The hotel development story in Europe and the Middle East tells a very different story from the U.S. — especially when it comes to luxury, construction timelines, and where brands see real long-term opportunity.

I connected with Bruce Ford, SVP at Lodging Econometrics, to break down the latest pipeline numbers across Europe and the Middle East: luxury dominance, delays, conversions, and why so many projects now push out toward 2027–2028.

On #NoVacancyNews, Bruce explains what's fueling the surge in full-service and luxury projects, why construction timelines remain stretched, and how the Middle East continues building entire districts — not just hotels.

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Key Insights:

📊 Why Europe and the Middle East dominate global luxury pipelines 🏨 How construction timelines pushed out nearly a year post-pandemic 🌍 Why major Middle East projects involve entire cities, not single assets 💡 How Europe trails U.S. trends by 6–12 months — and what that means 🔧 Why conversions and renovations surge as markets hit a performance plateau 🏷️ How "unbranded" boutique concepts evolve into recognized chain-scale brands

Question for you: Which region feels more primed for growth right now — Europe or the Middle East?