(TAN): InterContinental Hotels Group has signed a management agreement with OSK Holdings Berhad to convert Swiss Inn Johor Bahru to Holiday Inn Express & Suites Johor Bahru at the beginning of 2021. The 203-room hotel supports the growth of the Holiday Inn Express footprint in Malaysia.
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Johor Bahru offers everything a guest needs, including a gym, self-service laundry, flexible meeting space, an all-day dining restaurant and lobby bar counter. The brand’s much-loved hallmarks also go towards ensuring a great stay, such as complimentary Express Start breakfast, power showers, blackout blinds, high-quality bedding with a choice of pillows for a sensational sleep experience, and unlimited Wi-Fi.
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Serena Lim, vice president, Development for South East Asia and Korea, IHG, said, “At IHG we are delighted to be partnering with OSK Holdings Berhad to expand the Holiday Inn Express brand in Malaysia. The brand represents a great value proposition both for consumers and owners in some of the country’s regional cities, and we look forward to expanding its presence in Johor Bahru and Kota Kinabulu within the next 12 months. We are also exploring opportunities to grow into other centres in both the peninsula and East Malaysia, such as Ipoh and Kuching, to name a few.”
“Malaysia is an important growth market and we see the mainstream segment as an important part of that growth strategy. As we start seeing recovery from the impact of COVID-19 around the world, mainstream travel is proving the most resilient and where we are seeing occupancy levels re-build the fastest,” Lim said.
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Ong Ju Yan, group managing director, OSK Holdings, added, “We made the decision to rebrand this hotel to Holiday Express & Suites Johor Bahru as we know there is a strong synergy between the design and feel of this property and the brand values of IHG’s fastest growing brand globally.”
Centrally located in Johor Bahru, the hotel is accessible within a 30-minute drive of Senai International Airport and close to the land border with Singapore. It is also near to the upcoming Singapore-Johor Bahru Rapid Transit System (RTS) linking Johor Bahru to Woodlands in Singapore.
IHG has four hotels operating under three brands in Malaysia — InterContinental, Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express. There are another 14 in the development pipeline, which are due to open within the next three to five years, including launches of our Regent and Kimpton brands.