PM Edition: Top 10 Business Articles on LiveNews.co.nz for April 28, 2026 – Full Text

Source: Radio New Zealand

New Zealanders will be able to see the full details of the India free trade agreement for the first time on Tuesday, after a formal signing ceremony in New Delhi overnight.

Trade Minister Todd McClay signed the deal alongside India’s Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal in New Delhi on Monday night, which means the deal can go through Parliament – setting up a race against the EU for Favoured Nation access.

Just ahead of the ceremony, he told RNZ the deal was very important to New Zealand’s economic future.

“It’s a great day and very exciting for New Zealand. We are taking the next step to have unprecedented access to 1.4 billion consumers,” he said.

“The very first negotiation ever between India and New Zealand was 16 years ago this month, there’s been many stops and starts … this is quite significant.

“We’re seeing India doing trade deals with Australia … the EU; the UK. This not only levels the playing field so New Zealand exporters can be treated fairly in this market, in some areas it gives us advantage.”

That would be particularly true if New Zealand’s FTA came into force faster than the EU’s, because that would mean securing access to a Most Favoured Nation clause for wine and services exports.

McClay said that would be worth tens of millions of dollars in additional exports, and last week said he had not had formal advice on when the EU agreement was set to take effect.

“Generally it takes them quite a long time on their side although they have a new procedure where they can implement it early … but we do still have time between now and when Parliament rises to get it in place.

“This is a very straightforward agreement.”

McClay also signalled to RNZ that businesses were expecting to make announcements imminently.

“You’re likely to hear in the next couple of days about some businesses up here that will be announcing their own investment in India, setting up offices here – because they can see real opportunity on the ground as a result of the FTA.”

With the signing complete, the deal would be tabled in Parliament on Tuesday – giving the public a chance to read the full detail of the agreement – alongside an analysis of whether it met a national interest test.

That provided for public submissions before the text returned to Parliament, after which enacting legislation would also be passed – with the usual process for submissions – to lower tariff rates and set up quota systems.

McClay acknowledged, however, there would be little opportunity for change to the agreement itself.

“If there are views about the way that the quotas should be administered that actually make more sense, the committee has the opportunity to report to Parliament of any changes there,” he said.

“The process we go through is the same for every other trade agreement New Zealand has entered into force … it’s very high quality agreement, it upholds the reputation that New Zealand has. I think people are going to be quite surprised by just how detailed and how much opportunity there is.”

Labour and New Zealand First had raised concerns the deal was signing New Zealand up to a clause committing to $US20 billion in private investment within 15 years, but McClay said he and the business sector were unconcerned.

He said the text only required the government to promote that investment.

“It is to promote only. The text is very clear, as are legal advice and I think the Labour Party has had a chance to go through all of that and you will have heard them last week also confirm or recognise it is a commitment to promote.

“New Zealand takes its obligations under trade agreements very, very seriously – probably one of the best in the world for the way that we honor those commitments. I and the business community have told me they have no concerns about what’s in the agreement.”

He said that if at the end of the 15 years India believed New Zealand had not honoured the commitment, it could begin “a very long process over the number of years … where we enter into dialog and discussion, including at ministerial level”.

“Should they still believe that, then they have the ability … to put in place some temporary and proportionate measures around access.

“I think that actually, you know, the relationship is going to start growing significantly.”

Documents from India’s government said it was one of the fastest deals the country had secured.

It was New Zealand’s second-fastest, behind the UAE deal McClay secured in just three months.

Despite that, McClay was confident it had not been rushed.

“We have taken what would normally be a three or four year negotiation and compressed it into nine months. This is my eighth visit to India. My negotiators were here 21 times.

“We have worked around the clock to deliver for New Zealand exporters. It hasn’t been rushed. We’ve just rolled our sleeves up and worked as hard and fast as we can.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

Trade Minister Todd McClay will formally sign the free trade agreement with India in New Delhi about 9pm Monday (NZT).

