Taj Hotels to manage Malaysian island resort

KUALA LUMPUR: With South East Asia becoming a hub for tourists both from India and the west, a leading Indian luxury hotel chain on Friday said it will manage an exotic island resort in Malaysia to set up its presence in one of the region's key destinations.

The Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces has said it will operate and manage the Rebak Island Resort in Langkawi.

"As part of Taj's global strategy to establish its presence in key gateway cities and leisure destinations, Rebak Island Marina Berhad will be a joint venture between the DRB-HICOM Group of Malaysia, one of biggest conglomerates in this country, and Langkawi Tourism Development Authority, a spokesperson of the Hotel Group said.

The privately owned 390-acre Rebak Island, one of the 99 isles that make up Langkawi will be a 15-minute boat ride from the main island. The resort has been landscaped by the well known tropical landscape designer, Made Wijaya. JPA Associates, Singapore has designed the lobby.

The hotel said there would be a variety of water sport activities like parasailing and jet skiing besides golf, volleyball and tennis for those who choose not to go out in the water.

Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces was established in 1903 and has hotels across the world.