Accor, the worlds leading hotel operator and market leader in Europe and Asia Pacific was appointed by the Keong Hongs joint venture company, Pristine Islands Investment Pte. Ltd. to manage its first two hotel properties in the Maldives and provide the full spectrum of hotel management services, including consultancy on the design and construction of the two new-build hotels in the early 2015.

Pristine was set up on 17 July 2014 to own, develop and operate Mercure Maldives Kooddoo Resort as well as the domestic airport in Kooddoo in Gaafu Alifu Atoll in the Maldives which opened its door to guest on September this year and the upcoming Pullman Maldives Maamutaa Resort "Pullman Maamutaa" at an estimated development cost of US$120 million.

"The upscale Pullman Maldives Maamutaa Resort will be one of our first two hotel developments in the Maldives along with mid-scale Mercure Maldives Kooddoo Resort."  Said Keong Hongs Chief Executive Officer and Executive Chairman, Mr Ronald Leo, who is also the JVC Chief Executive Officer

"We are pleased to partner with Accor, which has a large brand portfolio catering to different market segments and a strong brand presence in Europe and Asia Pacific. We believe that this partnership, with our collective experience, will create a new and very exciting holiday destination in the Maldives."

The 120-villa Pullman Maamutaa, which is scheduled to open in 2018, will be a one-island, one resort project located just 10 minutes by speedboat from the new airport on the gorgeous, unspoilt Maamutaa Island which spans 195,000 square metres.

 A destination in itself, the Pullman Maamutaa will be one of the most modern resorts in the Maldives, offering guests five-star services and facilities including 80 spacious bungalows set over the water and 40 dotted around the pristine beach, two swimming pools, a lounge, an all-day dining restaurant, a specialty restaurant, a sunset bar perched over the lagoon, spa and fitness centre, organic gardens, tennis court, kids club, beach playground as well as a dive centre and water sports centre so that guests can make the most out of their stay in this spectacular location.

"We are thrilled to introduce our first two hotels in the Maldives at a time when the region is enjoying excellent growth, especially with travellers from the Asia Pacific," said Michael Issenberg, Chairman and CEO Accor Asia Pacific.

"The Mercure and upcoming Pullman resorts will provide great options for travellers looking for world-class accommodation in the middle of this unspoilt lagoon and we look forward to working with Pristine to bring these exciting projects to fruition."

With its strong European roots and expansive network in Asia Pacific, Accor will be able to help Pristine to attract visitors from all around the world to these new projects, which are set to redefine accommodation in the Maldives.

Additionally, the opening of the new airport at Kooddoo has dramatically reduced the travel time to the stunning south of the Maldives which boasts some of the most dramatic landscapes and unexplored reefs in the world. Coupled with the increased air capacity to the Maldives including new direct flights from Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and key Chinese hubs, tourism in the region is expected to grow further.

Accor, the world's leading hotel operator and market leader in Europe, is present in 92 countries with more than 3,600 hotels and 460,000 rooms. Accor's broad portfolio of hotel brands - Sofitel, Pullman, Gallery, Grand Mercure, Novotel, Suite Novotel, Mercure, Adagio, ibis, ibis Styles, ibis budget and hotelF1 - provide an extensive offer from luxury to budget. With more than 160,000 employees in Accor brand hotels worldwide, the Group offers its clients and partners 45 years of knowhow and expertise.