He has taken a delegation, including MPs from several parties, and more than 30 business representatives, and will also host a joint business summit with Indian Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal.

“I’m just checking to make sure there is ink in my pen,” McClay said last week. “It’s such a significant achievement for New Zealand.

“If you think about it as 1.4 billion people in India, their wealth is growing, they are going to become the consumers of the future.

“The New Zealand economy is getting on at the ground floor of that and I think, in the future, this will be one of the most significant trade agreements to help secure our economy – but a lot of people have worked very hard to make sure we can get there.”

McClay visited India seven times as part of efforts to negotiate the deal, since the coalition took office, after Prime Minister Christopher Luxon made securing such a deal an election promise during a televised debate in 2023.

Last week, Labour confirmed it would back the deal, paving the way for legislation enabling it to pass through Parliament.

The party’s support was needed by National, after New Zealand First announced – minutes before the deal itself was – the coalition party would oppose the deal.

NZ First leader Winston Peters has opposed migration aspects included in the deal, as well as a lack of wins for dairy and concerns about a clause requiring the government to promote $US20 billion of private investment in India within 15 years.

Labour’s agreement to back it came with a handful of policy concessions, and a warning the investment clause was “very unrealistic” and “almost impossible” to achieve.

Labour leader Chris Hipkins warned that could lead the Indian government to claw back the market access McClay and other officials had worked so hard to achieve.

McClay pushed back on the likelihood of that happening, saying if India decided New Zealand had not met the condition after 15 years, “they can put in place measures that are temporary and proportionate – and so it is not as significant as maybe it sounded”.

“There’s a special committee that the two parties have agreed to set up 12 months after the agreement enters into force – that is to monitor implementation of the agreement to make sure it’s working and, secondly, to continue to look for ways to improve the agreement.

“We’ll also be talking to them about the promotion that we are doing on an ongoing basis around investment, so I don’t expect there will be a challenge or a problem.”

He said the commitment was not for the government to invest that figure merely to promote investment.

Finance Minister Nicola Willis had previously expressed frustration about how long it took Labour to agree to back the deal, saying just the day before that Labour was “courting the same” anti-immigration votes as New Zealand First.

“We’ve been giving you advice for four months, we’ve had more than 20 meetings, we’ve responded to all of your requests. You’re trying to draw this out and, as I say, you’re playing into exactly the same concerns that New Zealand First is trying to whip up.

“You’re making a very political choice and I think it’s unfortunate, because what I think we should be doing on a matter like this is putting the interests of our people and our economy first.”

However, McClay was far less critical.

“No, I haven’t been frustrated by it,” he said. “I mean, it’s important to go through it, but we’ve had to do the legal scrubbing and, once that was finished, we reached agreement on a date to sign.

“It happens to have co-incided with when Labour have said they’ll give their support.”

He said Labour’s claim legal advice to the government about the deal had not been provided until last week was not entirely accurate, but refused to say how.

“You’ve got to consider their trade spokesman was in China last week. We had to wait until he was back, until he could have the meeting.”

McClay said the agreement provided huge opportunities for New Zealand exporters.

“I’m really not jumping into that,” he said. “They’ve made the right decision and I’m grateful to them.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

Trade Minister Todd McClay will formally sign the free trade agreement with India in New Delhi about 9pm Monday (NZT).

He has taken a delegation, including MPs from several parties, and more than 30 business representatives, and will also host a joint business summit with Indian Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal.

“I’m just checking to make sure there is ink in my pen,” McClay said last week. “It’s such a significant achievement for New Zealand.

“If you think about it as 1.4 billion people in India, their wealth is growing, they are going to become the consumers of the future.

“The New Zealand economy is getting on at the ground floor of that and I think, in the future, this will be one of the most significant trade agreements to help secure our economy – but a lot of people have worked very hard to make sure we can get there.”

McClay visited India seven times as part of efforts to negotiate the deal, since the coalition took office, after Prime Minister Christopher Luxon made securing such a deal an election promise during a televised debate in 2023.

