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.
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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.
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About Zuellig Pharma
Zuellig Pharma is a leading healthcare solutions company in Asia, and our purpose is to make healthcare more accessible to the communities we serve. We provide world-class distribution, commercialization, and clinical trial support services, underpinned by a strong culture of innovation to support the growing healthcare needs in this region. The company was founded a hundred years ago and has grown to become a multibillion-dollar business covering 18 markets with over 12,000 employees. Our people serve more than 200,000 medical facilities and work with over 450 clients, including the top 20 pharmaceutical companies in the world.
Media OutReach
Licensed Watch Dealer Times Avenue Marks Five Years amid Singapore’s Pre-Owned Watch Market Growth
As the global watch industry slows and fraud risks in the secondary channel draw public attention, Times Avenue is among Singapore’s secondhand luxury watch specialists seeing sustained growth on the back of shifting buyer preferences and tightening consumer scrutiny
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 3 August 2026 – Times Avenue by Horology Maison marks its five-year anniversary in 2026, as Singapore’s pre-owned luxury watch market expands amid a broader slowdown in the global watch industry.
A Growing Secondary Market and the Case for Regulated Dealers
The Bloomberg Subdial Watch Index, which tracks the 50 most-traded references by transaction value, recorded its best half-year performance since early 2022 in the first half of 2025, reflecting a broader shift in buyer preference towards the secondary channel.
The growth of the pre-owned segment has been driven by a combination of factors, including tighter supply of popular references at authorised dealers, record gold prices lifting new watch retail costs, and a shift among buyers towards immediate availability and market-reflective pricing.
Founded in 2020, Times Avenue has grown alongside this trend, transacting more than 3,000 authenticated timepieces from its Beach Road boutique over its first five years of operation. The boutique’s inventory is weighted towards luxury Swiss timepieces including Rolex, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Tudor and Cartier, with a focus on sought-after references that are typically subject to long waiting lists in the primary market.
At the same time, authentication and fraud risks in the secondary channel have drawn public attention, including the recent prosecution of an Italian national who attempted to trade a “fake” Rolex GMT Saru at a Singapore retailer. Both developments underline the importance of sourcing from licensed, regulated dealers.
Licensed secondhand goods dealers like Times Avenue operate under frameworks that impose customer due diligence, transaction reporting, record-keeping, and stock movement obligations. Exempted by the Singapore Police Force and a fully regulated dealer under the Ministry of Law, Times Avenue ensures that every watch sold undergoes rigorous in-house authentication before it reaches the client, and each piece is covered by an in-house warranty, giving buyers assurance of authenticity for every transaction.
Times Avenue also offers in-person buying from the public, trade-ins, consignment, and authentication, alongside retail, covering both the acquisition and resale ends of the secondary market.
Clients and prospective buyers can view current inventory, arrange private viewings, or request a sourcing consultation at https://horologymaison.com/contact-us/.
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Times Avenue by Horology Maison
Times Avenue by Horology Maison is a Singapore-based luxury watch grey dealer established in 2021, offering authenticated new and pre-owned timepieces from Rolex, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Tudor, Cartier and other leading maisons. The company provides retail, buying, trade-in, consignment, sourcing and authentication services from its boutique at 371 Beach Road #02-55 City Gate, Singapore 199597. Times Avenue by Horology Maison is registered with the Ministry of Law as a Regulated Dealer (Registration No. PS20220002864) and holds SPF Exempted Second-Hand Goods Dealer status.
Over 200 industry leaders, trendsetters and cultural figures gather at The Orbit to celebrate the much-anticipated launch event
SHANGHAI, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 3 August 2026 – De Beers Group unveiled the Desert diamonds campaign for Asia at West Bund Orbit in Shanghai. The immersive experience brought to life the authenticity, individuality and inner radiance embodied by Desert diamonds. Generating significant buzz across Shanghai, the event attracted distinguished guests, including government officials and ambassadors, retailers and industry partners, media and cultural influencers, artists and designers.
Designed by British architect Thomas Heatherwick, the West Bund Orbit’s fluid, ribbon‑like form resonates with Desert diamonds’ narrative of individuality, naturalness and fluidity, offering a visually perfect setting for the launch. The highlight of the evening was a sacred gong‑striking ceremony, symbolising the opening of a new era for Desert diamonds. Officiating at the gong-striking ceremony were Lynn Serfaty, General Manager, Natural Diamonds, De Beers Group; Annie Wong, Chief Operating Officer of Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group; Winston Chow, Deputy General Manager of Chow Sang Sang Jewellery Group and Tommy Tse, Deputy CEO at Tse Sui Luen Jewellery Group. The ring the bell ceremony is accompanied by Loletta Lai, VP, Natural Diamond Marketing, APAC, De Beers Group and Sean Lin, VP, Sales, De Beers Group.
Government and diplomatic leaders joined the celebration to offer their congratulations. Taking the stage for a group photo were Mr. Sohail Shaikh, UK Deputy Trade Commissioner to China, UK Government / FCDO; Mr. Tom Simpson, MD, China, China-Britain Business Council; Ms. Phuti Joyce Tsipa, South African Consul-General in Shanghai; Ms. Bertha Amakali, Minister Counsellor of Namibia to China; Mr. Lin Qiang, President of Shanghai Diamond Exchange Center; Ms. Xu Yilei, Managing Director of the Natural Diamond Council Greater China; Ms. Meng Xiaojun, Chief Economist of NGTC; Shridaran Pillay, VP Government Affairs, De Beers Group, underscoring the event’s cross‑cultural significance.
“Desert diamonds captures the untamed beauty and power of the desert,” said Lynn Serfaty, “In China, natural diamonds are not imports—their origins are deeply rooted in ancient civilisation. The desert itself resonates with the Chinese cultural appreciation for transcendence, resilience, and the harmony between heaven and humanity.”
