Media OutReach
Ascott Accelerates Oakwood Signings To Capture Rising Demand For Bleisure Travel, Launches Heartfelt Culinary Campaign To Celebrate The Brand’s Commitment To Comfort And Connection
- Secures 16 Oakwood signings in 2024, reflecting a 30% year-on-year growth
- Adds four new Oakwood Premier properties in Adelaide, Bali, Shenzhen and Singapore
- Adds Bali to Oakwood’s growing portfolio of resort destinations, which includes Batam, Chongli and Ha Long
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 23 January 2025 – The Ascott Limited (Ascott), the lodging business unit wholly owned by CapitaLand Investment (CLI), has accelerated the expansion of its Oakwood brand, signing 16 new properties in 2024 – a 30% increase over the previous year. This includes a bumper crop of four Oakwood Premier signings since the brand refresh of Oakwood in early 2024. Riding the growing demand for bleisure travel, the brand refresh initiative enhanced Oakwood’s appeal to guests blending business and leisure in their travels by offering the comforts of home and beyond.
The rapid growth of the Oakwood brand is anchored in Ascott’s flex-hybrid hotel-in-residence model, which seamlessly combines the comforts of a fully serviced apartment with the luxuries of a hotel stay. Offering a variety of room configurations to accommodate diverse travel needs and lengths of stay, Oakwood properties also provide a wide range of ancillary services, including dining options and meeting facilities. The Oakwood portfolio now comprises nearly 100 properties – both operational and in the pipeline – solidifying its appeal to bleisure travellers. Oakwood’s global footprint spans 14 countries and 50 cities, with a strong presence in key gateway cities such as Tokyo, Jakarta, Beijing and Manila, as well as popular resort locations. New openings in 2024 include Oakwood Suites Chongli, a ski resort in the winter sports hub of Chongli in Zhangjiakou City, Hebei Province, China; the all-villa Oakwood Ha Long, located in the heart of Ha Long City, a gateway to Vietnam’s UNESCO World Heritage site, Ha Long Bay; and Oakwood Hotel & Apartments Grand Batam, offering tranquil water views on Indonesia’s Batam island. These openings mark the brand’s debut in these prime resort destinations.
Ms Serena Lim, Chief Growth Officer, Ascott, said, “Oakwood remains one of the fastest-growing brands in Ascott’s portfolio, driven by its strong positioning to capitalise on the increasing popularity of bleisure travel. With a 30% increase in signings in 2024 compared to 2023, Oakwood is well-placed to meet the needs of guests seeking a seamless balance between work and leisure. These new signings continue to drive Oakwood’s expansion into the resort sector, including the introduction of Oakwood Jimbaran Villas & Residences in Bali, one of the region’s most sought-after resort destinations. Beyond the volume of signings, we are seeing greater interest from property owners in the higher-tier Oakwood Premier brand following its recent refresh, with one in every four Oakwood signings in 2024 being an Oakwood Premier property. Notably, the signings will mark the entry of Oakwood Premier into new cities such as Adelaide, Bali and Shenzhen.”
The newly signed Oakwood Premier properties include Oakwood Premier Adelaide, Oakwood Premier Luohu Shenzhen and a new property in Bali. In Singapore, the Oakwood Premier brand makes its return with Oakwood Premier Draycott Singapore, located in the Orchard Road precinct. This addition will expand Oakwood’s presence in Singapore to two properties, joining Oakwood Studios Singapore.
Capitalising on the Rise of Bleisure Travel with Elevated Guest Offerings
According to research by Forbes[1], bleisure travel is currently a global market valued at nearly US$600 billion, with projections for a five-fold increase or more over the next decade. Based on American Express Travel’s 2023 Global Travel Trends Report[2], food plays a pivotal role in travel experiences. With travellers often organising vacations around culinary activities – ranging from trying local favourites to participating in cooking classes – 46% of respondents say they would sign up for cooking classes to engage with the culture of the destination, while 34% shop for groceries while travelling.
As this market continues to expand, Oakwood is strategically positioned to meet rising demand by leveraging its brand signatures to elevate the bleisure guest experience, catering to the evolving needs of travellers seeking the perfect blend of business and pleasure. Following last year’s brand refresh, all new Oakwood properties will feature on-site dining options. To date, more than half of Oakwood properties offer the convenience of dining on-property, featuring a variety of culinary options that focus on comfort food.
