Singapore: Ascott’s loyalty programme Ascott Star Rewards (ASR) is offering its members “more value and flexibility” as it marks it first year.
Prompted by the coronavirus pandemic, the programme has several new initiatives. ASR members will receive 20 per cent more points if they choose to receive refunds in ASR points for cancellation of their bookings. This is valid for bookings made before 20 April 2020.
Guests can continue to use their ASR points for future stays and earn points towards their current tier status for an additional year until 2021. The expiry of their current balance of ASR points has been extended until April 2021.
Besides making accommodation arrangements with Ascott through their company’s corporate bookers, corporate travellers now have the flexibility of booking online directly with Ascott and start earning ASR points towards their Ascott Business Travel account.
In his message to ASR members, Ascott CEO Kevin Goh said: “ASR turns one this month. As one of the first loyalty programmes in the serviced residence space, we will continue to get our members further with no cap to points earned, and no minimum or blackout dates when you choose to redeem your points across our growing portfolio of serviced apartments and hotels. We would like to thank you for sticking with us through this period of uncertainty, with a little gesture of our own. We hope these additional boosts will help you go further for your future stays, whether it is to stay longer, to travel farther, or simply to upgrade to a better room.”
Ascott says since its launch in April 2019, direct bookings online and revenue from ASR members have quadrupled. ASR membership has also tripled. It says ASR is the first loyalty programme in the serviced residence industry to offer full flexibility to earn and redeem points.
Members can earn and redeem points across more than 180 participating properties in more than 80 cities and 27 countries. Today, most of the ASR members are from China, Australia, Singapore, France, Philippines and Malaysia. 90 per cent of bookings through Ascott’s websites are made by ASR members.</p
