BY SARBAN SINGH
Guests looking at the scaled down model of Cameron Fair development scheduled to be opened in Cameron Highlands early next year.
CAMERON Highlands is set to have a new landmark with the opening of the Cameron Fair early next year.
Touted as the highlands’ first integrated development, the one-stop commercial centre for shopping, dining and entertainment located on a 0.63ha plot in Tanah Rata will also house the Avillion Cameron Highlands — a 100-suite hotel with 55 studio and 45, two-bedroom units.
Avillion Hotel Group Malaysia Hotels & Spa head Gricia Gan said the four-star Avillion Cameron Highlands would be fitted with modern amenities and a contemporary interior.
“When Avillion was approached on this project, we were excited about the potential that a new development of this scale could bring to Cameron Highlands.
“With Cameron’s rolling green hills and cool and refreshing environment, we were convinced that this collaboration would make Cameron Highlands more vibrant and fascinating for tourists, as well as locals,” she said, adding that the suites would vary in sizes from 338sq ft to 926 sq ft.
Gan said this during a signing ceremony between Avillion and project developer Ascendvest Sdn Bhd at the Avillion Port Dickson.
Under the agreement, Avillion Hotel Group will manage the hotel suites for the developer, represented by its director Datuk Lim Seng Kok at the ceremony.
Gan said there was plenty of potential in Cameron Highlands as research has shown that the hotels there enjoyed an average occupancy rate of between 50% and 70%. Through its global travel distribution channels, Avillion wants to make Cameron Fair an even more interesting attraction.
“We will certainly promote Avillion Cameron Highlands abroad, especially in countries like Japan, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore. “This is because, apart from the weekend tourists, we want to promote Camerons as an ideal holiday destination where people, especially those who are semi-retired or those who take up the Malaysia My Second Home programme or even golfers, can stay longer,” Gan said.
She added that staying at Avillion Cameron Highlands would be “relatively affordable”.
According to Gan, since Malaysia was already well known for its Unesco heritage towns such as Penang and Malacca, as well as for its beaches, there was still room to promote the central highlands, colonial hill stations and tea plantations as alternative attractions.
Apart from Avillion Cameron Highlands, Cameron Fair would house 180 retail lots with a built-up area of between 130sq ft and 1,300 sq ft.
The development will have a wide range of retail concepts, from modern alfresco restaurants, F&B outlets, convenience stores, fresh food marts and fashion outlets.
A tower with 75 residential units would also be built.
Another advantage of Cameron Fair is that it would be located within walking distance from the main bus terminal in Tanah Rata, the hospital and government departments.
Lim said Ascendvest was proud to be associated with Avillion, a home-grown brand with award-winning achievements.
“We evaluated several hotel management companies and are confident of Avillion’s ability to deliver in managing the occupancy and revenue of this new property,” he said.
Avillion Hotel Group, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Reliance Pacific Bhd, operates a chain of beach resorts, hotels and spa.
These are Avillion Port Dickson, Avillion Admiral Cove PD, Avillion Legacy Malacca, Avillion Layang Layang (Sabah) and aVi Spa and Avillion Private Collection.
