Nov 18, 2025
The hotel development story in Europe and the Middle East tells a very different story from the U.S. — especially when it comes to luxury, construction timelines, and where brands see real long-term opportunity.
I connected with Bruce Ford, SVP at Lodging Econometrics, to break down the latest pipeline numbers across Europe and the Middle East: luxury dominance, delays, conversions, and why so many projects now push out toward 2027–2028.
On #NoVacancyNews, Bruce explains what’s fueling the surge in full-service and luxury projects, why construction timelines remain stretched, and how the Middle East continues building entire districts — not just hotels.
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Follow along with or download the charts
Key Insights:
📊 Why Europe and the Middle
East dominate global luxury pipelines
🏨 How construction timelines pushed out nearly a year
post-pandemic
🌍 Why major Middle East projects involve entire cities, not single
assets
💡 How Europe trails U.S. trends by 6–12 months — and what that
means
🔧 Why conversions and renovations surge as markets hit a
performance plateau
🏷️ How “unbranded” boutique concepts evolve into recognized
chain-scale brands
Question for you:
Which region feels more primed for growth right now — Europe or the
Middle East?