Ascott has accelerated the expansion of its Oakwood brand, securing 16 new properties in 2024, a 30% increase from the previous year. This rapid growth is driven by the rising demand for bleisure travel, where guests blend business with leisure.
Oakwood’s portfolio now includes nearly 100 properties across 14 countries, with new Oakwood Premier properties opening in Adelaide, Bali, Shenzhen, and Singapore.
The expansion also sees Oakwood entering new resort destinations, with new properties in Bali, Chongli, and Ha Long, marking the brand’s continued growth in the resort sector.
Serena Lim, chief growth officer at Ascott, explained that Oakwood’s strong positioning enables it to cater to the increasing need for flexible accommodations, with one in every four new signings being an Oakwood Premier property.
In addition to the property growth, Oakwood has launched the "All You Knead is Comfort" campaign, celebrating comfort food and culinary experiences. This includes cooking classes, celebrity chef collaborations, and special menus, available through 31 March 2025. Oakwood’s first digital cookbook, Comfort, Curated, features recipes from Oakwood chefs across 12 countries, allowing guests to recreate dishes from their travels.
Tan Bee Leng, chief commercial officer, highlighted the importance of food in modern travel, noting that Oakwood’s offerings help guests connect with local cultures through hands-on culinary experiences. These initiatives further strengthen Oakwood’s appeal to the growing bleisure market.