Ascott Launches Discoverasr.com To Unify 14 Lodging Brands On One Global Online Travel Booking Platform
CapitaLand’s wholly owned lodging business unit, The Ascott Limited (Ascott) has launched discoverasr.com, unifying its separate brand websites1 on one single global online travel booking platform. discoverasr.com provides guests with one-stop access to Ascott’s more than 400 serviced apartments, coliving spaces and hotels with a total of about 77,000 units, across more than 130 cities in over 30 countries. This includes more than 10,000 units across 61 properties under TAUZIA Hotel Management2 (TAUZIA), which are available for the first time on Ascott’s online booking platform.
The new discoverasr.com features Ascott’s 14 award-winning lodging brands, namely Ascott The Residence, The Crest Collection, Somerset, Quest, Citadines, lyf, Préférence, Vertu, Harris, Citadines Connect, Fox, Yello, Fox Lite and POP!. With a cleaner and more intuitive user experience, guests can easily find their home away from home with Ascott as they discover their next travel destination. Members of Ascott’s loyalty programme, Ascott Star Rewards (ASR) can now filter search for ASR participating properties, a highly requested feature amongst ASR members. The new feature enables ASR members to quickly identify and book the best deals at ASR participating properties to maximise their membership privileges. ASR members can also easily redeem their ASR points to offset the total cost of their stay.
Guests will also be able to take advantage of about 70 ongoing promotions in the ‘Featured Offers’ section to save on their next stay. The ‘City Destination’ feature will also help guests to plan their next trip. To help guests in selecting their accommodation of choice, they can now view guest reviews on the property. Guests will also be able to make reservations with add-ons such as breakfast and airport transfers to customise their stay. For more information on the new features on discoverasr.com, please watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bf_c7okxhjs.
Ms Tan Bee Leng, Managing Director, Brand & Marketing, The Ascott Limited, said: “As part of Ascott’s ongoing digital transformation to support our fast-expanding business and to improve our guest experience, we are leveraging Ascott Star Rewards to unify our brands on one single global online travel booking platform. The addition of the TAUZIA room inventory onto discoverasr.com and the conversion of the members from TAUZIA’s loyalty programme to ASR members are major boosts to our digital transformation journey. We look forward to reaping greater marketing synergies, onboarding new properties more easily and widening our online and loyalty offerings as we continue to grow our portfolio. discoverasr.com and ASR are two of our most important direct-to-customer touchpoints, set to strategically position Ascott to capture market share not only when travel rebounds, but also beyond.”
Ascott to give away first-ever collectible series of non-fungible tokens in its ‘The Traveller’s Discovery’ campaign
To celebrate the launch of discoverasr.com, Ascott will kickstart its ‘The Traveller’s Discovery’ campaign to reward ASR members. This is the first time Ascott is issuing non-fungible tokens (NFTs), which are cryptographic assets on blockchain that provide proof of ownership and scarcity for digital content. NFTs have gained tremendous popularity in recent months, amid headlines about digital artworks breaking records at auctions and surging sales volumes.
For ‘The Traveller’s Discovery’ campaign, 11 NFTs have been minted and the collectible series features exclusive artworks of Ascott’s Cubby mascot, each in a different destination. The NFTs will not be for sale but will instead be uploaded to OpenSea – one of the world's first and largest NFT marketplaces for rare digital items and crypto collectibles, to be given out as prizes in a weekly lucky draw. ASR members can accumulate their chances to win the NFTs by participating in a series of 14 virtual mini games featuring popular destinations around the world. Through the games, ASR members can also earn up to 1,400 ASR points.
The campaign will also feature a weekly flash sale where ASR members can save up to 55% off their stays and receive an additional ASR eVoucher for 30% off their next stay when they spend at least S$300. ‘The Traveller’s Discovery’ campaign will take place from 12 Jul till 24 Sep 20213. For more information on the campaign, games and NFTs, please refer to the Annex, visit: https://www.discoverasr.com/the-travellers-discovery or watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTlnOHx_LGg.
Ms Tan added: “Ascott is excited to celebrate the launch of discoverasr.com by dropping our first-ever NFT collectible series as prizes for our online mini games. These 11 unique NFTs are created exclusively for our ASR members to mark this momentous milestone in Ascott’s digital transformation journey. ‘The Traveller’s Discovery’ campaign seeks to not only engage our loyal ASR members, but also to attract new digitally-savvy fans to Ascott’s extensive portfolio of lodging brands. Defining global living is core to Ascott’s DNA, and we will continually look to innovate and trailblaze. We remain focused on constantly improving and augmenting our physical products as well as online offerings, to empower our guests with the freedom to live, work and play globally as they travel unbound with us.”
Corporate partners show strong support by offering special ASR privileges
With the launch of discoverasr.com, corporate partners such as credit card companies, have also stepped up to show their support of this new online booking platform. JCB is working with Ascott in anticipation of the post-pandemic phase to offer their cardholders special ASR privileges. From now to 14 May 2022, JCB cardmembers can enjoy 20% off Best Flexible Rates at participating ASR properties when they book directly at discoverasr.com by entering the promotional code ‘GJCB20’. Cardmembers will also receive a complimentary ASR status upgrade to the Silver tier (worth S$1,000), which allows them to earn additional 20% ASR points with every booking. For more information, please visit: https://www.discoverasr.com/en/member/partner/jcb.
