First Wyndham property to open in Myanmar in 2017

The franchise agreement was signed early September with Asia Myanmar Shining Star Co, the group said in a statement. The 260-room property, located at the southern fringe of Kandawgyi Lake, will be named Wyndham Grand Yangon Royal Lake Hotel. It is part of the US$157-million mixed-use Kantharyar Centre project which will include a residential building, serviced apartments, an office tower and a retail centre.

According to Kyaw Khaing, a spokesperson of Asia Myanmar Shining Star, the hotel would require an investment of $70 million. The ground work for Phase 1 of the development is complete and the project is expected to be completed by 2017.

 “With more than three million visitors in 2014, Myanmar is growing in popularity among business and leisure travellers, and we continue to be at the forefront of emerging markets,” said Barry Robinson, Wyndham Hotel Group South East Asia and Pacific Rim’s president and managing director. “The country’s rich culture, political stability and recent tourism efforts, including the expansion of its e-Visa programme and the construction of a new international airport, will continue to help draw more visitors, creating greater demand for high-quality, internationally recognised hotel brands like Wyndham.”

The new hotel will add to the hotel chain’s presence in Southeast Asia and the Pacific Rim, which currently consists of more than 60 hotels already open under its brands including Ramada and Days Inn. More than 60 properties are currently under development in the region.

Wyndham Grand Yangon Royal Lake will offer a banquet hall, two multi-purpose conference rooms, a meeting room, a swimming pool, a gym, a spa and on-site international restaurants themed to satisfy travellers from around the world.

Last year, Myanmar welcomed 3.081 million visitor arrivals. Most of them entered Myanmar through three international airports. The authorities are now expanding Yangon International Airport with a plan to build a new airport. It was reported in August that the new Hanthawaddy International Airport’s launch date would be delayed from 2018 to 2022.

According to the Hotels and Tourism Ministry, in the first eight months of this year, about three million tourists entered Myanmar. The volume is 30 per cent more that of the same period of last year.

Throughout the year, a number of 5 million is expected, with combined spending of $2 billion.