Ten Hotels In Malaysia Win Asean Green Hotel Title

KUCHING, Jan 19 (Bernama) -- All 10 hotels nationwide that were nominated for the Asean Green Hotel Awards 2014 clinched the title in a ceremony held here in conjunction with the Asean Tourism Forum 2014, together with another 76 hotels from the region.

The 10 hotels are Shangri-La's Tanjung Aru Resort and Spa Kota Kinabalu, Shangri-La's Rasa Ria Resort Tuaran and Nexus Resort Karambunai Kota-Kinabalu from Sabah; Riverside Majestic Hotel Kuching and Miri Marriot Resort and Spa (Sarawak); Mandarin Oriental Hotel, The Shangri-La Hotel and Renaissance Kuala Lumpur (Kuala Lumpur); The Andaman Langkawi (Kedah) and The Shangri-La's Rasa Sayang Resort and Spa (Penang).

The winners from Malaysia received their prizes from Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz, while the winners from the other countries received theirs from their Tourism Minister.

Earlier, Mohamed Nazri, in his speech, said there was an increasing demand by tourists for hotels which adopt green practices, but the number of such hotels is not many.

Mohamed Nazri said the Green Hotel Award is also seen as an integral initiative to support the current work of Asean to develop the Asean Ecotourism Strategic Plan which promotes responsible tourism and green practice in the tourism industry.

"The primary objective of this award is to provide the well-deserved recognition to hotels that go beyond conventional practices and embark on green and environmental friendly measures in support of responsible tourism," he said.

He also said it was as to recognise the mutual benefits and opportunities derived through networking, collaboration and working in partnership within Asean member states, the private sector and non-governmental bodies.

Met by reporters after the event, Mohamed Nazri said Asean was the only body in the world which has a special body to discuss tourism development, that is ATF.

"Although we compete to attract tourists, but we compete in a healthy manner and at the same time, help one another on how to develop the tourism industry in Asean," he added.
-bernama.