Last week, Labour confirmed it would back the deal, paving the way for legislation enabling it to pass through Parliament.

The party’s support was needed by National, after New Zealand First announced – minutes before the deal itself was – the coalition party would oppose the deal.

NZ First leader Winston Peters has opposed migration aspects included in the deal, as well as a lack of wins for dairy and concerns about a clause requiring the government to promote $US20 billion of private investment in India within 15 years.

Labour’s agreement to back it came with a handful of policy concessions, and a warning the investment clause was “very unrealistic” and “almost impossible” to achieve.

Labour leader Chris Hipkins warned that could lead the Indian government to claw back the market access McClay and other officials had worked so hard to achieve.

McClay pushed back on the likelihood of that happening, saying if India decided New Zealand had not met the condition after 15 years, “they can put in place measures that are temporary and proportionate – and so it is not as significant as maybe it sounded”.

“There’s a special committee that the two parties have agreed to set up 12 months after the agreement enters into force – that is to monitor implementation of the agreement to make sure it’s working and, secondly, to continue to look for ways to improve the agreement.

“We’ll also be talking to them about the promotion that we are doing on an ongoing basis around investment, so I don’t expect there will be a challenge or a problem.”

He said the commitment was not for the government to invest that figure, merely to promote investment.

Finance Minister Nicola Willis had previously expressed frustration about how long it took Labour to agree to back the deal, saying just the day before that Labour was “courting the same” anti-immigration votes as New Zealand First.

“We’ve been giving you advice for four months, we’ve had more than 20 meetings, we’ve responded to all of your requests. You’re trying to draw this out and, as I say, you’re playing into exactly the same concerns that New Zealand First is trying to whip up.

“You’re making a very political choice and I think it’s unfortunate, because what I think we should be doing on a matter like this is putting the interests of our people and our economy first.”

However, McClay was far less critical.

“No, I haven’t been frustrated by it,” he said. “I mean, it’s important to go through it, but we’ve had to do the legal scrubbing and, once that was finished, we reached agreement on a date to sign.

“It happens to have co-incided with when Labour have said they’ll give their support.”

He said Labour’s claim legal advice to the government about the deal had not been provided until last week was not entirely accurate, but refused to say how.

“You’ve got to consider their trade spokesman was in China last week. We had to wait until he was back, until he could have the meeting.”

McClay said the agreement provided huge opportunities for New Zealand exporters.

“I’m really not jumping into that,” he said. “They’ve made the right decision and I’m grateful to them.”

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

[embedded content]

New Zealand’s Trade Minister has signed the free trade agreement with India in New Delhi.

Todd McClay said the deal would deliver thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in additional exports, and was being signed at a time of high global uncertainty.

“Creating opportunities for our businesses to diversify and create strong trading relationships provides economic security for New Zealanders – and that is crucial in these times of global unrest.”

Indian Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal told those present that, as two countries who love cricket, the deal represented a shared pitch.

It was the first time an agreement has been signed in front of a large delegation of business partners, he said.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said in a media release the benefits of the FTA would be widespread.

“In signing this FTA we are setting businesses up to succeed, boosting Kiwi jobs and enabling economic growth – and that means more money in Kiwis’ pockets,” Luxon said.

McClay was in the Indian capital with a delegation of MPs and about 30 business representatives.

Labour confirmed last week it would back the deal after New Zealand First refused to do so.

The signing marked the end of 16 years of attempted negotiations and brings New Zealand greater market access to India’s 1.4 billion customers, McClay said earlier.

It also included up to 5000 temporary work visas for Indian professionals.

McClay said despite it being the second-fastest agreement New Zealand has negotiated, it has not been rushed.

The Council of Trade Unions, meanwhile, has slammed the deal, saying it risks enshrining exploitative labour conditions.

Watch the signing on the livestream at the top of this page.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: New Zealand Government

New Zealand and India have today signed a once-in-a-generation Free Trade Agreement (FTA) which will lead to more jobs and higher incomes for Kiwis, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay say.
 
