MORE than 300 new hotels housing almost 85,000 guest rooms are set to open across the Middle East and Africa next year, latest industry figures have revealed. The Middle East and Africa Hotel Construction Overview report by Tophotelprojects – released in the days leading up to the three-day 17th annual The Hotel Show Dubai that opens today (Sept. 17) – shows that the region will welcome 316 new builds in 2017, between them opening the doors on 84,337 new rooms for tourists and holidaymakers. The UAE accounts for almost 20% of those developments, with 59 projects already underway, set to open in 2017. Saudi Arabia is close behind with 51 builds in the pipeline, while Turkey (28), Qatar (18), and Morocco (17) are also set for a busy 12 months. Caroline List, International Sales Manager at Tophotelprojects, said: "There are some truly exciting hotel openings forecast for the region in 2017. Those include the ME Dubai Hotel designed by the late, renowned architect Zaha Hadid; Abraj Kudai Towers in Makkah, which will become the world's biggest hotel with 10,000 rooms; The Address EMAAR Square in Instanbul; and Melia Beach Hotel Saidia, Morocco." List, who will be speaking as part of the ‘Update on market and consumer patterns and trends - get the inside track' panel discussion at The Hotel Show Dubai's 2016 Vision Conference, added: "The busiest cities remain Dubai, Riyadh and Doha. At The Hotel Show we will be presenting the latest facts and figures about the hotel construction pipeline in the MEA region with a closer look at the UAE and Dubai." With 138 hotel projects currently underway across Dubai, the city's hospitality development buzz is set to heighten with more than 30,000 visitors forecast to attend The Hotel Show – and co-located events The Leisure Show and Piscine Middle East – starting this week at the Dubai World Trade Centre. Complementing The Hotel Show – while highlighting the importance of hotel design in Dubai and its growing focus on sustainability – two additional exhibitions, the Windows, Doors & Façade Event (Sept. 18-20) and Intersolar Middle East (Sept. 19-21) will also take place at the venue.
