Overseas firms eye HI renovation

JAKARTA: A number of international investors had expressed their readiness to become strategic partners in the renovation of the country's first star-rated hotel, the Hotel Indonesia, an official said on Monday.

"There are nine international bidders from Singapore, Hong Kong, Brunei and the United States who are interested in the renovation project," said marketing director of the Hotel Indonesia-Natour (Inna) Group, Tjuk Sumarsono, as quoted by Antara.

"The name 'Hotel Indonesia' will be changed to 'Grand Indonesia' once the project is complete. Despite the change in name, the design of the building will remain unchanged because the hotel is a historical place," he said.

The official said the investors would renovate the rooms, ballroom and other facilities and equip the hotel with modern information technology, including an online reservation system and Internet capabilities.

He also said that the Inna Group planned to renovate the neighboring Hotel Wisata as well.

"We will develop Hotel Wisata into a business hotel and convention center because of its strategic location. We may even unite Hotel Indonesia and Hotel Wisata," he said.

Inna Group, a state enterprise, manages 16 old hotels in Jakarta, Sukabumi in West Java, Yogyakarta and Semarang in Central Java, Surabaya and Tretes in East Java, Bali, Padang in West Sumatra and Medan in North Sumatra.

The group saw a net profit of Rp 18.5 billion (US$1.85 million) last year, which is expected to rise to Rp 25.5 billion this year. -- JP