Saudi Arabia, Nigeria rank highest in hotel project numbers for MENA

Saudi Arabia and Nigeria have ranked highest in total number of hotel projects for the construction pipelines of the Middle East and Africa, respectively.

The kingdom has a total of 209 hotel projects with 72,680 guestrooms in the pipeline, according to data from Lodging Econometrics. The UAE followed Saudi Arabia close behind with 208 hotel projects and 58,930 guestrooms. Qatar has the third largest pipeline in the region with 58 hotel projects and 13,667 guestrooms. 

Although in the UAE, Dubai has the largest pipeline for a city in the Middle East. The city has as total of 161 projects with 46,420 guestrooms under construction. Meanwhile, Provincial, Saudi Arabia has 60 projects with 10,859 guestrooms lined up, and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia has 58 projects with 10,885 guestrooms in its pipeline.

In Africa’s construction pipeline, Nigeria has the most hotels under construction, totaling 38 projects with 6,561 guestrooms. Ethiopia has the second largest pipeline with 30 projects and 5,319 guestrooms. Morocco follows Ethiopia close behind with 29 hotel projects and 4,315 guestrooms. 

While Ethiopia has the second largest number of hotel projects under construction in the continent, its capital Addis Ababa has the largest pipeline in Africa for a city. The city has 24 hotel projects with 4,347guestrooms under construction. Nairobi, Kenya comes in second with 17 projects and 2,641 guestrooms while Lagos, Nigeria comes in third with 16 projects and 2,604 guestrooms.

In the Middle East and Africa, some projects in the pipeline include the 207-room Hilton Garden Inn Umhlanga Arch in Umhlanga, Durban, South Africa, the 553-room Sabah Rotana in Dubai, UAE and 14 hotels with 1,746 guestrooms set to operate in Africa under  Mangalis Hospitality Group.