BLand gets offers for Seychelles hotels

Berjaya Land, which has been operating in Seychelles for over a decade, is still contemplating whether to sell or redevelop the place, says its resort and hotel division head

BERJAYA Land Bhd (BLand) has received offers to buy both its hotels in Seychelles for US$62 million (RM201 million), its resort and hotel division head Foo Toon Kee said.

They are the four-star 232-room Beau Vallon Bay Beach Resort & Casino on Mahe Island and the three-star 80-room Seychelles Berjaya Praslin Beach Resort Seychelles.

"We have been operating there for over 10 years. We might consider the sale. We are still contemplating whether to sell or redevelop the place," Foo, the acting head of Berjaya Hotels and Resorts, told Business Times in an interview.

Should Berjaya decide to sell the property, it would be in line with its future plans to focus on five-star hotels and resorts.

Berjaya has had a presence on the popular island resort for over a decade.

When asked what would be a comfortable sale number for the hotels, Foo said: "They could fetch US$70 million (RM227 million) ... but I am not saying that we will definitely sell.

Yet another property it may consider selling if the price is to its satisfaction is the three-star Berjaya Georgetown Hotel in Penang. The 323-room hotel has a book value of about RM80 million.

The hotel produces a lower profit margin than its five-star hotels. It has an earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation margin of about 20 per cent versus 45 per cent for the five-star properties.

In the event that the hotel is not sold, Foo said, the group may consider rebranding it to better distinguish the various star categories of the hotels under Berjaya.