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SCMP Reporter

ITT Sheraton has opened the first five-star hotel in Labuan island, Malaysia's international offshore financial centre.

  The hotel, Sheraton Manikar Resort, is the group's second property in Malaysia and its ninth in the Asia-Pacific region. The first hotel is the Sheraton Langkawi Resort.

  Since being declared an international offshore financial centre in 1990, Labuan has seen rapid infrastructural development.

   Sheraton believes the island will appeal to leisure visitors.

  ''Although Labuan is foremost a financial centre, the island offers great potential for tourism,'' said Mr Tony Zamora, Sheraton's vice-president and director of operations in Asia-Pacific.

  ''However, prior to the expected influx of business and leisure visitors, international class hotels need to be built to supply the 2,000 rooms needed.''   He said that Sheraton had recognised this need sometime ago.

  ''And thus the opening of Sheraton Manikar Resort could not have come at a better time,'' he said, adding that more hotels were expected to be opened on the island in the future.

  The resort features 250 ocean-view rooms as well as sporting and leisure facilities, such as an aquatic centre for the water sports enthusiast, and fishing and island-hopping trips.

  Business facilities have also been installed at the resort.

  Mr Zamora is targeting occupancy of between 62 and 65 per cent for this year. Most guests are expected to be southeast Asians.

  United States-based ITT Sheraton, whose headquarters are in Boston, plans to open its third property in Malaysia, the Sheraton Towers Kuala Lumpur, in 1996.

   In Indonesia, the group has just signed a hotel management agreement to operate the Sheraton Mustika Yogyakarta Hotel in Yogyakarta.

  Costing about US$30 million, the 235-room hotel is scheduled to open in late 1994.

  ''Sheraton Mustika provides a valuable link in the expanding chain of ITT Sheraton properties throughout Indonesia,'' said Mr Zamora.

  ''The availability of a top international hotel will be a major attraction to international travellers.''        Mr Zamora said the hotel would also serve the growing need for local and international meeting and conference facilities.



Sheraton aims to carve out niche in Labuan island