Genting Highlands has been an attraction for both Malaysians and tourists alike for many years. But how exactly did it rise to its fame, and why is it so successful? Without further ado, this is how Genting Highlands became such a well-renowned place in Malaysia.
What is Genting Highlands?
Located in Malaysia, Genting Highlands is a hill station city on the peak of Mount Ulu Kali. It was established in 1965 by the late businessman Lim Goh Tong. Genting Highlands is home to Resorts World Genting, a hill resort that boasts hotels, casinos and theme parks. The road leading to Genting Highlands is known to be steep, winding and dangerous, so if you’re planning on paying a visit to this tourist attraction make sure to be careful!
The History of Genting Highlands
The late Malaysian Chinese businessman, Lim Goh Tong thought to build a hill resort near the capital city of Kuala Lumpur after a business trip to Cameron Highlands, where the fresh air and cooling atmosphere became his inspiration. As Cameron Highlands was too far from Kuala Lumpur, building a mountain resort nearer to the capital city would increase the odds of it becoming successful due to its business potential.
Construction of the road leading to the peak of Mount Ulu Kali began in August of 1965. In 1969, construction of the access road was completed and then Prime Minister, the late Tunku Abdul Rahman laid the foundation stone for the pioneer hotel. That hotel was completed in 1971 and was then called Highlands Hotel, but has since been renamed to Theme Park Hotel.
The Expansion of Genting Highlands
Throughout the years, Genting Highlands has expanded to include more hotels and more attractions. The hotels that have since been built are Genting Hotel (which has been renamed to Genting Grand, 1981), Awana in 1984, Resort Hotel in 1992, Highlands Hotel in 1997, First World Hotel in 2001 and the latest being Crockford in 2017.
A pair of cable car systems called the Awana Skyway and Genting Skyway were built in 1977 as a form of transport to the top of the hill. In 1992, the mountain resort opened its first indoor theme park, and later opened an outdoor park in 1994. The Arena of Stars, a musical amphitheatre was built in 1998.
The Genting Group implemented a 10-year master plan in 2013 called the Genting Integrated Tourism Plan, or GITP for short. This master plan aims to further develop, expand, enhance and refurbish the older hotels, infrastructure and amusement parks in Genting Highlands. As of 2019, the infrastructure of the resort has been successfully refurbished, leaving just the outdoor theme park to complete its renovation.
Market Strategy
Genting Highlands advertises itself through a variety of advertising mediums such as newspapers, TV commercials, radio commercials, magazine advertisements as well as online advertisements. The Genting Group also has access to a huge network of channels and travel agencies that help in advertising their hotels and theme parks. Many promotions are also held throughout the year as part of their marketing campaign such as promotional packages during holidays or festive seasons. This strategy successfully attracts customers to the resort, especially during the school holidays.
Why is Genting Highlands so Successful?
Perhaps one of the main reasons why Genting Highlands is so successful is because it monopolises the casino industry. There are no other legal competitors in this line of tourism throughout the entirety of Malaysia- and Genting Highlands has two which are the Genting Casino in Genting Grand and SkyCasino in the SkyAvenue Mall.
There are also many other attractions within Genting Highlands such as a variety of amusement parks both indoor and outdoor, a flying fox attraction, a golf resort and Snow World, where people can experience an artificial winter. Genting Highlands has also hosted many events over the years such as performances, concerts, competitions and award ceremonies. On top of that, there are many shopping malls and restaurants in the area as well.
Genting Highlands boasts so many activities for resort-goers, it’s no wonder that it became extremely popular and wildly successful throughout the decades. It is safe to say that once the resort and its amusement parks have been fully renovated, it will become even more of an attraction for tourists and Malaysians alike. Will you be paying Genting Highlands a visit?