Gulf Region Boasts 170,000 Hotel Rooms in Active Development Pipeline
Photo Credit: The 25 Hours hotel lobby in Dubai. 25hours Hotel.
Skift Take
Even as global hotel development may have slowed down due to serious risks looming over the economy, the hospitality sector's development of Gulf nations remains robust. The nations realize offering choice is essential for people to visit a destination.
The Gulf region now has more than 170,000 hotel rooms under active development, which includes planning, final planning and under construction, according to research conducted at the end of September by STR, a hotel market intelligence and global benchmarking company. This active hotel development pipeline now equals 40 percent of the Gulf region’s existing hotel room inventory, a figure almost four times greater than the global average of 11 percent. The STR report estimates 135,560 existing rooms in Saudi Arabia with an active pipeline of 82,639 rooms, with total room inventory projected for 2030, at over 218,000 rooms. Similarly for the United Arab Emirates, the research currently tracks more than 202,000 existing rooms with an active pipeline of 48,910 rooms, a combined total of almost 251,000 rooms by 2030. “Interestingly, Ras Al Khaimah, is second only to Dubai, with 5,076 rooms in its pipeline, almost the same amount as Sharjah, Abu Dhabi and Fujairah combined,” said Danielle Curtis, exhibition director of Arabian Travel Market. The research had been commissioned by Arabian Travel Market.
The United Arab Emirates ranked as the world’s most powerful passport based on mobility and freedom from travel restrictions, according to the latest publication of the Montreal-based financial advisory firm Arton Capital’s Passport Index. Those holding a United Arab Emirates passport are allowed visa-free entry to 121 countries, while 59 countries accord visa on arrival to UAE passport holders. Helping the country reach a “mobility score” of 180. Qatar stands at 46 followed by Kuwait at 48. Saudi Arabia is ranked at 93. United Arab Emirates ranked 15th in the Henley Passport Index for the third quarter of the year. According to Arton Capital, the firm updates its passport index rankings in real time as new visa waivers and changes are implemented, showing the current effects that Covid-19 travel bans and the war in Ukraine have on global mobility right now.
German hospitality management group, Deutsche Hospitality, announc
