The focus on resorts reflects a structural shift in global leisure travel. “Global leisure spend is projected to triple to US$15 trillion by 2040,” Ascott notes in an August 2025 announcement.
Resort properties are emerging as “one of the most significant areas of growth” for Ascott, says its chief strategy officer and managing director of Southeast Asia, Wong Kar Ling. This comes as the wholly owned lodging business unit of CapitaLand Investment (CLI) accelerates its expansion across Southeast Asia to capture the rising leisure travel demand.
Ascott currently operates 200 properties, with another 150 under construction. Of these, 25 are slated to open within the next 12 months, according to an April 20 announcement.
