The 17km oceanfront at Desaru Coast provides visitors with a scenic setting to enjoy their experiences at any of the four five-star resort brands. Photo Credit: Desaru Coast Destination Resorts
With Singapore and Malaysia soon launching a Vaccinated Travel Lane
(VTL) starting 20 December, plus the completion of the Desaru Coast
Ferry Terminal (DCFT), Desaru Coast is getting ready to welcome business
travellers with a "MICE Reinvented" programme.
The new ferry terminal opens up new travel and incentive options for
Singapore's groups, who can embark on a 90‐minute sea journey from Tanah
Merah Ferry Terminal towards Desaru Coast located on the East Coast of
Johor — which is similar to the land route with no traffic.
Ferries have a 180 pax capacity, while the terminal is able to
process 300 arrivals at any one time, said Roslina Arbak, MD and CEO of
Desaru Coast Destination Resorts.
To capture demand for this island on the East Coast of Johor, Desaru
Coast has introduced a "MICE Reinvented" programme anchored by five
pillars: 1) Corporate Events, Reimagined, 2) Future-proof Conferences
& Exhibitions, 3) Wanderlust Destination Weddings &
Celebrations, 4) Sports & Such and 5) Nature & Nurture.
"Just as the pandemic redesigned the way we live; it has driven us to
relook and rethink how events will look like in the future. Future MICE
at Desaru Coast can be designed with an enchanting mix of indoor and
outdoor experiences to include all five-star facilities along with
curated activities at the beach, forest, mangroves, local villages, golf
courses, ballrooms and conference centre,” said Arbak.
Spanning almost 1,600 ha and enjoying a 17 km oceanfront, Desaru
Coast highlights four internationally‐recognised five-star resort brands
ranging from the luxurious to the more affordable: One & Only,
Anantara, The Westin and Hard Rock. They provide a total of 800 rooms.
The integrated resort features a conference centre and event spaces —
both indoors and outdoors — that accommodate more than 2,300 delegates.
Amenities include 21 dining spaces and wellness facilities.
To play or integrate team-building activities, planners can look at
the Adventure Waterpark Desaru Coast, one of the world’s biggest
waterparks (can cater to 12,000 pax but currently reduced to 2,500 pax),
and the Els Club Desaru Coast with two award‐winning golf courses.
Desaru Coast also offers solutions for planners keen on incorporating
sustainability-focused activities into corporate retreats. Guests may
opt for nature and adventure activities such as hikes in the waterlands
and forests; or biking, paddling, jet skiing, kayaking, and others.
Apart from Singapore, Desaru Coast also has Indonesia on its radar.
“We are also targeting Batam and Bintan to be connected via the ferry
service. Arrivals from Singapore, as well as local and regional
markets, are very relevant to us," shared Arbak. She also noted the
possibility of cruise lines and yachts including the resort on their
stops, thus driving up demand in the future.
She added that while they are targeting the leisure market comprising
families, younger couples or groups of friends as well as those seeking
sports and adventure, the MICE market is also important as corporate
planners are starting to plan for events next year.
Additional reporting from Natalie Joy Lee.
Source: Travel Weekly Asia