The quarter saw 9 percent project growth and 11 percent room growth YOY
Dallas leads the top five U.S. markets with the largest hotel construction pipeline at the end of the first quarter, totaling 203 projects, a new all-time high, according to Lodging Econometrics.
Vishnu Rageev R is a journalist with more than 15 years of experience in business journalism. Before joining Asian Media Group in 2022, he worked with BW Businessworld, IMAGES Group, exchange4media Group, DC Books, and Dhanam Publications in India. His coverage includes industry analysis, market trends and corporate developments, focusing on retail, real estate and hospitality. As a senior journalist with Asian Hospitality, he covers the U.S. hospitality industry. He is from Kerala, a state in South India.
DALLAS LED THE top five U.S. markets with the largest hotel construction pipelines at the end of the first quarter, totaling 203 projects and 24,496 rooms, according to Lodging Econometrics. This marks a new all-time high, representing 9 percent project growth and 11 percent room growth year-over-year.
LE’s U.S. Hotel Construction Pipeline Trend Report found that Atlanta, with 166 projects and 19,149 rooms; Nashville, with 127 projects and 16,589 rooms; Phoenix, with 126 projects and 16,490 rooms; and Austin, with 124 projects and 14,514 rooms, all achieved new all-time highs, showing 11 percent project growth and 9 percent room growth year-over-year.
At the close of the first quarter, U.S. markets with the most projects under construction include New York with 39 projects and 7,064 rooms, Phoenix with 34 projects and 5,023 rooms, and Dallas with 31 projects and 3,706 rooms. Atlanta follows with 26 projects and 3,182 rooms, and the Inland Empire has 22 projects and 2,399 rooms under construction.
Dallas also leads with the most projects scheduled to start within the next 12 months, with 80 projects and 8,890 rooms. Following Dallas are Atlanta with 61 projects and 7,452 rooms, Nashville with 50 projects and 7,058 rooms, Austin with 47 projects and 5,347 rooms, and the Inland Empire with 46 projects and 4,652 rooms.
Dallas leads U.S. markets with the most projects in early planning, totaling 92 projects and 11,900 rooms. Atlanta follows with 79 projects and 8,515 rooms, Austin with 61 projects and 6,988 rooms, Nashville with 57 projects and 6,892 rooms, and the Inland Empire with 55 projects and 5,384 rooms.
Other notable markets include Raleigh-Durham, which reached new all-time highs with 68 projects and 8,774 rooms, and Saint Louis, with a new all-time high of 47 projects and 5,271 rooms.
In the first quarter of 2025, 138 new projects totaling 19,800 rooms were announced across the top 50 U.S. markets. The leading markets for new announcements include Dallas with 9 projects and 2,011 rooms, Austin with 9 projects and 988 rooms, and New York with 8 projects and 1,595 rooms. Following them are Nashville, Atlanta, and Denver, each with 7 projects, accounting for 996 rooms, 757 rooms, and 688 rooms, respectively.
Renovation and brand conversion activity remains strong across the U.S. at the end of the first quarter. The Washington, DC, market leads with 35 projects and 5,025 rooms. Following are Charlotte with 34 projects and 3,729 rooms, Atlanta with 33 projects and 3,709 rooms, Houston with 30 projects and 4,060 rooms, and Chicago with 28 projects and 5,742 rooms.
The U.S. saw the opening of around 161 new hotels and 18,767 rooms in the first quarter. The Atlanta market led with seven new hotels and 733 rooms, followed by Dallas with six hotels and 534 rooms, and New York with five hotels and 498 rooms.
LE analysts forecast 579 new hotels and 64,781 rooms to open across the U.S. from Q2 to Q4 2025, bringing the total to 740 new hotels and 83,548 rooms by year-end.
For the 2026 forecast, LE analysts expect 848 new hotels and 92,892 rooms to open in the U.S. by year-end. Dallas is expected to lead with 26 hotels and 2,611 rooms, followed by Atlanta with 24 hotels and 2,539 rooms. Phoenix and the Inland Empire each have 23 new hotels forecast, accounting for 3,587 and 2,207 rooms, respectively.
LE recently reported that the U.S. hotel pipeline at the end of the first quarter of 2025 totaled 6,376 projects and 749,561 rooms, reflecting a 5 percent year-over-year increase in projects and a 6 percent increase in rooms.
AHLA Foundation distributed $710,000 in scholarships to 246 students.
Nearly 90 percent of recipients come from underrepresented communities.
The foundation funds students pursuing education and careers in the lodging sector.
AHLA FOUNDATION DISTRIBUTED $710,000 in academic scholarships to 246 students at 64 schools nationwide for the 2025–2026 academic year. Nearly 90 percent of recipients are from underrepresented communities, reflecting the foundation’s focus on expanding access to hospitality careers.
The foundation awards academic scholarships annually to students in hospitality management and related programs, it said in a statement.
