Responsible  for the  opening of the Sol Elite Bintan in 1997, and later the  management of the Sol Mayang Sari in 1998, Sol Meliá has played a key role in the promotion of Bintan island as a tourist destination, to both the regional and international market.

"We are particularly proud to have had the opportunity of working so closely with Bintan Resorts Management and to have been instrumental in what has been an exciting and important phase of the Bintan's development as a tourism destination," said Sol Meliá's Executive Vice President, Miguel Payeras. "As our view for Asia is long term, with the ultimate goal of being a significant player in the market, the evaluation of new
opportunities within the region will continue to be  an on-going priority for Sol Meliá."

"We are in fact in the process of evaluating various options within the Asia Pacific, and while we do not anticipate any formal announcements at this point, it  is very likely  that  we will be able  to do so by the year 2,000."

Sol Meliá's strategy for Asia will be to incorporate good resort products that will also appeal to Europeans and North Americans, as well as full service business hotels aimed at the international business traveller. Sol Meliá's newest addition to the region is the 308 room five star Meliá Hanoi in Vietnam which soft opened in January this year.

Sol Meliá, Europe's leading hotel group and the ninth largest hotel company in the world, has a portfolio of 250 city and resort hotels in 30 countries under the brand names of Meliá, Sol and Paradisus hotels.  Its properties in Asia include Gran Meliá Jakarta, Meliá Bali (incorporating The Garden Villas), Meliá Benoa (Bali), Sol Lovina (Bali), Meliá Purosani (Yogyakarta), Meliá Panorama (Batam), and Sol Elite Marbella (Anyer) in
Indonesia; Meliá Hanoi in Vietnam; Meliá Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia; Meliá Hua Hin and Sol Twin Towers (Bangkok) in Thailand.