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 – 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 minibar 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.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
