The Malaysian government is to bet big on the picturesque island of Langkawi, aiming to attract RM5bn (£948m, US$1.5bn, €1.1bn) for private sector investments as part of ambitious plans to make it one of the top 10 tourist

islands in the world by 2015.

As featured in the latest edition of Attractions Management magazine (P58-59), the government-owned Langkawi Development Authority (LADA) is charged with converting the low-key location’s pristine beaches and natural wildlife into a major draw for regional tourism.

The main site will be a new US$220m (€160m, £130m) eco-tourism attraction to be designed and developed Pekan Artisan, which recently worked on the Malaysian live-action historical attraction Melaka Alive!

Pardise Island Hotel & Gardens will be spread over 13 hectares (130,000sq m) on the main island and will be a mixed-use development featuring five main attractions celebrating local wildlife and culture, plus a 250-bedroom eco-hotel, retail and restaurants.

Centred around ‘Langkawi Flight’ – a half-dome theatre with a moving platform which will show an immersive fly-over film of the island and is being developed with AV integration specialists D J Willrich – guests will experience the island’s natural wonders through the eyes of different species like the Langkawi eagle.

Malaysia’s traditional art of Batik will feature across the five planned attractions, which will comprise of ‘Myth Pods’ using mixed media to tell traditional legends, as well as an immersive walk-through biodome, showcasing Langkawi’s impressive array of flora and fauna.

The first phase of the site is set to open in 2015, while phase two – which will feature a large mountain-top projection attraction plus a luxury 80-room boutique hotel on a nearby island – is scheduled for 2017.