RAPID Project Expected to Boost Desaru's Tourism Potential

JOHOR BAHARU, (Johor, Malaysia) July 17 (Bernama) -- The RM60 billion (US$19 billion) Petronas' Refinery and Petrochemical Intergrated Complex (RAPID) project in Pengerang is set to turn Desaru's long pristine coastline as the new "playground" for deep-pocketed oil and gas executives. With the massive effort to build RAPID set to begin soon, Desaru, a stone throw away from Pengerang, is to reap major benefits as it transforms itself as the region's hottest new tourism destination. Malaysian Association of Hotels Johor Chapter Chairman Tengku Ahmad Faizal Mohamed said Desaru's hospitality industry would be positively impacted with the commencement of the RAPID project. "Desaru hotels will definitely be impacted by the massive Petronas project. This project will bring in corporate business visitors from the oil and gas companies to stay in hotels surrounding the project. "Those employed at RAPID, such as expatriates and their families, can treat Desaru and Desaru hotels as an ideal destination to unwind and relax," he told Bernama. Desaru is about 30-minute drive from Pengerang. The project, which will start construction next year and completed by 2016, is expected to transform lobster town Pengerang in eastern Johor into Asia's very own Port of Rotterdam. Besides Petronas, local company Dialog Group Bhd is building a multi-billion ringgit independent oil terminal in Pengerang to complement the RAPID project. Tengku Ahmad Faizal said several high-end hotels and resorts are set to open their doors in Desaru soon, giving the "forgotten tourist destination" the much-needed makeover. Among high-end hotels to open in Desaru are Sheraton Desaru Resort, The Plantation Hotel, Datai Desaru Resort and The Aman Country Club and Villas. The spanking new hotels aside, visitors would be treated to a gamut of attractions currently being built such as the 17km beachfront being turned into a luxury integrated destination called "Desaru Coast", said Tengku Ahmad Faizal. "Desaru Coast comprises luxury resorts, hotels and golf residences and complemented by leisure and entertainment including designer golf courses, a retail mall and theme parks," he said. Other new tourism attractions in Desaru include two championship golf courses, a convention centre, Riverwalk, a landscaped retail mall and resort village that integrates the attractions and theme parks in Desaru Coast. A unit of Khazanah Nasional's leisure and tourism arm, Themed Attractions and Resorts Sdn Bhd, will reportedly invest RM267 million (US$84 million) to develop and operate two theme parks in Desaru coast for opening in mid-2014. -- BERNAMA