Indian Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal and Mr McClay signed the Agreement in New Delhi today in front of a large crowd of New Zealand and Indian businesspeople. 
 
“The benefits of this FTA are widespread, and our business community is excited to see the doors of opportunity open to 1.4 billion people whose economy is set to become the third largest in the world,” Mr Luxon says.

“One in four jobs are tied to trade. In signing this FTA we are setting businesses up to succeed, boosting Kiwi jobs and enabling economic growth – and that means more money in Kiwis’ pockets.” 
 
Mr McClay says the FTA supports New Zealand’s ambitious goal of doubling the value of exports in 10 years. 
 
“This deal will deliver thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in additional exports,” he says. 
 
“Creating opportunities for our businesses to diversify and create strong trading relationships provides economic security for New Zealanders – and that is crucial in these times of global unrest.”
 
Today’s signing ensures New Zealand is on track to benefit from a Most Favoured Nation clause for wine and services exports, whereby the better access the European Union has secured for its wine and services will be extended to our exporters if our agreement comes into force first. 
 
“That clause will be worth tens of millions of dollars in extra exports for the New Zealand economy,” Mr Luxon says. 
 
“Two-way trade is currently NZ$3.95 billion. The deal we have struck and the relationship we have built will grow this exponentially and deliver deep and lasting benefits for generations to come.”

Notes to editor:

The historic agreement was concluded in December and eliminates or reduces tariffs on 95 per cent of New Zealand’s exports – among the highest of any Indian FTA. Almost 57 per cent of our exports will be duty-free from day one including lamb, wool, coal, leather, most forestry and industrial products. This will increase to 82 per cent when fully implemented including infant formula, a kiwifruit quota almost four times our current exports and seafood. The remaining 13 per cent including kiwifruit, apples, mānuka honey, wine and some dairy is subject to sharp tariff cuts.

Signing activates the standard parliamentary process, allowing Parliament and the public to scrutinise the agreement through the Select Committee. The FTA text and National lnterest Analysis will be tabled in Parliament tomorrow and referred to the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee (FADTC). 

Once FADTC has completed its examination, enabling legislation will be introduced and will follow the usual legislative process. This approach is consistent with that taken for the TPP, CPTPP, and agreements with the United Kingdom, European Union, and United Arab Emirates.

Key outcomes for New Zealand include:   

• Tariff elimination or reduction on 95 per cent of our exports.
• Duty-free access on almost 57 per cent of New Zealand’s exports from day one, increasing to 82 per cent when fully implemented, with the remaining 13 per cent being subject to sharp tariff cuts.
• Immediate tariff elimination on sheep meat, wool, coal and over 95 per cent of forestry and wood exports.
• Duty-free access on most seafood exports, including mussels and salmon, over seven years. 
• Duty-free access on most iron, steel and scrap aluminium, over 10 years or less. 
• Duty-free access for most industrial products, over five to 10 years. 
• 50 per cent tariff cut for large quota of apples – nearly double recent average exports.
• Duty-free access for kiwifruit within a quota almost four times our recent average exports, and tariff halved for exports outside of quota. 
• Duty-free access for cherries, avocados, persimmons and blueberries, over 10 years. 
• Tariffs on wine reduced from 150 per cent to either 25 or 50 per cent (depending on the value of the wine) over 10 years plus a Most Favoured Nation (MFN) commitment. 
• Tariffs on mānuka honey cut from 66 per cent to 16.5 per cent over five years. 
• MFN status and liberalisation across services exports. 
• Duty-free access for dairy and other food ingredients for re-export from day one. 
• Duty-free access for bulk infant formula and other high-value dairy preparations over seven years.
• 50 per cent tariff cut for high value milk albumins within a NZ-specific quota equal to current export volumes.       

