Anantara Resorts & Spas Enters Xishuangbanna

Yunnan Tourism Investment Company has signed a management agreement with the Thai Minor International, introducing the group's Anantara Resort & Spa to Xishuangbanna.

The Anantara Xishuangbanna Resort & Spa will be a major project in the construction of the Menglun tourist town. It will be located just across the Luosuo River from the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden. The hotel has 103 guestrooms with Dai characteristics, including 80 deluxe rooms and 23 pool villas. It is expected to open in April 2011 as a small destination luxury resort.

Bao Minghu, the board chairman of Yunnan Investment Group, said Xishuangbanna has been a favorite destination for tourists due to its unique tropical rainforests and Dai culture. But the absence of leisure tourism products and luxury hotels has led to the lack of high-end tourists, which is a key factor in restricting the development of Xishuangbanna's tourism industry. The deal between Yunnan Tourism Investment and Minor International is expected to help Xishuangbanna's tourism industry move up market.