Hotel Development 2026: Where New Builds Still Win

Our friend Bruce Ford, SVP at Lodging Econometrics, joined me right after Lodging Econometrics released its Global Hotel Pipeline report—and it comes with a few surprises and some "pay attention to this" moments for owners, operators, brands, and suppliers.

We walk through what the report shows across new construction, renovations, and conversions—and how the mix shifts depending on where you look.

🌍 Bruce breaks down where new builds keep accelerating and where renovations/conversions take the lead
🇨🇳 China stays on a different scale for rooms under construction
🕋 Mecca keeps projects moving, but timelines stretch 12–24 months as mega-project scope expands
🏙️ Luxury trends smaller on key counts, and developers stack residential into the deal
🎸 Las Vegas stays active with renovations plus a few big-ticket bets
🇺🇸 Conversions keep running in the U.S. because transactions trigger recapitalization and PIPs force decisions

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