Unprecedented Growth in Europe’s Hospitality Sector: 315 New Hotels to Open in 2026
Europe’s hospitality sector is witnessing a boom, with a staggering 315 new hotels, encompassing 44,666 rooms, slated to open across the region in 2026. This data comes from the Europe Hotel Construction Pipeline Trend Report by Lodging Econometrics.
The report unveils that a massive 1,717 hotel projects and 252,600 rooms are currently under development across Europe. Of these, 754 projects are under active construction, accounting for 115,289 rooms. Furthermore, an additional 375 projects, contributing 54,097 rooms, are scheduled to kick off within the next 12 months.
The luxury and upper-upscale segments are spearheading this expansion, thereby reshaping Europe’s tourism landscape. This growth plays a pivotal role in fueling airline expansion and cruise tourism growth. As more luxury hotels spring up in high-demand destinations, airlines are reciprocating by increasing flight frequencies and launching new routes to cater to the burgeoning number of affluent travelers.
This growth trend follows the successful inauguration of 255 hotels (30,603 rooms) in 2025. Forecasts suggest another 320 hotels (44,625 rooms) will open their doors in 2027. This trend underscores the hotel industry’s confidence in the sustained demand for international travel to Europe, particularly in major cities witnessing a surge in cruise tourism traffic.
The growth is creating a virtuous cycle that benefits travelers, local economies, and the tourism industry. Improved infrastructure is making European destinations more appealing to both airlines and cruise operators.
Source: Travel and Tour World