YTL wants to make it a dozen Spa Villages

By Sharen Kaur
Published in NST on April 19 2010

YTL Corp Bhd  plans to open six new spas under the “Spa Village” brandname over the next three years, building up its leisure and hospitality portfolio.

The Spa Village is the world’s only spa to base its therapies on the healing heritage of the Baba-Nyonya — a unique combination of Chinese and Malay influences.

YTL operates six Spa Villages currently — in Pangkor Laut, Kuala Lumpur, Cameron Highlands, Tanjong Jara, Malacca and Tembok, Bali. All the spas have their own signature treatments.

YTL vice-president of spa division Chik Lai Ping, said business has been sustaining well despite the global financial turmoil.

“The spa continues to act as an amenity to the guests in the resort. We have a lot of followers that travel to all our YTL hotels and resorts to explore the uniqueness we have created for each space. Some travellers stay in the resort because of its Spa Village,” Chik told Business Times via email.

Chik said time and research are invested far in advance before a spa is developed. She did not elaborate on the investment costs involved.

The first Spa Village was officially launched by the late Luciano Pavarotti in September 2002 at Pangkor Laut Resort in Perak.

“Ever since we opened it, we have won many awards and recognition including Pangkor Laut Resort being named ‘Number One in the World’ by Condé Nast Traveller in 2003,” Chik said.

British newspaper, The Sunday Telegraph placed the spa among the World’s Top 25 Spas.

In 2003, it also won first place in British Conde Nast Traveller’s Awards for Best Overseas Destination Spa, beating venerable places like Les Sources des Caudalie in Bordeaux, France and Clinique La Prairie in Switzerland.

-ENDS-