The Middle East and Africa regions reported mixed results in the current hotel development pipeline for January 2018. While guestroom construction totals in the Middle East rose 22.4 percent compared with the same period last year, Africa's guestroom construction totals dropped 13.8 percent, according to an STR report.
The Middle East, whose current inventory totals 2,097 hotels with 346,009 guestrooms, reported that its development pipeline had 333 properties with 105,037 guestrooms in construction as of last month. Meanwhile, the market has 91 hotels with 22,441 guestrooms in the final planning stage and an additional 192 hotels with 49,467 guestrooms in the planning stage.
Africa's hotel market didn't experience the surge in growth the Middle East experienced in January 2018. The continent's inventory, which currently has 4,386 hotels and 522,098 guestrooms, only has 146 hotels with 26,030 guestrooms under construction. The pipeline also has another 40 hotels with 7,551 guestrooms in the final planning stage and 121 hotels with 22,562 guestrooms in the planning stage.
Dubai
Dubai took the lead in January 2018 with the largest number of guestrooms in the region's development pipeline. The UAE city is set to add a total of 36,394 guestrooms, which are currently under construction, to its existing inventory of 97,736 guestrooms.
Makkah
Makkah, also known as Mecca, came in second last month with 23,307 guestrooms under construction. These new projects will increase the Saudi Arabian city's inventory of 32,377 guestrooms.
Doha
Doha took third place in January 2018. Qatar's capital now has 9,034 guestrooms of its pipeline under construction.They will expand the city's inventory of 11,057 guestrooms.
Riyadh
Riyadh was in fourth place last month with 6,290 guestrooms under construction. These projects will boost the inventory of Saudi Arabia's capital city, which currently totals 13,104 guestrooms.
Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi came in last place in January 2018 with 4,064 guestrooms under construction. The new guestrooms will expand the UAE capital's inventory of 26,678 guestrooms.