Hospitality consultancy HVS values the combined GCC and North Africa hotel and resort pipeline at approximately $90bn. The projects will add nearly 200,000 rooms across the two regions. That represents a 27% increase in existing regional supply, per HVS data.
Saudi Arabia holds the largest share. Around 110,000 rooms are under development — roughly half the regional total, according to HVS. Projects span Riyadh, Makkah, Madinah, Diriyah, NEOM, the Red Sea coast and AMAALA. The breadth of that geographic spread reflects the ambition of Vision 2030’s tourism targets.
Egypt and the UAE round out the top three
Egypt ranks second by planned supply. Approximately 42,000 rooms are in the pipeline, spread across Cairo, the North Coast and Red Sea destinations. The UAE, meanwhile, remains a mature but still-expanding market. Destination-led schemes continue to reshape Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah. Wynn Al Marjan Island is among the flagship projects reinforcing the UAE’s draw for international visitors.
Across the wider region, HVS data shows around 88,000 rooms currently under construction. A further 25,000 are in final planning stages. More than 55% of upcoming hotels are expected to reach the market between 2026 and 2030.
Delivery will stay phased. Saudi giga-projects extend well into the next decade. The UAE operates on a shorter construction cycle. Egypt’s hotels will also enter the market gradually over several years.
What does the pipeline mean for investors?
Scale is notable, but financing discipline is the real test. Developers increasingly structure projects as mixed-use schemes, pairing hotels with branded residences and retail. This broadens revenue streams and manages construction risk more effectively.
Saudi projects draw substantial support from government-backed vehicles and public-private partnerships. Across the GCC, developers are adding residential and commercial components to hotel developments. That product mix gives investors exposure to multiple demand segments within a single asset.
Connectivity remains a central investment variable. Air links, transport networks and digital infrastructure must keep pace with new destination supply. As one market analyst put it: the region’s next winners will be destinations that match construction ambition with operational discipline.
Infrastructure and talent are the next pressure points
Operators face a parallel challenge on the talent side. Service standards must scale alongside room counts. Training pipelines and workforce strategies are rising priorities for both developers and hotel brands entering new markets.
Future Hospitality Summit — FHS World 2026 takes place at Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai from 29 September to 1 October 2026. The event’s theme, ‘Reinvest in our Future’, reflects the sector’s current strategic mood.
Investors should track delivery milestones, operator commitments, financing structures and infrastructure readiness as the Saudi hotel pipeline moves from blueprint into operation.
Quick answers
According to HVS, approximately 110,000 rooms are under development in Saudi Arabia, representing roughly half of the broader $90bn GCC and North Africa pipeline.
HVS data shows more than 55% of planned rooms across the GCC and North Africa are expected to be delivered between 2026 and 2030, with Saudi giga-project phases extending beyond that window.
Saudi Arabia leads with around 110,000 rooms, followed by Egypt with approximately 42,000 rooms, and the UAE, which continues to expand across Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah.