MIL OSI

Source: Media Outreach

Aqount Technologies launches Financial Clarity Check to help SMEs fix structural accounting issues masking true business performance.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

Source: Radio New Zealand

[embedded content]

New Zealand’s Trade Minister will soon sign a free trade agreement (FTA) with India in New Delhi.

Todd McClay is there with a delegation of MPs and about 30 business representatives.

He is set to sign the agreement at about 10pm NZST.

Labour confirmed last week it would back the deal after New Zealand First refused to do so.

The signing marked the end of 16 years of attempted negotiations and brings New Zealand greater market access to India’s 1.4 billion customers, McClay said.

It also included up to 5000 temporary work visas for Indian professionals.

McClay said despite it being the second-fastest agreement New Zealand has negotiated, it has not been rushed.

The Council of Trade Unions, meanwhile, has slammed the deal, saying it risks enshrining exploitative labour conditions.

Watch the signing on the livestream at the top of this page.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

The Council of Trade Unions (CTU) says keeping unions and the public in the dark on the India-New Zealand Free Trade agreement means the deal risks enshrining exploitative labour conditions.

The deal will be formally signed on Monday night in New Delhi, with the full text expected to be made public on Tuesday.

CTU president Sandra Gray said there had been a complete lack of consultation with unions and the public.

A deal of this size warranted a tripartite approach from unions, business and government, she said.

“In this case, we have seen absolutely nothing. It’s being signed without unions even seeing the text, let alone contributing to the conversation.”

The Labour Party – whose support the government required to get the agreement through parliament – agreed to back the deal just days ago.

Asked if that was premature, given the CTU’s concerns about the deal’s contents, Gray reiterated the importance of including international labour standards in the agreement.

“I think we get very wound up in this idea that larger governments are going to walk away from free trade agreements with us if we don’t just get in and sign on the dotted line. I think we need to hold on to our sovereignty and say New Zealand needs to make sure it is acting ethically and rightly when it comes to workers’ rights.

“We’ve been really, really strong defenders of international law for decades and decades. We should not give up on that, and we should make sure that we use proper scrutiny of anything we sign and that includes unions being at the table.”

The organisation accepted the need for free trade agreements, but wanted confirmation international labour agreements were being adhered to, Gray said.

“My fear around this trade agreement because unions have not been involved is that we’re going to end up buying products and exchanging goods and doing free trade with really, really hostile work environments in India that really exploit workers.

“We don’t know, because we haven’t seen the agreement, but why are they hiding it from the public? Why are they hiding it from unions if it’s a good, fair trade agreement?”

The Maritime Services Union (MSU) last week called on the government to hold off signing the deal until it publicly released the text.

National Secretary Carl Findlay said the government’s secretive approach was an insult to workers.

He also raised concerns about 5000 temporary skilled work visas included in the deal, given high unemployment and infrastructure and housing deficits.

Sandra Gray said the CTU was less concerned about the temporary work visas than secrecy surrounding the deal, which made it impossible to know what labour standards had been agreed to.

Findlay’s comments came as New Zealand First minister Shane Jones made racist remarks on the deal’s immigration implications.

Gray would not be drawn on whether the MSU should be focused on the visa issue amid heightened xenophobic rhetoric.

“The Maritime Union has a stronger idea of what’s right for their members and for their union.”

Political parties should be cautious with their comments, Gray said, noting New Zealand First’s opposition was “built on a moment in time we have to be very careful not to get drawn into”.

“Government parties in particular need to pay real attention to the tone they’re setting for our country around migrants, immigrants and anyone who is coming to work here.”

Temporary migrant numbers ‘relatively small’

Immigration consultant Paul Janssen said New Zealand had agreements, that included visa programmes, with a number of countries and the figures in the India-New Zealand deal were comparatively low.

“In terms of the number of temporary migrants we bring in, it’s a relatively small number, given it’s 1667 per year, capped at 5000 for three years.

“That represents a small number of people and given the skill level they’re aiming for, I think it’s a drop in the bucket, really.”

