Swiss-Belhotel International has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with PT Soma Jaya Sakti for the development and management of Swiss-Belhotel Karimun, Riau Islands.

Swiss-Belhotel International currently manages a portfolio of more than 145 hotels, resorts, and projects all over the world. It has been awarded by Indonesia Travel & Tourism Awards as the Leading Global Hotel Chain for six consecutive years, making it a natural choice for the group to open another property in the country, this time in the tropical islands.

Scheduled to open in 2019, its latest hotel will be situated in Karimun, Riau Islands, a free trade zone in Indonesia, located to the southwest of Singapore. The area is currently developed as an industrial and tourism region, being in close proximity to the Straits of Malacca which is an international shipping route.

Swiss-Belhotel Karimun, Riau Islands will provide international standard accommodation and comprehensive facilities for business and leisure travellers, with 134 rooms, a lounge, restaurant, meeting facilities, swimming pool, gym and spa.

The signing took place in Jakarta and was attended by PT Soma Jaya Sakti’s commissioner Bapak Benny Soetrisno, director Bapak Franky Yason; Swiss-Belhotel International chairman and president – Gavin Faull, senior vice president of operations and development – Emmanuel Guillard, and senior vice president marketing and communication – Linie Cortez Palacio. (Pictured above)

Gavin Faull commented on the new property: “Karimun is fast becoming an important industrial and tourism region so it’s important to provide visitors to the island with quality facilities and services.

“More and more visitors are arriving on the island for trade, investment and tourism”

“Easy access from Singapore and Batam means more and more visitors are arriving on the island for trade, investment and tourism. Swiss-Belhotel International is proud to be managing this exciting new development. We are confident that it will quickly become a success story in this region.”

Swiss-Belhotel International currently operates more than 50 hotels across Indonesia, with properties ranging from a 4-star boutique hotel in Bandung to an upscale business hotel in the CBD area of North Sumatera.

The signing is part of Swiss-Belhotel’s global expansion strategy. It has two new properties opening in Bahrain this year with a goal of opening 30 new hotels in MENA by 2021.