Global hotel construction hits record high as European investment grows

The global hotel construction pipeline reached a record high of 15,976 projects and 2.43 million rooms by the end of the second quarter of 2026. According to Lodging Econometrics, there is significant growth in the Asia-Pacific, Middle East, and Africa regions. Currently, 6,174 projects involving over one million rooms are under construction, while another 3,743 projects are scheduled to begin within the next year.

In Europe, hotel investment totaled 11.7 billion euros during the first half of 2026. While this represents a 9.5% decrease compared to the previous year, it remains 19.5% above the ten-year average. The market is characterized by high selectivity, with capital concentrating on premium, well-located assets. Transactions exceeding 100 million euros rose by 30% year-on-year.

Within the European market, the United Kingdom led investment with 3.22 billion euros, followed by Spain, which secured approximately 2.6 billion euros. Spain's investment grew by nearly 35%, making it the second-largest market in Europe. Together, the UK and Spain accounted for nearly half of all hotel investment recorded in the region during the semester.