Hotel construction across the Asia-Pacific among the world’s least active

The Langham, Gold Coast was opened to guests in June.

The Middle East and Africa have emerged as the only regions to increase hotel construction activity over the past three months – and the Asia-Pacific has been identified as one of the worst global performers.

New STR research reveals that the total number of hotel rooms under contract in the Asia-Pacific plummeted 4.3 per cent to 904,000 rooms in the third quarter of the year.

The number of hotel rooms in final planning throughout the region dropped more than 26 per cent, but the number under construction increased by 1.5 per cent.

In contrast, in the Middle East and Africa, the number of hotels under contract increased 2.2 per cent over the quarter while a further 74,510 rooms are planned – equating to another 19 per cent.

European hotel construction fell by 8.3 per cent over the quarter, and the total number of hotel rooms under contract was about half a million.

In the Americas, which has experienced a major post Covid-19 travel boom, hotel construction has fallen by 4.8 per cent.

The US holds the majority of hotel rooms under construction in the ­region, followed by Mexico with 14,000 rooms under construction and Canada with just over 7000 rooms under construction.

Despite the lack of construction in the Asia-Pacific, one of Australia’s newest hotels, the Hong Kong-managed The Langham, Gold Coast, opened in June. The five-star hotel features 339 room.

A 257-room Ritz Carlton will open in Melbourne in March. Its lobby will be 80 levels above the ground. The hotel would “deliver an experience tailored to today’s luxury guest”, said its general manager, Antony Page.