Luxury island plan for Rebak

KUALA LUMPUR: DRB-HICOM Bhd is drafting plans to turn Pulau Rebak in Langkawi into a holiday magnet for the rich and famous.

The group wants to develop a "boutique" luxury holiday concept there to match the likes of The Residences at W Bali, Bvlgari Residences and Banyan Tree Ungasan in Bali, Six Senses Private Residences in Vietnam, The Yamu in Phuket, W Residence in Koh Samui and St Regis Saadiyat Island Resort in Abu Dhabi.

"The time has come for Malaysia to have luxury holiday residences that can woo the rich and the famous globally to pick Pulau Rebak as their preferred holiday destination," DRB-HICOM group managing director Datuk Seri Mohd Khamil Jamil said in a statement yesterday.

Mohd Khamil said Pulau Rebak's strategic location and the government's plan to upgrade the holiday haven to be on par with the world's top holiday islands would serve as a catalyst to its aspirations.

"The launch of the Langkawi Tourism Blueprint by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak recently, entailing an estimated RM5 billion investment over the next five years, was a welcome initiative.

"I'm confident with the blueprint, coupled with the cooperation and participation of all parties, the government's estimate to double tourism revenue to RM3.8 billion via the arrival of three million tourists to Langkawi by 2015 will be realised," Mohd Khamil added.

The absence of an ultra luxury concept property development on a local holiday island has provided an opportunity for DRB-HICOM to explore the prospect, he said.

"We have been discussing the Pulau Rebak development plan since 2009 and the feedback received from international development consultants, residential property owners and world-class holiday companies is very encouraging," Khamil added.

Langkawi tourism boom

Island set to see robust development with launch of RM5b plan by prime minister

LANGKAWI is set to usher in a second wave of tourism investments with the launch of a five-year tourism road map by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak yesterday.

The Langkawi Tourism Blueprint, which envisages RM5 billion investments in tourism projects, aims to raise annual tourist arrivals to the island to three million by 2015 from two million currently.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak taking a closer look at the
Pantai Chenang development model after the launch of the Langkawi
 Tourism Blueprint yesterday. With him are Second Finance Minister
 Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Mohamad Hanadzlah (second from left),
 Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Tan Sri Nor Mohamed
 Yakcop and Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen.
Pic by Shahrizal Md Noor

This would create an additional 4,200 jobs in the tourism industry and raise tourism receipts to RM3.8 billion from RM1.8 billion.

“Langkawi’s success up until now has been great. But we need to have a strong branding for Langkawi,” Najib said.

“We also need to ensure that while we develop, we take care of the environment.

“For Malaysia to continue being a choice destination for tourists, we need to take in hand certain issues, including the need to develop our tourism products, especially the more interesting and iconic ones, and go for more focused promotions.”

Tourism is one of the 12 National Key Economic Areas under the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP). Last year, the sector contributed RM56.5 billion from 24.6 million tourist arrivals.

The blueprint is the second phase of the development plan for Langkawi, with the first begun by Najib’s predecessor, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

“In the 1980s, when (Dr Mahathir) declared Langkawi a duty-free island, Langkawi went through a tremendous growth spurt.”

The blueprint will have 14 initiatives under three themes — product, infrastructure and enablers.

Among the key elements of the blueprint are:Promoting the island’s iconic spots, such as the Langkawi Geopark, Pulau Dayang Bunting and Gunung Machinchang.

Building five five-star hotels to target highnet- worth tourists.

SETTING UP a park ranger team to ensure the conservation of tourist spots;

IMPROVING infrastructure in tourism areas to create a good first impression;

SETTING UP a tourism academy, a collaboration between the Higher Education Ministry and Taylor’s University;

IMPROVING air services and providing incentives for chartered flights to Langkawi, improving land transport services and providing a clean environment; and,

INTENSIFYING promotional efforts to make Langkawi a meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions destination.

Najib said the increase in tourist arrivals would more than double the island’s contribution to the nation’s gross national income, from RM800 million to RM1.9 billion.

He said that out of the RM5 billion, the government had allocated RM420 million under the 2012 Budget to undertake infrastructure development while the balance would come from the private sector.

Najib ordered the Langkawi Development Authority (Lada) to clean up Pantai Chenang Langkawi was recently recognised in National Geographic’s top-10 list of premier beaches in the world.

It was also declared a geopark by Unesco in 2007 Present at the launch of the blueprint were Second Finance Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Mohamad Hanadzlah, Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen and Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Azizan Razak.