Development

Global hotel construction activity reached 15,976 projects totaling 2.43 million rooms at the end of the second quarter of 2026. The United States and China accounted for 59% of projects in the worldwide pipeline, while India, Saudi Arabia and several regional markets recorded year-over-year growth.

The Middle East hotel construction pipeline reached 724 projects containing 178,003 rooms at the end of the second quarter of 2026, according to Lodging Econometrics. The total represented year-over-year increases of 11% in projects and 10% in rooms, with Saudi Arabia accounting for more than half of the region’s planned developments.

Europe’s hotel construction pipeline stood at 1,736 projects and 255,976 rooms at the end of the second quarter of 2026, with growth in construction, planning activity and forecasts for new hotel openings through 2028.

Improved air links are helping branded hotels enter smaller Indian markets, but domestic tourism, lower development costs and asset-light expansion are equally important parts of the story.

Hotel development in Asia-Pacific excluding China reached 2,506 projects and 452,972 rooms at the end of the second quarter of 2026, according to Lodging Econometrics. India accounted for the largest national pipeline, while early-stage planning, renovations and conversions also increased across the region.

China’s hotel construction pipeline totaled 3,588 projects and 632,256 rooms at the end of the second quarter of 2026, while record conversion activity and a forecast of 1,131 hotel openings point to continued expansion across the country.

Latin America’s hotel construction pipeline stood at 759 projects and 111,340 rooms in the second quarter of 2026, according to Lodging Econometrics. Growth was concentrated in early planning, with project numbers up 22% from a year earlier, while Mexico, Brazil and the Dominican Republic accounted for most of the planned hotel development in the region.

Canada’s hotel construction pipeline reached a record 345 projects totaling 47,874 rooms at the end of the second quarter of 2026, with 52% of the projects in early planning and 55% located in Ontario.

Dallas had the largest U.S. hotel construction pipeline at the end of the second quarter of 2026, while Atlanta is projected to lead new hotel openings in 2028, according to Lodging Econometrics.

Lodging Econometrics forecasts continued growth in the U.S. hotel supply through 2028, with 832 new hotels expected to open that year, while construction activity, conversions and new project announcements increased during the second quarter of 2026.