Far East Hospitality pivots to Australian brands to accelerate growth

Leverages long-standing joint venture partnership with TFE Hotels (Toga Far East Hotels) to bring new brand experiences – Vibe Hotels and Adina – to Singapore

SINGAPORE - Media OutReach - 18 May 2022 - Far East Hospitality, one of the leading operators of hotels and serviced residences, today announces its pivot to the Australian market. The homegrown company, committed to transforming from a local mid-tier operator to a world-class manager of lifestyle brands, will be bringing contemporary Australian hospitality to Singapore through two established brands – Vibe Hotels and Adina. This is part of the company's endeavour to achieve its target of 25,000 rooms by 2025 globally.

Arthur Kiong, Chief Executive Officer of Far East Hospitality said, "As international borders reopen, Australia is a natural key target market given that it was amongst Singapore's top five inbound markets before the pandemic. The return of the Kangaroo route, which refers to the flight paths between Australia and the United Kingdom with stopovers in Singapore, also offers us an opportunity to not only encourage more stopovers, but to attempt to lengthen their stay with new experiences."

"Traveller expectations have also evolved, with many looking for unique and meaningful experiences. The two new brands that we are bringing into Singapore will provide an Australian twist to what Singapore, as a destination, has to offer," Mr Kiong added.

Despite the pandemic, Far East Hospitality has continued to introduce new brand experiences over the last two years. In 2021, the company launched The Clan Hotel Singapore, catering to guests who seek authentic experience, and Oasia Resort Sentosa for guests who prioritise health and wellness.

Bringing Australian-inspired hospitality into Singapore

Delivering on the organisation's promise to become a manager of lifestyle brands, Far East Hospitality will be leveraging its long-standing collaboration with joint venture partner TFE Hotels (Toga Far East Hotels). Both parties will tap on mutual strengths, networks and platforms to grow the business, intensify knowledge sharing, and scale up staff training.

Efforts to target the Australian market started in 2021 when Far East Hospitality brought the Quincy brand to Melbourne. Since its launch in March last year, Quincy Hotel Melbourne has been extremely well-received. "Loved every minute of our stay", "Fabulous and fun", and "Colour delight" were among the many positive reviews by guests on TripAdvisor. The property also clinched the VIC Tourism Awards in the Resilience Award category and was recognised as Best City Break Hotel at the Alluxia (Blog) Awards 2022.

In the coming months, Far East Hospitality will be bringing the brands – Vibe Hotels and Adina – to Singapore through the rebranding of existing properties The Elizabeth Hotel and the Regency House (serviced residence) respectively.

Adina Serviced Apartment Singapore Orchard targets corporate expatriates as well as leisure travellers seeking transient accommodation. The property, slated to open in July this year, will have a total of 88 keys.

Vibe Hotel Singapore Orchard, designed with character and personality with spaces and experiences for guests to socialise freely, will fully open in the last quarter of this year. The 256-room property will cater to Australians and travellers seeking a taste of the contemporary Australian lifestyle.

"With the launch of Quincy Hotel Melbourne last year, TFE has succeeded in bringing the sights and sounds of Southeast Asia to Melbourne and now looked forward to bringing a touch of contemporary Australian hospitality to Singapore across both Adina and Vibe Hotels," said Antony Ritch, Chief Executive Officer of TFE Hotels. "We have always envisioned and planned for Adina to be a truly global brand, so a move into Asia really was the next step for us."

On bringing Vibe Hotels to Singapore, Mr Ritch adds, "Vibe Singapore is the first of the brand outside of Australia. And with Australian-inspired dining concepts, a mini bar and amenities to set the tone and our relaxed and casual style of Australian hospitality, I believe it's the start of a new chapter Vibe Hotels."

Strengthening the Singaporean core and leveraging platforms

Manpower in the hospitality industry has been severely impacted since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. In a move aligned with the government's push to strengthen the Singaporean core, Far East Hospitality will be embarking on a human resource programme alongside TFE Hotels to boost staff capabilities.

Called the Sharing Talents Across Regions (STARS) programme, the initiative will see up to a dozen local hoteliers deployed to Australia for a period of six to 12 months. TFE Hotels will also be sending Australian staff members to Singapore. On top of skills and knowledge exchange, the cross-learning and exposure will provide talents with hands-on experience in cultural management. These individuals will then return home to share their learnings with colleagues and implement best practices.

Both Far East Hospitality and TFE Hotels will also continue to collaborate in the areas of sales and marketing through cross-selling of properties on respective brand websites and cross-promotion of sales campaigns.

About Far East Hospitality

Far East Hospitality Holdings Pte Ltd (Far East Hospitality) is an international hospitality owner and operator with a diverse portfolio of 10 unique and complementary brands of hotels, serviced residences and apartment hotels, including Oasia, Quincy, Rendezvous, Village, Far East Collection, A by Adina, Adina Hotels, Vibe Hotels, Travelodge Hotels and Collection by TFE Hotels.

Far East Hospitality owns more than 10 hospitality assets and operates a combined portfolio of more than 18,000 rooms under its management across over 105 hotels and serviced residences in nine countries – Australia, Austria, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand and Singapore, with more in its development pipeline. In 2020, the group ranked amongst the top 100 hotel companies by HotelsMag.

Far East Hospitality is a 70-30 joint venture formed in 2013 between Far East Orchard Limited (a listed company under Far East Organization) and The Straits Trading Company Limited. In the same year, Far East Hospitality, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Far East Hospitality Investments (Australia) Pte Ltd, completed a 50-50 joint venture with Australia's Toga Group to form Toga Far East Hotels (TFE Hotels).

For more information, visit www.FarEastHospitality.com

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About TFE Hotels

TFE Hotels is an international hotel group headquartered in Sydney and operating in Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Denmark, Hungary, Austria... and opening in Switzerland in 2023. It has a portfolio of five established hotel brands - Adina Hotels, Vibe Hotels, Travelodge Hotels, Rendezvous Hotels and Collection by TFE Hotels including The Calile Hotel, The Hotel Britomart, Hotel Kurrajong and The Savoy Hotel on Little Collins, and debuted A by Adina and Quincy Hotels in Australia in 2021.

About Adina Apartment Hotels

The Adina brand comprises 40 Adina Apartment Hotels and Adina Serviced Apartments in Australia, New Zealand, and Europe. The former offers stylish apartment living with the services and amenities you'd expect from a hotel property including 24-hour reception, pools, free WiFi, intimate meeting spaces or gym facilities. By contrast, Adina Serviced Apartments offer fully equipped serviced apartments and offer on-call service, homely comforts, and comfortable living. Serviced Apartments are the ideal choice for those wanting a home away from home that's a perfect fit for one or more. www.adinahotels.com

About Vibe Hotels

Vibe Hotels are hotels designed to connect guests to their work, their fellow guests and the local area. Each has spaces and experiences that allow guests to be inspired, with innovative interior design in bright rooms and cool communal areas. Drink and dining offerings emphasise fresh and local, allowing guests to connect with their inner foodie. www.vibehotels.com