“Our scholarship program is helping ensure the next generation of talent has the resources to pursue careers in the hospitality industry,” said Kevin Carey, AHLA Foundation's president and CEO. “We’ve invested millions of dollars over the last several decades to recruit and support future leaders who will strengthen our industry.”
It provides funding to help students pursue education and careers in the lodging sector, the statement said. Award decisions are based on applicants’ academic performance, extracurricular involvement, recommendations and financial need.
In September, AHLA Foundation, the International Council on Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Education and the Accreditation Commission for Programs in Hospitality Administration announced plans to expand education opportunities for hospitality students. The alliance aim to provide data, faculty development and student engagement opportunities.
By clicking the 'Subscribe’, you agree to receive our newsletter, marketing communications and industry
partners/sponsors sharing promotional product information via email and print communication from Asian Media
Group USA Inc. and subsidiaries. You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time by clicking the
unsubscribe link in our emails. We will use your email address to personalize our communications and send you
relevant offers. Your data will be stored up to 30 days after unsubscribing.
Contact us at data@amg.biz to see how we manage and store your data.
The U.S. government shut down at midnight after Congress failed to agree on funding.
About 750,000 federal employees will be furloughed daily, costing $400 million.
Key immigration and labor programs are halted.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT shut down at midnight after Republicans and Democrats failed to agree on funding. Disputes over healthcare subsidies and spending priorities left both sides unwilling to accept responsibility.
The shutdown could cost America’s travel economy $1 billion a week, the U.S. Travel Association said previously. It will disrupt federal agencies, including the Transportation Security Administration and hurt the travel economy, USTA CEO Geoff Freeman wrote in a Sept. 25 letter to Congress.
“A shutdown is a wholly preventable blow to America’s travel economy—costing $1 billion each week—and affecting millions of travelers and businesses while straining an already overextended federal travel workforce,” Freeman said. “While Congress recently provided a $12.5 billion down payment to modernize our nation’s air travel system and improve safety and efficiency, this modernization will stop in the event of a shutdown.”
USTA said that halting air traffic controller hiring and training would worsen a nationwide shortage of more than 2,800 controllers and further strain the air travel system.
About 750,000 federal workers are expected to be furloughed each day at a cost of about $400 million, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Essential services to protect life and property remain operational, CNN reported. The Department of Education said most of its staff will be furloughed, while the Department of Homeland Security will continue much of its work. Agencies released contingency plans before the deadline.
Immigration services are directly affected. Most U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services operations continue because they are fee funded, but programs relying on appropriations—such as E-Verify, the Conrad 30 J-1 physician program and the special immigrant religious worker program—are suspended. Houston law firm Reddy Neumann Brown said employers must manually verify I-9 documents if E-Verify goes offline, though USCIS has historically extended compliance deadlines.
The Department of Labor will halt its Office of Foreign Labor Certification, freezing labor condition applications for H-1B visas, PERM applications and prevailing wage determinations, India’s Business Standard reported. Its FLAG system and related websites will also go offline. Immigration lawyers warn of ripple effects, since USCIS depends on DOL data. The Board of Alien Labor Certification Appeals and administrative law dockets will also pause.
Visa and passport services at U.S. consulates generally continue because they are fee funded. If revenue falls short at a post, services may be limited to emergencies and diplomatic needs.
Reuters reported that the disruption could delay the September jobs report, slow air travel, suspend scientific research, withhold pay from active-duty U.S. troops and disrupt other government operations. The funding standoff involves $1.7 trillion in discretionary agency spending—about one-quarter of the $7 trillion federal budget, according to Reuters. Most of the rest goes to health programs, retirement benefits and interest on the $37.5 trillion national debt.
According to The New York Times, unlike previous shutdowns, Trump is threatening long-term changes to the government if Democrats do not concede to demands, including firing workers and permanently cutting programs they support.
Many U.S. adults plan overnight leisure and business trips this year, according to AHLA.
Hotels top the list for 44 percent of leisure travelers and 63 percent of business travelers.
Four in five guests plan to stay at midscale or higher properties.
HALF OF U.S. adults plan to travel overnight for leisure before year-end, according to an American Hotel & Lodging Association survey. Nearly one-third of employed adults, 31 percent, expect to travel overnight for business.
The AHLA survey, conducted by Morning Consult, found hotels are the top choice for 44 percent of leisure travelers and 63 percent of business travelers, with nearly four in five guests planning to stay at midscale or higher properties.
Americans are most likely to take an overnight family trip, at 46 percent, with 34 percent traveling for Thanksgiving and 37 percent for Christmas, the report said. Travelers on romantic getaways and solo trips are more likely to choose hotels, while those visiting family for the holidays tend to stay with relatives.
However, travel intention has declined slightly from last fall and winter, with 45 percent citing rising costs as the main reason for scaling back plans, the poll found. About half say inflation could reduce their likelihood of overnight travel, yet 46 percent still plan an overnight family trip in the next four months despite financial concerns.
