Northstar

The Indispensable Travel Industry Read Feature Ecotourism grows in popularity Vol. 2 Issue 9 | 08 March 2011 | www.travelweeklyweb.com | Published by Travel & Meetings Group, Ten Alps Communications Asia Pte Ltd Bintan Treasure Bay begins construction of water resort city Editor' s Pick Life Resorts, Vietnam News Page 2 President Dr H Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his wife being briefed on the Treasure Bay Bintan water resort city development. Looking on (2nd from right) is Datuk Zakaria Bin Abdul Hamid, Chairman of Landmarks Berhad. BINTAN – The realisation of a vision to develop an 835-acre site on the coast of Bintan into a world- class water resort city has just taken a big step forward with the naming of the site by President Dr H Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of Indonesia. The site will be known as "Pesona Logoi Bintan" ("the Wonder of Logoi Bintan").The naming-cum- commencement of construction for Phase One was witnessed by dignitaries and VIPs from Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. The water resort city is being developed by Bintan Treasure Bay Pte Ltd, a subsidiary of Malaysian-listed Landmarks Berhad. Treasure Bay will be developed in phases and offers well-heeled visitors a playground to indulge their senses. Phase One covers a land area of about 222 acres with construction scheduled to be completed by 2015. To be built at a cost of S$425 million dollars, Phase One will have the following: An iconic luxury resort and serviced villas, a lagoon with crystal clear water which will be the largest in the region, a world class marina, a dedicated multi-modal transportation terminal and amenities for enter- tainment, night-life, retail and F&B. Under the master plan for Phase One, the northern side of the bay will have residences and a wellness hotel. Bintan Treasure Bay is also open to releasing land for interested parties to invest and develop, but these must be consistent with the master plan and enhance Treasure Bay's overall development concept. Paul Leong, chief operating offi cer of Bintan Treasure Bay said: "The developments that we are planning for our water resort city will set new benchmarks in the region, redefi ning what it means to be a world class tourism destination. In terms of scale and what we aim to achieve, this is one of the largest and most ambitious tourism developments to be announced in the region in recent years. "We also believe that the deve- lopment of Treasure Bay will help to strongly position Bintan as the tourism gateway to the hidden gems of Asia: the islands of Kepulauan Riau. We want Asia and the rest of the world to discover the beauty of these islands with their unspoilt beaches and rich bio-marine life. This is the perfect getaway from the hustle and bustle of the city, one that is so close and accessible via Singapore and Malaysia." Bintan Treasure Bay aims to entice both regional and international tourists to include Treasure Bay as a must-stop in their leisure and travel plans. The location will also be positioned as an attractive venue for weddings, honeymoons and special celebratory events. Integrated Resorts to hire aggressively to meet growing needs Leong: "We see Treasure Bay as enhancing the diversity of tourism offerings in the region. For example, visitors to Singapore can stay in the country for a few days to experience its unique culture and the excitement of a vibrant, cosmopolitan and urban city state. "They can then go over to Bintan, which is only a 45-minute ferry ride away from Singapore, for a different holiday experience, adding to their total enjoyment of the region. For visitors from Peninsula Malaysia, they can travel to Stulang Laut, Johor Bahru and take a ferry to reach Bintan too. "We are ke e n to wor k in collaboration with tourism agencies and those in the hospitality, lifestyle and entertainment industries so that we can leverage each other's strengths to ensure the success of Treasure Bay for the mutual benefit of everyone." Page 6

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