“Today’s consumers seek individual expression, true self, and self‑reward,” she continued, “Each Desert diamond is a response to this desire. Every Desert diamond presents a uniquely warm, natural colour and carries the imprint of billions of years. It is this cultural resonance that is driving the growing interest and appreciation of Desert diamonds in the Chinese market, representing the values most precious in our time: authenticity, individuality, and inner radiance.”
Departing from traditional jewellery launch formats, De Beers Group invited four “Real People” who embody the spirit of authenticity through their real‑life journeys to reveal the essence of Desert diamonds. The event opened with Desert diamonds “Real People” and sound healer Lear Tsui’s ethereal “Healing Trace” gong performance, guiding guests into a serene state of inner exploration. In the performance segment “Colour of Origin” that followed – Guo Yu’ang, a young Peking opera artist of the Mei School, honoured tradition with a graceful and elegant aria, conveying the beauty of heritage. The only female “Real People”, Shi Wei, China’s first F1 Academy female driver, made a stunning appearance wearing Desert diamonds jewellery at the “Blade of Resilience” segment. She shared with conviction: “True strength is often not outwardly expressed but built through intense focus. Just like the formation of natural diamonds—seemingly silent, yet enduring pressure over eons to achieve transformation.” Taking the stage at the finale “Ray of Refraction”, stand‑up comedian Liu Yang ignited the room with a series of humorous and heartfelt performances, and amidst the laughter, he led everyone into the moment of the very first reveal of Desert diamonds jewellery. Liu Yang shared: “True brilliance is not about being flawless, but about embracing every aspect of yourself, just as Desert diamonds reflects a unique individuality through the natural beauty of diamonds.”
At the heart of the celebration was a curated jewellery art exhibition, presenting Desert diamonds jewellery masterpieces by Chow Tai Fook, Chow Sang Sang and Tse Sui Luen, alongside De Beers Group’s iconic three‑stone collection and loose Desert diamonds. De Beers Group creatively partnered with bamboo weaving artist Xu Mingyu, who used the intangible cultural heritage of bamboo weaving to create immersive art installations throughout the venue. The Desert diamonds jewellery was placed amidst an intricate interplay of bamboo rhythms, sparking a poetic dialogue between contemporary jewellery design and millennia‑old craftsmanship. This distinctive Eastern aesthetic not only offered a fresh visual delight, but also interpreted the beauty of individuality, the authenticity of craftsmanship, and the radiance of time‑honoured tradition embodied by Desert diamonds from a local perspective, further underscoring De Beers Group’s Building Forever sustainability commitment.
To bring the experience to a memorable close, guests continued the journey through sensory party, where sound, scent and imagery combined to evoke the beauty at the heart of Desert diamonds. Interactive zones included a sand art experience allowing guests to co‑create with their fingertips, feeling the flow and eternity of the desert, a Gong Sound healing session using resonant frequencies to guide guests into a state of calm and introspection, and a Scents of the Desert fragrance experience blending warm amber and deep woody notes to outline the raw, pure beauty of the desert earth. Each experience acted as a different facet of a Desert diamond, collectively reflecting the themes of authenticity, individuality, and inner radiance.
To delve deeper into the spirit of the theme, De Beers Group hosted a series of panel talks, offering different perspectives on the evolving role of natural diamonds in modern life. Consumers were invited to participate in Natural Diamond Masterclasses, where they learned about the rarity, uniqueness and enduring value of natural diamonds, and gained further understanding of how to distinguish natural diamonds from laboratory‑grown diamonds. In addition, enamel painting workshops allowed guests to explore the dialogue between traditional craftsmanship and contemporary design.
Desert diamonds opens a new chapter in the celebration of natural diamonds, honouring their deep‑earth origin, inherent rarity, and cross‑cultural significance as symbols of individuality, natural beauty and self‑reward. Today, consumers increasingly look for pieces that reflect not only who they are, but how they choose to live, celebrate and express themselves. Desert diamonds answers that desire with a natural diamond expression shaped by individuality, authenticity and inner radiance. Looking ahead, De Beers Group will continue to celebrate the enduring wonder of natural diamonds and inspire a new generation to discover their relevance in today’s world. Desert diamonds breathe new life into “A Diamond is Forever”—because natural diamonds belong not only to eternity, but also to the here and now.
Please follow the official accounts to find more information regarding Desert diamonds.
| De Beers Group Official Website www.debeersgroup.com |
Natural Diamond Instagram Page： @ADiamondisForeverhk |
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About De Beers Group
Established in 1888, De Beers Group is the world’s leading diamond company with expertise in the exploration, mining, marketing and retailing of diamonds. Together with its joint venture partners, De Beers Group employs more than 20,000 people across the diamond pipeline and is the world’s largest diamond producer by value, with diamond mining operations in Botswana, Canada, Namibia and South Africa. Innovation sits at the heart of De Beers Group’s strategy as it develops a portfolio of offers that span the diamond value chain, including its jewellery houses, De Beers London and Forevermark, and other pioneering solutions such as diamond sourcing and traceability initiatives Tracr and GemFair. De Beers Group also provides leading services and technology to the diamond industry in the form of education and laboratory services and a wide range of diamond sorting, detection and classification technology services. De Beers Group is committed to ‘
Building Forever,’ a holistic and integrated approach to sustainability that underpins our efforts to create meaningful impact for the people and places where our diamonds are discovered. Building Forever focuses on three key areas where, through collaborations and partnerships around the globe, we have an enhanced ability to drive positive impact; Livelihoods, Climate and Nature. De Beers Group is a member of the Anglo American plc group. For further information, visit www.debeersgroup.com.
