Where Are the Current Hotspots for Hotel Development?

Everyone likes to talk about the future of hotels in sweeping, unspecific terms, but the more useful question is simpler: where are hotels actually being built right now? Looking at what's moving through the hotel development pipeline, from early vision documents to cranes on site, can give a much clearer picture. When looking at our database of hotel projects in progress—as of today, as things are always quickly changing—the United States alone has more than 1,300 in some stage of development, from vision through construction, with real momentum also building across the UK, Germany, and leisure-driven markets like Dubai, Mexico, and Greece.

 US Hotel Development: Sun Belt Momentum, Texas-Sized Ambition 

California and Florida are probably among the states most people would guess sit at the top of the list, and the data backs that up. THP's database shows California with more than 150 hotel construction projects in progress, spanning everything from boutique urban properties to resort-style developments along the coast. Florida is ahead of that with more than 180, pushed by steady population growth, a tourism economy that never slows down (the beaches speak for themselves), and developers who see year-round demand. Both states have long track records with hospitality investment, so this isn't really a surprise so much as a continuation.

What's more interesting is Dallas. We track more than 115 projects underway in Texas, and Dallas has become a focal point within that. The city's growth has been driven by corporate relocations, an expanding convention and events scene, and a cost of living that still looks semi reasonable compared to the coasts. Hotel developers tend to follow office space and population growth, and Dallas has had plenty of both over the past several years.

European Hotel Development: London Holds Its Ground, Germany Builds Wide

London remains one of the anchors for hotel development in Europe, and our data puts the UK's total pipeline at more than 330 in-progress projects. That number is a good reflection of London's pull as a financial and cultural capital, but it also shows a bigger pattern across the UK where secondary cities are picking up pace as well. Brexit-era uncertainty made some investors cautious for a few years, but the pipeline numbers suggest that hesitation has largely worn off. London's mix of long-stay corporate travel, tourism, and events continues to support new development even as construction costs in the city are going up.

When we head over to Germany, however, there is a different story happening. And, arguably, a more surprising one. Our database records more than 520 projects in progress there, giving it one of the largest hotel pipelines tracked anywhere in Europe, and comfortably ahead of the UK. Berlin gets most of the attention, thanks to its startup culture, creative economy, and steady stream of visitors. Hamburg may have a quieter reputation, but its fundamentals are anything but: a strong port economy and a growing convention business continue to support demand for new hotel supply. Between the two cities, and the dozens of mid-sized German markets that don't make international headlines (there are a lot of them), the country stands out as one of the busiest hospitality development markets in the region.

Leisure Travel Markets: Dubai, Mexico, and Greece

Leisure-focused markets play by a different set of rules than business-driven cities, and the three worth watching closely right now are Dubai, Mexico, and Greece. Each shows up in the database with its own scale and its own reasoning behind it:

• Dubai has more than 60 resort and hotel projects underway, backed by the fact that tourism is seen as a key part of the city’s infrastructure, along with a steady stream of international visitors and residents.

• Mexico leads the three with more than 100 projects, spread across both established cities and newer destinations that are only now attracting hotel investment.

• Greece rounds it out also with more than 60 projects, reflecting years of strong tourism numbers and a hospitality scene that is always evolving.

What ties these three together is that none of them depend heavily on business travel to fill rooms. They're built on vacations and the kind of repeat leisure travel that tends to be more stable than people assume. Mexico in particular has benefited from proximity to the US market and a growing number of direct flights from cities that didn't have them a decade ago. Dubai and Greece, despite being geographically and culturally very different, share a similar advantage: both have invested heavily in making themselves easy to get to and easy to enjoy once you arrive.

What This Tells Us About Hotel Development Trends

Growth within the US is happening more and more in places like Dallas that offer more room to build and lower costs to build with, even as California and Florida keep their long-standing lead. Europe shows a similar split, with Germany's broad pipeline complementing rather than replacing London's continued strength. The leisure markets show something simple: steady tourist demand can support a ton of development without needing some new trend to justify it. If there's a common thread, it's that hotel developers are following practical signals such as population growth, flight connections, and cost.