23.5% rise in Middle East hotel development

STR’s June 2016 Pipeline Report shows 154,576 rooms in 550 hotels Under Contract in the Middle East and 55,736 rooms in 289 hotels Under Contract in Africa. The Under Contract total in the Middle East subcontinent represents a 23.5 per cent increase in rooms Under Contract compared with June 2015 and a 14.1 per cent year-over-year increase in rooms In Construction. The Middle East reported 81,951 rooms in 256 hotels under construction for the month.

Under Contract data includes projects in the In Construction, Final Planning and Planning stages but does not include projects in the Unconfirmed stage.

The Under Contract total in Africa represents a 29.1 per cent increase in rooms Under Contract compared with June 2015 and a 31.5 per cent year-over-year increase in rooms In Construction. Africa reported 30,703 rooms in 157 hotels under construction for the month.

Among the countries in the Middle East and Africa, Saudi Arabia reported the most rooms In Construction with 35,770 rooms in 81 hotels. United Arab Emirates followed with 26,989 rooms in 93 hotels. Two other countries each reported more than 5,000 rooms In Construction: Qatar (7,125 rooms in 30 hotels) and Egypt (6,095 rooms in 18 hotels).