Sanken Construction’s jointly owned resort in Maldives to be showcased at WTM in London

Bangkok Post: Thai hotel management chain Onyx Hospitality Group will introduce its Maldivian luxury resort project at next week’s World Travel Mart (WTM) in London.

Set to open in the first quarter of 2016, the Amari Havodda Maldives Hotel is owned by Crystal Plaza Resorts, a joint venture between Sri Lanka’s giant Sanken Construction and Florida-based Saudi entrepreneur Laith Pharaon.

Onyx will manage the resort, which will have 60 villas on land and 60 more on the water.

Mevan Gunatilleke, co-owner of Crystal Plaza Resorts, said Sanken brought more than 30 years of expertise in luxury resort development, while Onyx had international hospitality experience.

Onyx Chief Executive Peter Henley said Maldivian tourism was strong, and his group saw huge potential for its Amari brand in this island nation.

The Amari Havodda Maldives will mark a major step in Onyx’s international development plan aimed at managing at least 81 properties by 2018, with 10,694 rooms in operation and another 2,720 in the pipeline.

“Focusing on overseas business expansion will help offset local risks when the hospitality business in Thailand faces a downturn,” Henley said.

Onyx expects the revenue contribution from its international hotel operations will increase to 30 percent of the total in 2018 from 20 percent now.

The group now manages 51 properties including 14 under development. Of the 14, three will open next year, four in 2016 and seven in 2017.

Also next year Onyx will close the Amari Palm Reef Koh Samui for a major renovation, reopening it in March 2016.

Henley said his group expected gross operating profit to increase to 85 percent this year. Bookings for Onyx’s hotels in Thailand are bouncing back in the fourth quarter, and full-year revenue growth should be 12 percent.