Desaru Coast of Malaysia offers prime real estate investment opportunities

Malaysia and Johor were one of the top markets for Asian property investors in 2020 

As stated by a 2020 study from the international property market platform Juwai, Malaysia ranks among the top five preferred countries for Asian real estate investors, as the country is predicted to offer sustained economic growth in the upcoming decade.  

Johor is listed in the top five buyer destinations in Malaysia, with Juwai IQI’s Malaysia Residential Property Index 2020 indicating Johor with the highest projected average property price increases compared to other states.  

The latest infrastructure and economic developments have revamped Johor’s Desaru Coast into an attractive market for beachfront real estate opportunities.  

Micah Tamthai, vice president of real estate at Minor International, said, “The current global pandemic has reshaped the real estate market in destinations like Desaru Coast that benefit from a prime beachfront location, luxury offerings, and connection to major cities. It has underscored the importance of nature and space, wellness and well-being, and working or running a business from virtually anywhere. All of these trends have positively affected demand for products that address them – including our Anantara-branded luxury residences.”  

Anantara is Minor International’s award-winning branded luxury residential, having won the Best Luxury Housing Development (Phuket) and Best Housing Development (Thailand) awards at the 14th PropertyGuru Thailand Property Awards, the kingdom’s longest-running and most respected real estate awards programme held in Bangkok. 

“For those who are looking to earn rental returns from their real estate investment, we are seeing a similar shift in demand in the tourism industry,” added Mr. Tamthai. “With the pandemic reviving interest in domestic tourism and with off-the-beaten-path destinations like Desaru Coast now accessible to a more diverse group of travellers, we think the timing could not be better for those looking to benefit from first-mover advantage as a pioneering investor in this nascent market.” 

Desaru Coast has been experiencing increasing hotel room rates, and the destination is expected to perform well post-pandemic.  

Horwath HTL, a hotel, tourism, and leisure consulting firm, noted in their March 2021 market report on Desaru that recent openings of the first luxury hotels in the area have stimulated demand for higher-end accommodation. Such hotels have been flourished with occupancy due to their differentiated positioning and unique offerings, including lower room numbers.  

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The Malaysian government has developed a multi-billion-dollar Desaru Coast Master Development Plan to incentivise domestic and international tourism.  

Desaru Coast now features hotels and resorts, two championship golf courses, an adventure water park, a waterfront retail village, and a convention centre.  

For the future, the destination plans to include a wellness centre, duty-free shopping, more retail spaces, and a jetty terminal to connect the coast with the future Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal.