Posted on January 8, 2021
Great hospitality experiences make travel fun for everyone, but that joy disappears when guests encounter construction. Still, increased demand for places to stay requires more hotel properties, so which cities currently balance these two industry factors? These are the six cities with the largest hotel construction pipelines and how they plan to ensure guest satisfaction while each project continues.
1. New York City
Hotels pulled double duty in New York City during 2020. They continued supporting the tourism industry while finding room for 60,000 unhoused individuals to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. In doing so, the city expanded plans for hotel construction, creating a future pipeline of jobs and in-progress sites.
The work that began in 2019 will finish 139,000 new rooms in 2021, with a total of 114 new hotels across the city’s five boroughs. The widespread construction ensures a smooth tourism flow to other properties before the new sites become operational.
2. Dubai
The Expo 2020 will occur during Dubai’s peak 2021 tourism season. Experts expect the event to attract 25 million visitors during the six-month event period, which can only happen with enough hotel space. The city’s construction pipeline will complete 161 new hotels this year, with minimal construction occurring during peak travel times. Construction for this pipeline began four years ago, so the city only has to wrap up each project.
3. Shanghai
Shanghai is one of China’s most prominent business hubs. The hospitality market has to grow alongside the rise in business travel, which is why the city plans to finish nine hotels in 2021 with an extra 2,710 rooms. The majority will be four-star properties, speaking to the expectation of luxury in the bustling heart of Shanghai. Construction crews could only pull off projects of this size with well-trained teams dedicated to low-risk plans and minimizing guest disruptions.
4. Manchester
The growth of Manchester Airport and the city’s tourist attractions have created a growing need for additional hotel space. By the end of 2021, Manchester construction crews will build ten new properties and complete a 50% growth spurt by 2022. If the creation of new local festivals and the presence of film crews continue in Manchester, the city expects continued growth.
5. Hamburg
The Hamburg hotel pipeline includes plans for 197 hotels during 2021. Tourists continue to visit the city in waves to tour the famous port city and stop by the world-renowned concert hall. The extra 32,187 rooms will encourage even more visitors to fly in, whether it’s for fun or business.
6. Paris
Tourists will never lose fascination with Paris’s history, which shows in the city’s hotel construction pipeline. France will build 168 hotel properties in 2021, finishing 41 projects in Paris to open more rooms in the busy capitol. A continued boom in hotel growth is necessary to accommodate tourists and make up for historic hotels that frequently shut down rooms due to old pipe leaks and other age-related property maintenance.
Prepare for Anything
2020 reminded the world that no one knows what the future holds. Hotel owners and industry experts can watch these six cities with the largest hotel construction pipelines to see how their plans hold up with whatever 2021 has in store.
Our awards
Middle East CEO of the Year Awards
MEA Markets is excited to announce that the Middle East CEO of the Year Awards will be retuning in 2024! Building on the success of last year’s inaugural campaign, we strive to make this year’s awards even better. Our team are looking forward to delving deeper into the corporate world of the Middle East, recognising the top CEOs and business leaders driving innovation across the region.
Visit our awards here Our awards
MEA Business Awards
MEA Markets is excited to announce that the prestigious MEA Business Awards will be returning to our platform once again in 2024! This ever-popular programme is now entering its eighth consecutive year, and with each iteration we strive to make the latest version even better than the last!
Visit our awards here Our awards
UAE Business Awards
MEA Markets is delighted to announce the UAE Business Awards 2025. A distinguished celebration of the companies and entrepreneurs propelling the United Arab Emirates to the forefront of global commerce, innovation, and excellence. Now in the award’s ninth year, the UAE Business Awards will once again reflect on the region’s incredible achievements and look ahead to its bright and ambitious future.
Visit our awards here
