JOHOR BARU: The opening of the new 203-roomed Holiday Inn Express & Suites yesterday could not have had a more propitious timing, what with the border reopening with Singapore on April 1.
Johor Baru Mayor Datuk Mohd Noorazam Osman said the hotel, located in Jalan Syed Mohamed Mufti, enjoyed several advantages from the word go.
"It's a strategic location in the heart of the city, the timing of its opening to coincide with the border reopening with Singapore, and the several domestic tourism packages it offers, all combine to make the occasion an auspicious one," he said.
The mayor also alluded to the display of photographs on the evolution of the state capital, from Johor Lama to Johor Baru, on walls in the lobby of the new hotel was a nostalgic reminder to residents and tourists that the city had come far and would progress further.
"This hotel is a new landmark and is considered a new attraction in this city," he said in his remarks at the opening of the hotel.
The hotel's location marked the vicinity's transformation from a past problematic area that included flooding to an attraction for tourists and residents alike.
The hotel is also at a stone's throw from some well-known landmarks and heritage buildings in the city like Menara Tabung Haji, High Court, Pos Malaysia, Dewan Jubli Intan and Johor Baru City Council.
"This area's transformation is an example of how urban renewal can take place and rejuvenate a city," said the mayor.
Ivan Ting, chief operating officer of OSK Group, which holds a major stake in the new hotel, hailed the collaboration between his chain and the Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG) that has resulted in the setting up of Holiday Inn Express & Suites.
"We are delighted to be able to bring the brand experience of IHG and integrate it with the best of Malaysian hospitality," he said.
He expects tourists and other visitors who want a smart, simple and comfortable place to rest will make the new hotel their first choice as a place to stay.
Ting said the imminent arrival of Ramadan presented the hotel with an opportunity to attract visitors to the Buka Puasa fare that will offer the delicacies that Johor cuisine is famed for.
Sandra Kloprogge, IHG regional general manager of Malaysia and Singapore, said their loyalty programme has over 100 million enrolled members.
She expects the Holiday Inn Express brand to leverage this membership base to give tourists and visitors an experience that would be something to relish.
The new hotel will be managed by Melanie Rahayu who is hopeful that Johor Baru's two-year hibernation due to Covid-19 induced constraints will end with Malaysia's reopening of borders and the expected uptick in tourism.
"We are ready for the city's resurgence," she quipped.
Melanie said Johor Baru is an important city and acts as a connecting hub between Singapore and Malaysia.
"Our hotel concept will enable even more business and leisure travellers to experience a smarter way of travelling, in providing what matters most to travellers," she said.