KUCHING: The Sarawak government’s decision to choose Raia Hotel & Convention Centre Kuching as one of its designated quarantine centres during the Covid-19 pandemic has helped the hotel to maintain a healthy cash flow, said its chairman Datuk Othman Semail.
“We are grateful the state government had chosen our hotel as one of the quarantine centres when the Covid-19 hit our country and the tourism industry; this had helped the hotel management improve their cash flow,”
“And now that tourism is reviving, we look forward to welcoming local and international tourists, and business travellers alike to enjoy this stunning property and experience our outstanding services,” he said during the hotel’s official launching here last night (Apr 18).
The hotel, he said, was previously owned by Lembaga Tabung Haji and now under the ownership of Urusharta Jamaah Sdn Bhd. It has rebranded itself as Raia Hotels, offering comfortable accommodation for leisure and business travellers with the tagline ‘Hotel for All’.
Othman said UJ was established by the federal government in 2019, to take over and manage the underperforming assets that were transferred by Lembaga Tabung Haji to UJ, as part of the restructuring process.
“We are able to achieve an operating revenue of RM111 million since April 2020, after taking over the operations of five (RAIA) hotels from Lembaga Tabung Haji,” he said.
The official launching of Raia Hotel & Convention Centre Kuching by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, which was also attended by Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, marked the group’s further expansion plans in Malaysia following the success of its hotels, Raia Hotel & Convention Centre Terengganu, Raia Hotel & Convention Centre Alor Setar, Raia Hotel Kota Kinabalu and Raia Inn Penang.
The group also officially announced its new name, transitioning from UJ Property Management Sdn Bhd into UJ Hotels & Resort Management Services Sdn Bhd, offering hospitality services with a broader footprint. Its services consist of but not limited to asset management and hospitality consultations.
Located opposite the Kuching International Airport, the 237-room property features contemporary designs with modern stylish furnishings; perfect for short breaks, urban escapes, extended stays, and family vacations in Kuching.
The silhouette of the seven-storey standalone property is a dramatic addition to the Kuching skyline with the form of the building inspired by the distinctive Pua Kumbu (indigenous fabric). Throughout the hotel, spacious waiting space, abundant natural light and skyline vistas seamlessly meld with Sarawak’s contemporary motifs, translated to elegant, modern interpretations, and subtle nod to Sarawak’s indigenous accents.
The Raia Hotel & Convention Centre Kuching offers guest rooms ranging from superior, executive and suites, all-day dining café with a seating capacity of 150 people, comfortable and practical meeting spaces for business guests with free parking, nine fully serviced meeting rooms all equipped with complimentary Wi-Fi and audio-visual equipment. The grand ballroom can accommodate up to 2,800 capacity for dinners, weddings, and conferences.
The hotel management also took the opportunity to extend assistance to the orphanage, tahfiz and asnaf families during the official launching, in conjunction with the Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration next week.