The vast majority of the visas in the deal were for occupations on the Immigration New Zealand green list of in-demand, hard-to-fill roles, Janssen said.

An Indian government press release said the visas would be in “sectors of interest to India which include Indian iconic occupations (AYUSH practitioners, yoga instructors, Indian chefs and music teachers) and other sectors of interest – IT, Engineering, Healthcare, Education and Construction.”

AYUSH stands for traditional medical systems Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy.

The 1000 working holiday visas paled in comparison to other countries, such as the United Kingdom, which New Zealand offers 15,000 working holiday visas, or the 3000 places offered to young Koreans a year, Janssen said.

“This isn’t new – this is something we’ve done and do quite often, so it’s interesting we get different levels of commentary depending on which country we’re dealing with.”

He said Immigration NZ had rigourous processes.

“We go through quite a lot of work to make sure the people coming into the country are well vetted, so it isn’t simply submitting an application and away you go.

“There’s a lot that goes into the background, particularly when you’re looking at temporary visas where Immigration assesses the applicant’s genuine intent to come for a temporary purpose, whether they have the right skills – there’s a lot of hoops to jump through… and it isn’t a cheap exercise, there’s a lot of investment on the applicant’s part.”

New Zealand needed to recognise the added value and improved productivity provided by skilled migrants, he said.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Media Outreach

Focus on the “Four Evolutionary Capabilities” of Private Enterprises as European Delegation Joins Efforts to Foster a China-Europe Cooperation Bridge

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

Source: Media Outreach

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 27 April 2026 – The Ascott Limited (Ascott), the lodging business unit wholly owned by CapitaLand Investment (CLI), is celebrating the seventh anniversary of its loyalty programme, Ascott Star Rewards (ASR), with enhancements that expand how members earn and redeem rewards. Connecting stays, flights, tours and curated experiences on a single platform, ASR has evolved from a hotel loyalty programme into a fully integrated travel rewards ecosystem. Having surpassed eight million members, and with a series of enhancements designed to deliver greater value at every touchpoint of the travel journey, ASR is well-placed to reach its target of 15 million members by 2028.

Ms Tan Bee Leng, Chief Commercial Officer, Ascott, said: “Seven years ago, Ascott Star Rewards set out to reward our guests for their stays. Today, we are rewarding them for how they travel – from the moment they book a flight to the experiences they seek at their destination. Whether they are looking to earn more airline miles, unlock exclusive experience packages, or enjoy complimentary preview stays and free breakfasts, the latest ASR programme enhancements across flights, experiences and events are designed to deepen our relationship with ASR members, giving every one of them more reasons to Stay Rewarded with ASR. In 2025, ASR member revenue rose 23% year-on-year, with members accounting for over 90% of our online direct bookings and more than 60% returning for repeat stays. The trust that our members place in ASR as their travel companion is what drives our ambition to do more.”

ASR Extends Its Rewards to Flights and Airline Miles
Flights are where many journeys begin, and ASR’s rewards now extend there too. In a first for ASR, members can now convert their loyalty points directly into airline miles, making ASR one of the few hotel loyalty programmes globally to offer both earn and convert capabilities from its airline partnerships. In partnership with KrisFlyer, the lifestyle rewards programme of the Singapore Airlines Group, ASR members can now convert their ASR points to KrisFlyer miles at a rate of 20 ASR points to one KrisFlyer mile. A minimum of 5,000 ASR points is required, with conversions of up to 50,000 ASR points per calendar year per membership account. This is in addition to the existing benefit of earning 500 KrisFlyer miles on qualifying direct bookings on DiscoverASR.com and the ASR app.

Come June 2026, ASR will welcome Cathay Pacific, ranked No. 2 in World’s Best Full-Service Airlines by Airlineratings.com, expanding its airline partner network which currently comprises KrisFlyer, ANA and AirAsia. Through this new partnership, ASR members will earn 500 Asia Miles on qualifying direct bookings, while Cathay Silver, Gold and Diamond members will be eligible for an ASR tier match. ASR members currently enjoy double-earning on qualifying stays, accumulating both ASR points and airline miles from a single booking – a benefit not commonly found among hotel loyalty programmes globally.