Ms Tan Bee Leng, Chief Commercial Officer, Ascott, said: “As bleisure travel continues to grow, our guests are increasingly seeking distinctive culinary experiences. This reflects a broader shift towards experiential travel, where food acts as a gateway to understanding and appreciating the culture and heritage of each destination. Oakwood is well-positioned to ride this trend and distinguish itself with its multi-faceted approach to culinary tourism. With Home on a Plate as one of our brand signatures, Oakwood apartments are equipped with kitchens, allowing guests to prepare local dishes using ingredients sourced from the region. This hands-on approach not only fosters a deeper cultural connection but also offers flexibility in dining choices. Additionally, our food & beverage programme, All You Knead is Comfort, goes beyond the physical dining spaces by offering guests interactive culinary events like cooking classes, food tastings and seasonal offerings. These activities enable guests to engage directly with local chefs and food traditions, enriching their stay and creating lasting memories.”
All You Knead is Comfort Brand Campaign 2025
Oakwood’s All You Knead is Comfort brand campaign this year taps into the universal power of comfort food to soothe the soul and satisfy the palate. Celebrating comfort food as a language that resonates with everyone, the campaign invites guests to experience the comforts of home through food-inspired activations, including cooking classes, celebrity chef collaborations and limited-time offerings at on-property restaurants, available through 31 March 2025.
As part of this campaign, Oakwood is also showcasing its culinary capabilities with the launch of its first digital cookbook, Comfort, Curated. Featuring recipes by Oakwood chefs from all 12 countries that Oakwood currently operates in, the cookbook presents a collection of comfort food dishes from various regions, and is available for free download on the brand campaign webpage. Through this initiative, Oakwood invites guests to recreate a taste of home no matter where they are, and when they return home, a taste of the destinations they have visited.
Among the featured recipes in Comfort, Curated, Chef Nixon Low, representing Oakwood Studios Singapore, reimagines the beloved Singapore dish Hainanese Chicken Rice, giving it a creative twist by turning it into Hainanese Chicken Rice Nigiri with a Japanese flair. In India, Executive Chef Reagan Fernandes from Oakwood Residence Kapil Hyderabad presents his favourite local delicacy, Haleem – a hearty stew of meat and lentils, enjoyed both as street food and as a fine dining speciality. Other highlights from the cookbook include King Fish Tacos by Head Chef Jean-Pierre (JP) Sauterelle of Oakwood Premier Melbourne, Khmer Margherita Pizza by Chef Pok Phearum from Oakwood Premier Phnom Penh, and Steamed Pork Buns by Chef Andy Huang from Oakwood Premier Guangzhou.
Alongside the digital cookbook, Oakwood properties have teamed up with local culinary experts to offer exclusive, limited-time menus and masterclasses for guests. At Oakwood Apartments PIK Jakarta, local celebrity Chef Devina Hermawan will debut a special menu featuring authentic Indonesian cuisine in February 2025. In Thailand, Guest Chef Pawat Kritsaruenon (Tong), a finalist from Season 2 of the competitive reality TV series, MasterChef Thailand, will host a culinary masterclass at Oakwood Suites Bangkok, sharing simple and authentic Thai recipes that guests can recreate in their apartments. In China, Oakwood properties will host cooking classes in celebration of Lunar New Year, where guests can learn to make traditional Chinese comfort food like dumplings and sweet glutinous rice balls also known as Tang Yuan.
For more information on the full list of culinary activations across Oakwood properties, please visit: https://www.discoverasr.com/en/all-you-knead-is-comfort.
Hashtag: #ascott
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About The Ascott Limited
Since pioneering Asia Pacific’s first international-class serviced residence with the opening of The Ascott Singapore in 1984, Ascott has grown to be a trusted hospitality company with 980 properties globally. Headquartered in Singapore, Ascott’s presence extends across about 230 cities in over 40 countries in Asia Pacific, Central Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the USA.
Ascott’s diversified accommodation offerings span serviced residences, coliving properties, hotels and independent senior living apartments, as well as student accommodation and rental housing. Its award-winning hospitality brands include Ascott, Citadines, lyf, Oakwood, Somerset, The Crest Collection, The Unlimited Collection, Fox, Harris, POP!, Preference, Quest, Vertu and Yello. Through Ascott Star Rewards (ASR), Ascott’s loyalty programme, members enjoy exclusive privileges and offers at participating properties.
A wholly owned business unit of CapitaLand Investment Limited, Ascott is a leading vertically-integrated lodging operator. Harnessing its extensive network of third-party owners and in-market expertise, Ascott grows fee-related earnings through its hospitality management and investment management capabilities. Ascott also expands its funds under management by growing its sponsored CapitaLand Ascott Trust and private funds.
For more information on Ascott and its sustainability programme, please visit www.discoverasr.com/the-ascott-limited. Alternatively, connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, 
TikTok and LinkedIn.
