV of more than RM2 billion.

According to Azizan, Silverlakes will be a fully-integrated development that will emulate the success of E&O’s lakeside gated-and-guarded concept.

“The net development area is around 40 per cent. This means we have more areas reserved for greenery and water bodies,” Azizan told NST Property.

He said Silverland would construct a wide range of landed and commercial properties (mid to high-end residences and outlet mall) around the water bodies.

“We will also build clubhouses in every enclave in the residential development.”

The company would preserve the open waters and raintrees, he said.

“This will create a habitat for migratory birds and wildlife, to be enjoyed by all,” said Azizan.

Silverlakes will be developed in three parcels (A, B and C) over seven to 10 years.

The first phase for Parcel A comprises an outlet mall (Silverlakes Brand Village) that will have 146 retail and food and beverage outlets, with about 300,000 sq ft of net leasable area spread over 12ha.

This development is located across the Batu Gajah Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd (KTM) station.

It will also have a carpark with 1,100 parking bays. Adjacent to it will be the eight-storey 200-room Ramada Hotel and a convention centre.

Azizan is bullish on Silverlakes Brand Village as Kinta Valley is under-served by retailers.

The retailers at Silverlakes Brand Village will offer discounts of up to 70 per cent.

“Silverlakes Brand Village is the first-of-its-kind outlet village-type of lakeside mall and will be a major tourist attraction. It will be different from other outlet developments like Johor Premium Outlets and Mitsui Outlet Park KLIA.

“In Ipoh, the only modern mall is Ipoh Parade. We believe that Silverlakes Brand Village will attract not only the population in Kinta Valley but also people from neighbouring states and overseas.

“We will have restaurants serving a variety of cuisine, while visitors can enjoy the lake view and walk around during day or night,” said Azizan.

Dubai-based McArthur + Company will oversee the development and manage the leasing agreements and retail operations for a minimum period of 15 years upon its completion.

Azizan stressed that the key selling points for Silverlakes are not just the natural water bodies, rainforest and Silverlakes Brand Village, but also its location which is next to the Batu Gajah KTM electric train service (ETS) station.

“These trains leave Batu Gajah train station on a regular basis every day. One can reach Silverlakes in 100 minutes via the ETS from Kuala Lumpur. We expect this service to bring a lot of local and foreign tourists to Silverlakes.

“There will be easy access to Silverlakes from the Klang Valley and Penang, which have a combined population of about 10 million. The ETS is an excellent mode of transport for the tourist market.”

Azizan hopes to capture about three to five per cent of the 30 million annual tourist arrivals when Silverlakes Brand Village is fully developed.

He said Ramada Hotel and the convention centre would turn Silverlakes Brand Village into an integrated tourism destination.

Year round, the company plans to host international events such as the Asian Jazz Festival, concerts, performing arts, vintage car exhibition, beauty pageant, international marathons and Ironman competitions to make Silverlakes Brand Village a tourist hot spot.

“The proposed new international airport in Ipoh is poised to serve regional routes such as Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand and China. This will see significant growth of inbound tourism for Silverlakes Brand Village which will, in turn, spur tourism activities in Kinta Valley,” said Azizan.

SILVERLAKES AS KINTA VALLEY LANDMARK

Shop at Silverlakes Brand Village.

Silverland managing director Shaik Rizal Sulaiman said future developments in Silverlakes will be lifestyle-focused and attracting international interest.

The second phase of development for Parcel A (98.3ha) will be an eight-storey four-star business hotel with 200 rooms to be operated by Ramada, which is part of the Wyndham Hotel Group.

Wyndham is the world’s largest and most diverse hotel company with about 7,500 hotels in its portfolio.

“We will also build residences on a 65-acre (26ha) landed area surrounding the lake with amenities and facilities to cater to residents and visitors. Parcel A will be the catalyst for the whole development. That is why we decided to develop the commercial part first to buzz things up,” he said.

For Parcel B (45ha), Silverland will undertake the gated-and-guarded residential development comprising townhouses, lakeside and courtyard villas.

The target for this development are those living in Kinta Valley, holidaymakers, foreigners including those under the “Malaysia My Second Home” programme and local high-end retirement markets, said Shaik Rizal.

He said Parcel C will include a health resort and retirement village across 46.5ha, of which 50 per cent is water.

The lakeside private pool villa resort is planned as a higher end version of a resort retreat. It is estimated to have 88 units of luxurious pool villas with one to two bedrooms each.

Shaik Rizal expects the overall development of Silverlakes to have a big impact on Perak’s economy.

“Silverlakes Brand Village is an attractive economic development strategy as it brings shoppers into a community through the creation of tourism attraction. These centres generate employment, sales and taxes for local authorities, and serve as a catalyst for other new spin-off business in the area,” he added.