Hong  Kong,  December  4,  2003  --  Shangri-La  Hotels and Resorts, Asia Pacific's leading deluxe hotel group, announces a new management agreement with the Australian property investor  Huntercorp Pacific to operate a 256-room five-star hotel in Cairns, north Queensland. Following a major renovation in excess of A$25 million, the Radisson Plaza Hotel  at the Pier, Cairns  will  be re-positioned and re-branded as the Shangri-La Hotel,  the  Marina, Cairns from mid-2004. Located in the new heart  of Cairns, the hotel will adjoin the fully refurbished Pier Shopping Centre with open-air restaurants

Shangri-La  Hotel (formerly the Radisson Plaza Hotel  at  the  Pier) Pierpont Road Cairns, Australia

Overlooking the marina, the hotel is currently being transformed by Sydney based Watermark Architecture and  Interiors. In addition, 36 contemporary  Marina View Rooms are being constructed, which will become exclusive Horizon Club rooms, measuring over 538 square feet and featuring 11-foot ceilings, wooden floors, luxurious furnishings, ocean-view bathrooms and enormous terraces overlooking the yachts and mountains.

A new innovative restaurant will be located on the Pier's boardwalk in the marina  and  feature  international cuisine round-the-clock, with al fresco seating and open kitchens. Recreational  facilities  include an outdoor swimming pool situated in over an acre of lush tropical gardens, a fitness center and a 2,690-square-foot spa. Conference facilities will include a 400-seat  ballroom, three private  boardrooms and two breakout rooms with seating capacity for a further 150 guests.

Jon  Hunter, chairman  of the Sydney-based Huntercorp Pacific, said: "This partnership with Shangri-La reflects our commitment to working with a renowned brand that is synonymous with highly personalized and award-winning service. Shangri-La has been the benchmark for five-star accommodation in Asia Pacific for a very long time and will take luxury accommodation in Cairns to a whole new level, complementing the recently completed waterfront projects."

Commenting on the new hotel, Shangri-La's chief executive officer and managing  director,  Giovanni Angelini,  said: "This hotel will reinforce Shangri-La's presence in the Australian market, which we entered for the first  time  earlier this year with the rebranding of the ANA Harbour Grand Hotel as the  Shangri-La  Hotel,  Sydney. The prime locations  of the Shangri-La Hotel, the Marina, Cairns and our hotel in Sydney will strengthen our brand presence in Australia."

Hong  Kong-based  Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts currently manages 41 hotels in  Australia,  mainland  China,  Fiji,  Hong  Kong,  Indonesia,  Malaysia, Myanmar,  Philippines,  Singapore,  Taiwan,  Thailand  and  the United Arab Emirates,  with  a rooms inventory of over 21,000.  It has over 20 projects under  development  in  mainland  China,  India, Malaysia, Maldives, Dubai, Oman, Qatar and Thailand.