Melia Signs First Hotel in Myanmar

Meliá Hotels has signed a management contract for its very first hotel in Myanmar (formerly known as Burma).

The new-build Meliá Yangon hotel will be in a prime location in downtown Yangon next to Inya Lake and will offer fast access to the airport as well as the highway to the capital city of Naypidaw.

Meliá Yangon, which will feature 429 rooms, a spa, a variety of restaurants and a wide range of meeting facilities, will be part of a mixed-use complex including office buildings, apartments and a commercial center.

Meliá Hotels International’s Vice President Asia Pacific, Bernardo Cabot, said, “Meliá Yangon represents a new milestone for our committed growth in Asia Pacific and we are eager to bring our most international brand to Myanmar, thanks to the confidence and support of our partner Hoang Anh Gia Lai (HAGL). This outstanding hotel will boost our brand awareness within the region, and I’m sure it will be the opening door to get into other destinations within the country.”

Myanmar experienced growth of gross domestic product of 6.7 % in 2014 and the country's tourism income showed startling year on year growth, recording a 67% increase in earnings in 2012.

Myanmar is also one of the wealthiest countries in Southeast Asia in terms of natural resources with bountiful supplies of natural gas, oil, gemstones, lumber and teak wood.

Yangon is the former capital of Myanmar, and still remains the country's largest city and main economic hub. It represents one of the fastest growing hotel markets in the world, with double digit increases in RevPAR since the start of the economic liberalization measures in 2011.