Ascott Star Rewards expands to incorporate TAUZIA’s loyalty programme
In addition to the integration of TAUZIA’s hotels onto the new discoverasr.com, the My TAUZIA Privilege (MTP) loyalty programme will also be part of ASR. Existing MTP members can sign up for an ASR membership and receive a 25% discount eVoucher when they link their MTP account to their new ASR account. MTP Friendly and Unique tier members will also be matched to ASR’s Silver and Platinum tier respectively. MTP members can exchange their MTP points to ASR points and receive 2,000 ASR bonus points when they complete their first exchange. Members will start earning ASR points thereafter. The MTP programme will end by 31 Dec 2021.
Since the launch of ASR in 2019, its membership has increased by over 400%. ASR members continue to find value with Ascott as they contribute about 90% of Ascott’s direct bookings online and over 60% of ASR members are repeat guests. ASR members also spend 36% more with Ascott compared to non-members. ASR is one of the first loyalty programmes in the serviced residence industry and there is no cap to points earned, no minimum points redemption and no blackout dates for redemption.
The Discover ASR mobile app was also launched in Oct 2020 to provide ASR members with greater conveniences and flexibility. The app has received over 177,000 downloads since its launch. Through the mobile app, ASR members can search for deals, manage their membership and redeem ASR points, perform mobile check-in and check-out, and make contactless payments. The app’s latest features include allowing guests to customise their stay by sharing their pre-arrival and in-stay requests; earn ASR points if they opt out of housekeeping service as part of Ascott’s Go Green initiative; and share feedback on their stay through a pulse survey in the mobile app. The app’s features will be progressively rolled out to more properties. Guests staying at Ascott’s lyf-branded properties have access to the in-app social wall and private messaging features which allow them to interact with fellow guests or communicate privately with the coliving property’s lyf Guards.
To sign up for a complimentary ASR membership or for more information, please visit: https://www.discoverasr.com/en/sign-up.
- the-ascott.com, somerset.com and citadines.com
- In 2018, Ascott invested US$26 million for a majority stake in TAUZIA, one of Indonesia’s top hotel operators
- For stays until 31 Oct 2021
Annex – About Ascott’s ‘The Traveller’s Discovery’ campaign
To celebrate the launch of discoverasr.com, Ascott is inviting the public to explore the new platform with ‘The Traveller’s Discovery’, a digital campaign that combines virtual mini games, an exclusive non-fungible token (NFT) art collection and 11 weekly flash sales. ‘The Traveller’s Discovery’ campaign will take place from 12 Jul to 24 Sep 2021.
For more information, please visit: https://discoverasr.com/the-travellers-discovery or watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTlnOHx_LGg.
Virtual Mini Games – ‘Around the World Virtual Arcade’
Players will get to satisfy their desire for travel in the ‘Around the World Virtual Arcade’. Ascott’s Cubby mascot will bring them to 14 destinations through four different types of virtual mini games. Players are tasked to find Cubby while taking a virtual 360-degree tour of selected Ascott properties or stretch their memory with a classic ‘spot the difference’ game. Players can also test their knowledge of international cuisines and cultures with either the specially curated ‘match the cards’ game or the trivia quiz. With each win, players will earn a chance at the weekly lucky draw to win an NFT artwork and 100 ASR points. Players can take part in the game as many times as they wish, earning unlimited chances for the weekly NFT lucky draws and up to 1,400 ASR points.
Ascott to give away its first-ever NFT series to engage with the art and blockchain communities
Tapping the rising popularity of blockchain technology and NFTs, Ascott has minted its first NFT series featuring its adorable Cubby in 11 different destinations. Created to resemble vintage train tickets and arcade game coupons, the NFT artwork series can be viewed in Ascott’s NFT Art Gallery within ‘The Traveller’s Discovery’ campaign site as well as on OpenSea, one of the world's first and largest NFT marketplaces for rare digital items and crypto collectibles.
Weekly ASR Flash Sale
The campaign will also feature a weekly flash sale where ASR members can save up to 55% off at these destinations for stays until 31 Oct 2021. They can also receive an additional ASR eVoucher for 30% off their next stay when they spend at least S$300.
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 more than 940 properties globally. Headquartered in Singapore, Ascott's presence extends across more than 220 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, co-living 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, Quest, Somerset, The Crest Collection, The Unlimited Collection, Preference, Fox, Harris, POP!, Vertu and Yello; and it has a brand partnership with Domitys. 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's industry record of 40 years and its sustainability programme, please visit www.discoverasr.com/the-ascott-limited. Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn.
About CapitaLand Investment Limited
Headquartered and listed in Singapore, CapitaLand Investment Limited (CLI) is a leading global real estate investment manager (REIM) with a strong Asia foothold. As at 30 September 2023, CLI had S$133 billion of real estate assets under management, and S$90 billion of real estate funds under management (FUM) held via six listed real estate investment trusts and business trusts, and more than 30 private vehicles across Asia Pacific, Europe and USA. Its diversified real estate asset classes cover retail, office, lodging, business parks, industrial, logistics and data centres.
CLI aims to scale its FUM and fee-related earnings through fund management, lodging management and its full stack of operating capabilities, 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.
Visit http://www.capitalandinvest.com/ for more information.
Joan Tan
Assistant Vice President, Corporate Communications
+65 6713 2864
The Ascott Limited