From June 2026, members can also put their ASR points towards flight credits, with vouchers worth S$50, S$100 or S$200 redeemable across more than 640 airlines through DiscoverASR.com in partnership with Trip.com.

Unlocking Elevated Experiences Beyond the Stay
Beyond flights, ASR is broadening the programme to encompass destination experiences. Members can now book Tours and Experiences through DiscoverASR.com and accumulate ASR points in the process. From May 2026, points can go towards redeeming curated sporting and lifestyle events, Chelsea Football Club matchday experiences, selected ASR Local Signatures events, and tours and attraction tickets.

Recognising Loyalty with More Ways to Stay Rewarded
Every stay with Ascott earns members closer to a free night. ASR members can convert the points accumulated from their stays into complimentary nights across participating properties in 30 countries. For Platinum-tier members, complimentary breakfast is available when they book Ascott properties in Europe and, coming soon, China and Japan.

In addition, Ascott has introduced exclusive preview stays for Platinum-tier and Gold-tier ASR members at newly opened properties, offering privileged and complimentary access during the first month of opening. Piloted at Oakwood Cameron Highlands, which opened in March 2026, the programme is set to encompass a pipeline of upcoming Ascott property openings globally, including lyf Chinatown Singapore and Citadines Elizabeth Street Hobart.

Mr Moustafa Elmalawany, an ASR Platinum-tier member who was among the first guests to experience Oakwood Cameron Highlands, said: “As an ASR member there are already plenty of perks, and being part of the Elite Preview Stay made me feel truly recognised. The arrival experience was smooth and the personalised attention throughout my stay made it very pleasant. Overall, the stay was a fantastic experience. I’m looking forward to coming back here.”

ASR members can also look forward to locally curated in-room welcome gifts, tailored by membership tier, ranging from artisan confectioneries in Europe to seasonal tropical produce in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. Across participating properties in Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam, all ASR members enjoy 20% dining discounts on buffet and à la carte menus.

ASR Extends Its Rewards to Event Planners
As Ascott’s MICE business expands, ASR is extending its rewards to the organisers and corporate bookers behind its growing events business. The refreshed ASR Meeting Planner programme awards two ASR points for every dollar spent on rooms and events, unlocking privileges including membership upgrades, discounts, vouchers and bonus points.

Unlike conventional hotel venues, Ascott’s apartment-style accommodation and flexible event spaces support everything from short corporate offsites to long-stay project teams, product launches and celebrations. For groups seeking a more distinctive dining experience, Ascott partners with curated caterers and specialty chefs to design bespoke menus and immersive formats – from live cooking stations to hyper-local tasting journeys – at properties across its global portfolio.

ASR 7th Anniversary Campaign: Fast Track to Free Nights
To mark its seventh anniversary, ASR is rewarding members with a “Fast Track to Free Nights” campaign. Members who complete a minimum of six qualifying nights across participating ASR properties from April to May 2026, combining multiple bookings where needed, will earn a free night. Each member can earn a maximum of two free nights. The campaign is available across all participating ASR properties worldwide and is valid for bookings made via DiscoverASR.com and the ASR app. Terms and conditions apply.

About Ascott Star Rewards (ASR)
Ascott Star Rewards (ASR) offers members a range of exclusive privileges designed to elevate every aspect of their travel experience. From priority welcome services and access to airport lounges, to enhanced stay benefits such as car rental privileges, bonus ASR points, airline miles and travel vouchers, ASR ensures a seamless, start-to-finish experience. Beyond exceptional stays, ASR members also enjoy access to Ascott Privilege Signatures, which unlocks invitations to prestigious global events, including Premier League football matches, renowned tennis tournaments, and elite gastronomy and lifestyle experiences. To become an ASR member, sign up today at https://www.discoverasr.com/en/sign-up.

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– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.