About CapitaLand Investment Limited (www.capitalandinvest.com)
Headquartered and listed in Singapore, CapitaLand Investment Limited (CLI) is a leading global real asset manager with a strong Asia foothold. As at 30 September 2024, CLI had S$134 billion of assets under management, as well as S$102 billion of funds under management held via six listed real estate investment trusts and business trusts and a suite of private real asset vehicles that invest in thematic and tactical strategies. Its diversified real estate asset classes include retail, office, lodging, industrial, logistics, business parks, wellness, self-storage, data centres, private credit and special opportunities.
CLI aims to scale its fund management, lodging management and commercial management businesses globally and maintain effective capital management. As the investment management arm of CapitaLand Group, CLI has access to the development capabilities of and pipeline investment opportunities from CapitaLand’s development arm.
As a responsible company, CLI places sustainability at the core of what it does and has committed to achieve Net Zero carbon emissions for Scope 1 and 2 by 2050. CLI contributes to the environmental and social well-being of the communities where it operates, as it delivers long-term economic value to its stakeholders.
In 2025, popular cryptocurrencies show different dynamics: Bitcoin is up 8%, Ethereum is down 6% as of 27 January 2025, despite uncertain regulatory developments. U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order significantly revamping the national cryptocurrency policy. The order established a dedicated cryptocurrency working group to propose new regulations, safeguarded banking services for crypto companies, and prohibited the creation of a competing U.S. central bank digital currency. Additionally, it repealed burdensome accounting guidelines that had previously stifled digital asset adoption—a notable victory for the crypto industry. However, some investors remain sceptical, showing limited enthusiasm despite these advancements. The cryptocurrency market is seeing a sharp decline on Monday, 27 January, with Bitcoin dropping below $100,000 to an 11-day low. This downturn is largely driven by a significant selloff in the technology sector, which has sparked a broader risk-off sentiment among investors. As cryptocurrencies are often considered high-risk assets, this shift in market mood has weighed heavily on their performance.
Additionally, caution surrounding the Federal Reserve’s upcoming meeting is adding to the pressure. Investors anxiously await decisions on interest rates, with concerns that the Fed may keep rates elevated for a prolonged period. This uncertainty about monetary policy has heightened market unease, further contributing to the decline in cryptocurrency valuations.
Therefore, the snake pattern and consolidation of ETHUSD that has formed in recent months may be replaced by a sharp move, after the adoption of new regulations or clear signals on the Fed Funds rate.
Hashtag: #Octa
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Octa
Octa is an international CFD broker that has been providing online trading services worldwide since 2011. It offers commission-free access to financial markets and various services used by clients from 180 countries who have opened more than 52 million trading accounts. To help its clients reach their investment goals, Octa offers free educational webinars, articles, and analytical tools.
The company is involved in a comprehensive network of charitable and humanitarian initiatives, including the improvement of educational infrastructure and short-notice relief projects supporting local communities.
In the APAC region, Octa received the ‘Best Trading Platform Malaysia 2024’ and the ‘Most Reliable Broker Asia 2023’ awards from Brands and Business Magazine.
Media OutReach
TCMA joins Saraburi Province to mark one year anniversary of progress “SARABURI SANDBOX” Thailand’s first low-carbon city
SARABURI SANDBOX is an area-based collaborative effort, driven by the Public-Private-People Partnership (PPP) approach, comprising three key stakeholders: Saraburi Province, TCMA, and FTI Saraburi Provincial Chapter. Led by the Governor of Saraburi Province and supported by domestic and international partners, aiming at transforming Saraburi into a low-carbon city by fostering collaboration among the government sector, the private sector, civil society, and related industries for various pilot projects of CO2 reduction.
A year of action since the joint declaration of commitment on August 15, 2023, the tangible and significant progress has been made across five key focus areas: 1) clean energy transition, 2) green industry promotion, 3) waste to value, 4) low-carbon agriculture, and 5) green space expansion. The project still continues with collaborative effort of all sectors, including to seek additional green funding to achieve a target reduction of 5 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2027.
Mr. Bancha Chaowarin, Governor of Saraburi Province emphasized the collaborative approach, outlining four key working principles: 1) immediate action, 2) trial-and-error, flexibility and adaptability, 3) respectful dialogue and consensus-building, and 4) maintaining a positive working atmosphere. The Saraburi Governor affirmed Saraburi’s readiness to serve as a lab city for new technologies and innovations, with the goal of replicating successful models across other provinces, leading to tangible greenhouse gas reduction outcomes, and spreading economic and social benefits to the locals of Saraburi. The Saraburi Governor stressed that the next phase requires continued cooperation, particularly policy support from the government to achieve the Thailand Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) goals.
