Frasers Hospitality Celebrates 25 Years of Award-winning Serviced Apartments

●     Ongoing expansion in Southeast Asia and China, with more keys added in the region, and across first and second-tier cities

●     Leading continuous innovation through technology across consumer touchpoints

Singapore, 31 March 2023 -  In 2023, Frasers Hospitality, a member of Frasers Property Limited, commemorates 25 years of enriching the lives of modern travellers at its award-winning serviced apartments around the world, and reinforces its position as a leader in the extended-stay market. 

As part of its anniversary celebrations, 300 free stays will be given away in a year-long campaign, along with other activities to highlight its achievements as a forward-thinking, global Singapore brand with a network that spans more than 120 properties in over 70 cities.

An era of extended-stay hospitality

From the day that the first Fraser Suites and Fraser Place opened in Singapore in 1998, the DNA of Frasers Hospitality was set in place:

●     To offer long-stay accommodation for business travellers and their families in an environment that would make them feel at home, away from home.

Ms Tonya Khong, Senior Vice President, Head of Asia Pacific, says, “Back in the late 1990s, the hospitality industry was still dominated by short-stay hotels, and the concept of extended-stay serviced accommodation was still in its nascent stage.”

Ms Khong oversaw the opening of both Fraser Suites and Fraser Place in Singapore.

“We knew from Day One that there was a demand for longer-term stays, especially at the C-suite level, as top management executives were posted to Singapore with their families, and they required centrally located accommodation that was close to schools and amenities, as well as let them engage with the community and learn more about the city.

“We sought to create a home-like ambience with the design of our apartments, combining luxury with the latest technology, and the facilities that would cater to their health and lifestyle needs. At the same time, we inculcated a level of service culture that was intuitive and authentic, thanks to the dedication and integrity of our staff.

“In the process, we developed a blueprint of both hardware and software that would underscore our growth as we expanded beyond Singapore, and developed new brands to cater to a diversity of demographic needs in the marketplace.”

The result has been “guests who have continued to stay over the years and become friends of Frasers Hospitality”, she adds. “It’s not rocket science. It boils down to a culture of caring – for our guests and for our staff – and it’s a value entrenched in one of our pillars, #FraserCares, which embodies our commitment to both the people in our care and the environment we live in.”

Taking a Singapore brand global

Mr Mark Chan, Chief Operating Officer, Frasers Hospitality, says: “As we expanded our footprint and brought our exclusive brand of extended-stay hospitality to Europe, the Middle East, Australia and more, our guests followed, staying with us wherever we launched our brands.”

This is due to Frasers Hospitality’s experience and ability to foresee changing travel trends, and which has been key to its growth, he adds. That’s why the five brands in its stable offer clear differentiation, targeting different market segments with their own growth trajectories.

He explains:

●       “Fraser Suites, our premium brand, will always be the brand of choice for the discerning looking for a bespoke, exceptional quality lifestyle in central locations of key cities.”

●       “Fraser Residence and Fraser Place supplement our luxury living offerings in major cities for different family needs.”

●       “Our 11-year-old brand Capri by Fraser – a design-led, hybrid hotel residence which was developed for the upwardly mobile millennial workforce – is fast gaining traction in Europe and Southeast Asia and is expected to drive new growth in both regions.”

●       “Grounded on the concept of functionality, our younger Modena by Fraser brand continues to offer road warriors long-stay accommodation beyond central locations and key cities in China and Southeast Asia.”

Strategic growth will continue, with more properties set to open in Southeast Asia and China, across key, economically vibrant first and second-tier cities. More details will be revealed in due course, says Mr Chan, stressing that besides inventory growth, the group will continue to invest in product innovation through technology across consumer touchpoints such as cloud-based technology, deployment of robots and contactless check-in. 

Staying the course and adapting to future trends

The Covid-19 pandemic and changing lifestyle and travel trends point towards the resilience and growth of the extended-stay market, says COO Mr Chan. “Throughout the pandemic, the resilience of our extended-stay properties – where more than 90 percent of our properties stayed open – is testament not only to our relevance to the market, but also to the changes we adopted to cater to the evolution in travel behaviour.”

He adds: “Frasers Hospitality’s 25 years as a trusted name in service hospitality is especially pertinent now as the market for extended-stay accommodation grows as an outcome of changing travel needs. The rise of remote working, and a growing demand for flexible leases as millennials and the next generation eschew conventional rental leases, all point to the resilience of serviced apartments.”

Beyond 25 years and a new journey

“With the pandemic well behind us and international borders fully reopened, a whole new world awaits and Frasers Hospitality is well-positioned to anticipate and meet the changing needs of the extended-stay market,” says Ms Eu Chin Fen, Chief Executive Officer.

“One of the major shifts we are seeing is the way in which the demand for long-stay accommodation has evolved. Remote working is now commonplace, while attitudes towards home ownership have changed among millennials and the next generation.

“Purposeful living – which allows like-minded individuals to network – is the new ideal, and so too is the concept of flexible leasing, fast outpacing the conventional practice of long-term rental.

“We anticipate a new lifestyle, where individuals seek out spaces that allow them to grow and live life to the fullest, with a healthy balance of work and self-fulfilment. Frasers Hospitality is always looking at enhancing our products and services to align with this ethos.

“In fact, with new developments in store, our next journey will be an exciting one that we can’t wait to embark on as we write the next chapter of Frasers Hospitality.”