Journalist and MICE Awards announced – plans for the promotion of Sabah
Berlin, Germany. Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Sutera Harbour Resort in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia, Mr. Ravi Kathiravelu paid a friendly trade visit to Germany, where he introduced Sutera Harbour’s vast family of products and services to members of the local media.
Along with the recently appointed Director of Business Development Europe, Joachim Fischer, Berlin, the COO visited German cities, using the opportunity to inspect various hotels in order to take a look at what German tourists expect from, and appreciate in hotels. In the course of his visit, the COO announced the recently launched, first awards of the Sutera Harbour Group, to be awarded to journalists who published the best article on Sabah and Sutera Harbour in the media on the one hand, and to tour operators and MICE organizers providing the most original program on the other. The awards come with a one-week stay in a suite including full board, excursions, one night’s stay in one of the villas on Manukan Island, dinner on the beach, a visit to the resorts on Mt Kinabalu and a trip on board the vintage steam train of North Borneo Railway, including lunch. Both awards further include flight tickets for two persons. Transfers from the airport and back will be carried out in the hotel limousine. (More information and applications via e-mail: j.fischer@suteraharbour.eu)
The awards will be handed out on a yacht off the coast of Sabah in a private dinner with the owner, Dato Ong, COO Ravi Kathiravelu and the Minister for Tourism of Sabah.
Starting out the press conference, COO Ravi gave a brief presentation on the 384-acre Sutera Harbour Resort development, followed by an introduction of Sutera Harbour Resort’s affiliated properties on the mountain and island managed by Sutera Sanctuary Lodges and how visitors can achieve a memorable experience through North Borneo Railway and North Borneo Yachting. He further described the vast extent of the property, which gives guests a feeling of being inside an actual town, rather than a resort. A shuttle bus connects the individual points within the resort, with free transfers to the city of Kota Kinabalu scheduled every 20 minutes. The city can also conveniently be reached in a ten-minute walk.
Additional highlights of the conference include a showcase on the company’s expansion plan to include upcoming projects such as a 5-star resort hotel plus a commercial and recreational development in Timor Leste (East Timor). In addition, Sutera Harbour Resort will also be embarking on a luxurious residential development within Sutera Harbour Resort known as The Residences @ Sutera. The hotel group is further targeting the German hotel market and is also planning the acquisition of existing hotels or new developments in Asia.
The COO’s visit also comprised of scheduled visitations to key existing and prospective business partners in Germany with the purpose of building and developing positive working relationship with the Resort in the near future. Through this concerted effort, Mr. Ravi is determined to entice and encourage more German travellers to consider Kota Kinabalu and Sutera Harbour Resort a potential destination for meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (M.I.C.E) and even leisure groups. To accomplish this, the European office headed by Joachim Fischer was created and marketing budgets are being allocated.
About Sutera Harbour Resort:
Sutera Harbour Resort is Malaysia’s foremost premier integrated property. The Resort encompasses the luxurious accommodation of The Pacific Sutera and The Magellan Sutera hotels, a 27-hole championship golf course, Sutera Harbour Marina & Country Club, two Mandara Spas and a host of dining and recreational facilities. Sutera Harbour Resort is also affiliated with 5 other eco-destinations in Sabah managed through Sutera Sanctuary Lodges including Kinabalu Park, Mesilau Nature Resort, Laban Rata, Poring Hot Spring & Nature Reserve and Manukan Island Resort. The Resort also offers a luxury charter division, North Borneo Yachting and steam locomotive through North Borneo Railway.
Fast Facts on Sutera Harbour Resort: 956 Rooms. 14 restaurants & Bars. 2 Ballrooms. 28 Meeting Rooms. 27 Hole Championship Golf Course with Day & Night Golf. 41-Bay Two-Tiered Covered Driving Range. 104-Berth Marina. Mandara Spa. Covered/Outdoor Tennis Courts. Badminton Courts. Squash Courts. 12-Lane Ten Pin Bowling Centre. 2 Kiddies Clubs. 2 Fitness Centres. Olympic-sized Swimming Pool. Kid’s Pool & Fun Pool. 2 Landscape Pools. Billiards Room. 100-Seat Movie Theatre cum Auditorium. Karaoke Lounge. Water sports. Sutera Sanctuary Lodges. North Borneo Yachting. North Borneo Railway.
