Lodging Econometrics' global hotel pipeline shows growth for the short-term

According to the Lodging Econometrics’ Global Construction Pipeline Trend Report, the world’s hotel pipeline had 11,776 hotels with 1,962,676 rooms at the end of 2016, up 6 percent by hotels year-over-year. 

There were 5,504 hotels with 1,012,987 rooms under construction, up 4 percent by hotels year-over-year. Hotels scheduled to start construction in the next 12 months were up a strong 21 percent at 3,675 hotels and 516,709 rooms.

Farther out, however, things look a bit less promising. The report found the number of hotels in the early planning stage to be at 2,597 hotels with 432,980 rooms—down 7 percent by hotels.

Top Companies, Top Brands

The leading franchise companies in the global construction pipeline (by project count) are Marriott International with 2,190 hotels and 368,077 rooms, Hilton with 1,841 hotels and 283,326 rooms, InterContinental Hotels Group with 1,351 hotels and 209,208 rooms and Choice Hotels with 488 hotels and 42,933 rooms. 

The leading brands for each of these companies are Marriott’s Fairfield Inn with 342 hotels and 35,703 rooms, Hilton’s Hampton Inn with 489 hotels and 57,222 rooms, IHG’s Holiday Inn Express with 602 hotels and 73,282 rooms and Choice’s Comfort Inn with 117 hotels and 11,239 rooms.

Top Destinations

The top countries by room-count are the United States with 598,688 rooms and 4,960 hotels and China with 525,640 rooms and 2,340 hotels. The U.S. accounts for 30 percent of the rooms in the Global Pipeline while China accounts for 27 percent, resulting in 57 percent of the Global Pipeline being concentrated in just two countries.

The cities with the largest pipeline room counts are Dubai with 32,899 rooms and 117 hotels, New York with 30,541 rooms and 192 hotels, Seoul with 30,456 rooms and 154 hotels, Shanghai with 23,252 rooms and 125 hotels and Sanya with 22,629 rooms and 60 hotels.