Dr. Chana Poomee, Chairman of Thai Cement Manufacturers Association (TCMA) and Vice Chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries stated that TCMA, as a representative of Thailand’s leading cement manufacturers and a key manufacturing sector in Saraburi, TCMA plays a pivotal role in this project, is committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, in alignment with the Thailand 2050 Net Zero Cement and Concrete Roadmap. TCMA’s contributions to building Saraburi as the first low-carbon city of Thailand include optimizing cement production processes, fostering collaboration among stakeholders, and seeking green fund and opportunities for international cooperation.
Over the past year, the cement industry has made significant contributions to the SARABURI SANDBOX across several areas: 1) Industrial Process and Product Use (IPPU): research and development of clinker substitution, leveraging nanotechnology to enhance cement properties. Collaboration among stakeholders is essential for knowledge development, machinery upgrades, investment incentives, and regulatory adjustments to promote the adoption of hydraulic cement-a low carbon cement. These actions can contribute CO2 reduction by over 1 million tons in 2023-2024. 2) Green and Smart Mining: efficient resource utilization, coupled with sustainable land rehabilitation to benefit local communities and the environment. 3) Clean Energy Transition: implementation of waste heat recovery (WHR) systems, increased use of renewable energy sources such as solar power, and adoption of biomass and refuse derived fuel (RDF) to replace coal through the co-processing in cement kilns. These measures are expected to cut carbon emissions by approximately 9-12 million tons per year and mitigate PM 2.5 pollution from agricultural burning, while generating additional income for farmers and promoting efficient waste management to zero landfill. 4) Carbon Value Creation: researching carbon utilization methods, including CO2-to-Methanol. Notably, SARABURI SANDBOX has become the first industrial cluster in Thailand accepted into the Transitioning Industrial Clusters Initiative of the World Economic Forum.
Dr. Chana Poomee highlighted that while significant progress has been made, achieving the goal of establishing a low-carbon city requires innovative approaches, strong leadership across sectors, strong local administration, and substantial international support. Moving forward, increased collaboration with organizations such as the Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the German International Cooperation Organization (GIZ), and other global entities will be crucial in supporting energy transition and carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) efforts. Dr. Chana emphasized the need for government policies to provide essential support, including knowledge sharing, technological integration, and funding to facilitate meaningful change.
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The “SARABURI SANDBOX: Joining Forces to Create Thailand’s First Low-Carbon City” event was held on January 22, 2025, the Navaminda Kasatriyadhiraj Royal Air Force Academy (NKRAFA), Muak Lek District, Saraburi Province. The event aimed to raise public awareness, extract key lessons from the past year, and brainstorming to gather input from various sectors to shape the future strategies of SARABURI SANDBOX. More than 700 participants from different sectors attended the event.
Hashtag: #TCMA #ThaiCementManufacturersAssociation
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Media OutReach
The EM DISTRICT Bangkok Unveils Spectacular Chinese New Year Celebrations with 3,000 Panda to Mark 50 Years of Thai-Chinese Diplomatic Friendship
From January 22 to February 23, EM DISTRICT will be transformed into a whimsical panda wonderland with the installation of 3,000 adorable panda sculptures. Enhancing the experience, a lively Panda Flash Troop will perform twice daily from January 27th to January 29th, adding an extra touch of excitement and joy for families and visitors of all ages. On the 26th – 27th of January there will be a Panda Culture truck that will showcase Panda ecosystem for all to see as it cruises throughout the city of Bangkok starting from Asoke intersection to the Grand Palace and back to EM DISTRICT.
Food lovers will be treated to a culinary adventure at the Chinese Boulevard Street Food and Tea House Market, hosted at Emquartier. This market will feature 30 carefully curated vendors offering an array of authentic Chinese dishes, traditional teas, and irresistible snacks, promising a feast for the senses.
At Emsphere’s Em Market Hall, the Panda Exhibition Showcase and Café will provide a platform to explore and shop for top-selling Chinese products. Running from January 22nd to February 25th, this unique showcase brings the best of China’s craftsmanship and innovation directly to Bangkok, offering visitors a chance to discover exclusive items and cultural treasures.
A Grand Golden Dragon Theme Across EM DISTRICT in this celebration of the Year of the Golden Dragon, all three EM DISTRICT malls will feature stunning golden dragon designs, symbolizing prosperity, strength, and good fortune. These intricate and immersive decorations aim to captivate visitors and create a festive ambiance that resonates with the spirit of Chinese New Year.
The EM DISTRICT Bangkok invites everyone to be part of this historic celebration which will include Chinese face changing shows, concerts, lion blessing troop to commemorate five decades of Thai-Chinese friendship through vibrant festivities, iconic installations, and cultural showcases. Don’t miss this unforgettable event that bridges cultures and communities in the heart of Bangkok.
Hashtag: #EMDISTRICT
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