`MUTIARA’ TO SHINE AS PEARL OF MALAYSIAN HOSPITALITY

PERNAS Hotel Management Sdn Bhd (PHM) today announced its hotel corporate brand identity, “Mutiara” to be marketed locally and worldwide.

The new name Mutiara or “Pearl” in Bahasa Malaysia will be reflected through its customer service excellence and idyllic settings.

All set to trailblaze new paths on the hospitality scene, PHM’s Mutiara Hotels and Resorts will take their finely-crafted Malaysian service to new heights while delivering worldclass accommodation and service standards to all customers.

The Mutiara logo shows a blue-green palm frond fanning out. This represents the warmth and openness of Malaysians while the colours are typical of the rich local flora and fauna.

The ebony pearl at the base of the frond depicts the undiscovered beauty of Mutiara Hotels and Resorts and brings to mind the qualities of perfection, beauty, lustre and preciousness symbolising the worldclass service and idyllic setting of Mutiara.

Speaking at the logo unveiling, Managing Director of PERNAS Hotel Chain Holdings Berhad Encik Zain Puteh said that the new corporate identity reflected the new totally-integrated Malaysian service brand. Six hotels and resorts in the PHM stable will be known as Mutiara Hotels and Resorts.

The Mutiara identity was selected to leverage on the Penang Mutiara’s popularity and international recognition as a premier beach resort enjoying excellent reputation from both local and international guests for its fine quality, products and services.

Encik Zain said, “ We have been in the hotel business for 30 years and it is natural that with the lodging industry thriving, we see an incredible opportunity to build our own market leadership to make Mutiara the premier hotel brand.

Asian hospitality and service traditions have attained a high level of acceptance and expectations worldwide. We intend to build and position Mutiara as a distinctive and finely-crafted Malaysian brand of hospitality - honed with our natural warmth, courtesy and highly personalised touches, and embellished with the colour and richness of the local culture.”

“This coupled with our proven track record of consistent international service standards of accommodation and services should strengthen our appeal to customers.”

He also said that the company’s longterm vision was to export the Mutiara service brand and presence as a unique experience to more local and foreign destinations.

The value-added service would help build the desired ambience of nostalgia of an old world graciousness whilst paralleled by highly efficient service.

PERNAS Hotel Management Sdn Bhd’s Group General Manager Puan Zarita Noordin said that the combined expertise of thousands of years of experienced longterm employees would continue to be a strong asset in building the Mutiara brand. Todate, PHM employs a total of 2,200 hotel employees.

Puan Zarita said, “We strongly believe in our people. Extensive training and development programmes will be a key feature in preparing ourselves to deliver the unique Mutiara brand of service.

“At Mutiara Hotels and Resorts, every employee is a team player and an entrepreneur in his own right. We are confident to move forward as a potent force to give customers our best.”

The Mutiara will continue to upgrade and develop products and brands to fit niche segments of its leisure and business customers from both short-haul and long-haul markets.

New products such as the Mutiara Club Floor an exclusive floor with private and separate check-in and checkout facilities, private lounge serving cocktails and personal butler service, Kids Suite and Kids Club, a new structured reservations system, and a new website for customers to check enquiries and reservations are on the cards.

The Mutiara identity will be communicated to all audiences through a strategic regional and international media and marketing campaign.

PERNAS has 11 hotels in Malaysia. PERNAS Hotel Management manages six hotels and resorts which will carry the Mutiara brand. These are Mutiara Johor Bahru, *Mutiara Kuala Lumpur, Mutiara Burau Bay, Langkawi, Mutiara Pedu Lake, Kedah, Mutiara Penang, and Mutiara Taman Negara, Pahang.

*Note : Hilton Kuala Lumpur will be re-branded as Mutiara Kuala Lumpur as of 1 April, 2001.