Hotel development in the Middle East increases by 1.3%

STR’s February 2017 Pipeline Report shows 153,460 rooms in 540 hotel projects Under Contract in the Middle East and 58,374 rooms in 309 projects Under Contract in Africa. Two key markets in the Middle East and Africa region reported more than 10,000 rooms In Construction: Makkah, Saudi Arabia (22,370 rooms in 17 projects) and Dubai, United Arab Emirates (19,578 rooms in 64 projects).
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 the Middle East represents a 1.3 per cent increase in rooms Under Contract compared with February 2016. Specifically in the In Construction phase, the Middle East reported 83,106 rooms in 263 hotels. Based on number of rooms, that is a 3.4% increase in year-over-year comparisons. The Under Contract total in Africa represents a 6.1% decrease in rooms Under Contract compared with February 2016. In the In Construction phase, Africa reported 29,084 rooms in 159 hotels. Based on number of rooms, that is a 1.6 per cent decrease in year-over-year comparisons.