"These findings reinforce what we know: Americans want to travel and they overwhelmingly trust and depend on hotels when they do,” said Rosanna Maietta, AHLA president and CEO. “Despite this positive sentiment, rising costs and economic uncertainty are having a lingering effect on travel plans. That’s why AHLA advocates daily across all levels of government for policies that strengthen the hotel industry, its workforce and consumer confidence.”
The poll was conducted Sept. 6 to 8 among a sample of 2,202 adults.
A recent Hyatt Inclusive Collection survey found most Americans define quality time as moments with loved ones, yet 82 percent say they don’t get enough.
The U.S. led global travel and tourism in 2024 with $2.6 trillion in GDP, WTTC reported.
India retained ninth place with $249.3 billion in GDP.
The sector supported 357 million jobs in 2024, rising to 371 million in 2025.
THE U.S. LED global travel and tourism in 2024, contributing $2.6 trillion to GDP, mainly from domestic demand, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council. Europe accounted for five of the top 10 destinations, while India ranked 9th.
WTTC opened its 25th Global Summit in Rome with research showing investment reached $1 trillion in 2024, led by the U.S., China, Saudi Arabia and France.
“These results tell a story of strength and opportunity,” said Gloria Guevara, WTTC interim CEO. “The U.S. remains the world’s largest travel and tourism market, China is surging back, Europe is powering ahead, and destinations across the Middle East, Asia and Africa are delivering record growth. This year, we are forecasting that our sector will contribute a historic $2.1 trillion in 2025, surpassing the previous high of $1.9 trillion in 2019. As Italy hosts this year’s Global Summit, its role as a G7 leader showcases the importance of tourism in driving economies, creating jobs and shaping our shared future.”
The U.S. kept its top position, but international visitor spending is expected to fall by $12.5 billion in 2025, limiting growth to 0.7 percent. China, the second-largest market, contributed $1.64 trillion in 2024 and is forecast to grow 22.7 percent this year. Japan, the fifth-largest market, is expected to rise from $310.5 billion to nearly $325 billion.
Italy, which hosted the summit and is a G7 member, contributed $248.3 billion in 2024, driven by international visitors and the meetings and events sector. Germany, the third-largest market, contributed $525 billion. The UK generated $367 billion despite a fall in international visitor spending, while France and Spain added $289 billion and $270 billion. Europe’s growth was supported by both cultural and modern sectors.
India contributed $249.3 billion in 2024. In June, WTTC reported international visitors spent $36.09 billion in India in last year, up 9 percent from 2019.
Jobs on the rise
Travel and tourism supported 357 million jobs in 2024 and is expected to reach 371 million in 2025, increasing its share of global employment, the WTTC report found. By 2035, the sector is projected to support one in eight jobs worldwide, adding 91 million positions—most in Asia-Pacific—and accounting for one in three new jobs globally.
Uncertainties over trade tariffs and geopolitical tensions could limit sector growth in 2025, the report said. Travel and tourism’s GDP contribution is forecast to rise 6.7 percent, returning toward pre-pandemic averages but still outpacing the 2.5 percent growth projected for the global economy.
The sector is expected to contribute $11.7 trillion, or 10.3 percent of global GDP and add 14.4 million jobs, bringing total employment to 371 million, or 10.9 percent of global jobs. International visitor spending is projected to fully recover, rising 8.6 percent above 2019 levels to nearly $2.1 trillion, while domestic visitor spending is expected to rise 13.6 percent to $5.6 trillion. Annual growth for 2025 is forecast at 10 percent for international and 5.1 percent for domestic spending.
In May, WTTC projected the U.S. stood to lose $12.5 billion in international travel spending this year, falling to under $169 billion from $181 billion in 2024. The council said U.S. needs to do more to welcome international visitors rather than “putting up the ‘closed’ sign.”
Hyatt Hotels Corp. marked 45 years of its Park Hyatt brand.
It recently launched “Luxury Is Personal,” its first global campaign in more than five years.
Its luxury hotel portfolio has grown 146 percent since 2017.
HYATT HOTELS CORP. marked the 45th anniversary of its Park Hyatt brand, launched in 1980 with Park Hyatt Chicago. It also introduced “Luxury Is Personal,” its first global marketing campaign for the brand in more than five years.
“The Park Hyatt campaign celebrates luxury not just as a grand performance, but as an intimate convergence of refined details that resonate long after the stay,” said Katie Johnson, Hyatt’s vice president and global brand leader for luxury. “As we celebrate 45 years of Park Hyatt hotels, we are proud of the personal touch we bring to serving our guests and members and can’t wait to breathe new life into the brand as we head into our next chapter.”
The campaign coincides with Hyatt’s expansion of the Park Hyatt brand across Europe, Africa, Asia-Pacific and the Americas, the statement said. Hyatt reports its luxury hotel portfolio has grown 146 percent since 2017 and includes Park Hyatt, Alila and The Unbound Collection by Hyatt.
A recent Hyatt Inclusive Collection survey found that most Americans define quality time as moments with loved ones, but 82 percent say they don’t get enough.