Modern enters tourism business
JAKARTA (JP): The Modern Group, one of the country's leading business conglomerates, officially launched yesterday a new subsidiary, PT Awani Modern Hotels, which is to carry out medium- scale tourist projects worth US$300 million.
Modern's chairman, Samadikun Hartono, said the new company will develop and manage a number of three-star hotels, golf courses and other tourist-related businesses in several Indonesian tourist destinations.
"We have been preparing the businesses for five years. We realize that the tourist industry will be a major sector in the country," he said.
He said the company also has plans to operate overseas hotels under the Awani brand name.
Awani will build and manage six hotels in Manado, North Sulawesi; Nusa Dua, Bali; Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara; Trawas, East Java; Parangtritis, Yogyakarta; and Cariu, West Java, Samadikun said.
"We have prepared a total of Rp 700 billion (approximately US$300 million) for these projects. In the first phase, we will develop three hotels and golf courses in Trawas, Parangtritis and Cariu," he said.
He added that the projects would target both domestic and foreign visitors.
Awani director Julius Slamet said that the first three projects will be completed by 1997.
In addition to the leisure resorts, Awani also plans to operate a cruise ship that will travel throughout the country's islands.
"We acquired the ship, which is now under refurbishment, from a Greek firm. It will be commence operations in December under a Panamanian flag for easy registration," Samadikun said, adding that his company paid Rp 80 billion for the 550-passenger ship.
Its planned destinations are Bali, Jakarta, Surabaya, Semarang, Manado and Lombok.
'Supertruck'
Samadikun said that the new company is offering a membership program called Klub Awani.
"We are designing the projects to enable typical Indonesian businesspeople and their families to enjoy leisure accommodation and activities at an affordable price.
"Under our membership program, a member has to pay only between $8,000 and $20,000 for a 30-year membership which offers a seven-day holiday each year at any Awani hotel. Members will also be able to play on any golf course owned by Awani."
The Modern Group also unveiled yesterday a sales center on wheels to promote Klub Awani, called "Supertruck".
Samadikun said that the fully self-contained truck, the first such sales promotion device to be used in Indonesia, can accommodate 40 people.
The truck is designed for conversion into an 80-square-meter exhibition space. Custom-designed and built in Australia as a high-tech mobile sales center, the Supertruck will be used by Modern Group to promote Klub Awani all over Indonesia. (icn)