The Ascott Limited is “riding on the recovery of international travel”, with plans to open 70 properties across Asia Pacific and Europe in 2023.
The group opened 45 properties in 2022 but hopes to open its “highest-ever property openings” this year with close to 13,500 units.
The Ascott brand will undergo a brand refresh within the second quarter of the year, with new properties in China including Ascott Pazhou Guangzhou and Ascott China Central Place Suzhou.
The group’s co-living brand, lyf, is responding to the growing demand for remote work, shared social spaces and experiential programmes with seven new properties in Austria (lyf Schonbrunn Vienna), China, Japan (lyf Ginza Tokyo), Malaysia (lyf Raja Chulan Kuala Lumpur), the Philippines (lyf Cebu City and lyf Malate Manila) and Thailand (lyf Riverside Bangkok).
Serviced apartment brand Citadines, meanwhile, will see 21 new additions to its portfolio this year, including properties in Amsterdam and Vienna as well as Citadines Harbour Front Yokohama, located near Tokyo Haneda International airport.
Ascott will open 11 properties under the family-orientated Somerset brand in locations such as Austria, China, Indonesia and the Philippines, while also catering to bleisure customers following its acquisition of Oakwood in July 2022 with two new openings in China and Indonesia.
The group will expand its Crest Collection brand in Asia in destinations such as Singapore (The Robertson House by The Crest Collection) and Hanoi in Vietnam, and the Unlimited Collection (a collection of boutique hotels) will reopen Ann Siang House in the Chinatown district of Singapore.
The rise in wellness travel, meanwhile, will see Ascott expand its lifestyle brand HARRIS across Southeast Asia with its debut outside of Indonesia later this year in Penang, Malaysia.
Tan Bee Leng, Ascott’s managing director for Brand and Marketing, said:
“This strong pipeline of property openings spans all brands and will support the continued rebound in travel and tourism spending, bolstered by the relaxation of travel restrictions and the normalisation of flight frequency to pre-pandemic levels.
“Shifts in traveller expectations and preferences are happening alongside this upward growth trajectory. Ascott is keeping on top of these latest travel trends to curate worthwhile and meaningful experiences for our guests. Our portfolio of brands addresses the varying travel preferences – from coliving and solo travel in a new city, to generational travel and relocation for work.”
