Hotel owners across the Middle East and Africa are taking a more selective approach to management agreements, with greater focus on brand contribution, total costs and asset-level returns. Franchise, third-party management and hybrid models are becoming more relevant as markets mature. Future agreements will require stronger performance alignment, clearer governance and greater flexibility as assets move through renewal, reinvestment and repositioning.

HVS is pleased to present the Hospitality GCC Hotel Owner & Investor Survey, offering insights into market sentiment and expectations across the region. While uncertainty continues to influence decision-making, the hospitality sector has consistently shown resilience and adaptability. Investors that remain flexible and responsive to evolving market trends are likely to be better positioned for future opportunities.

The 2026 U.S.-Iran conflict caused a sharp, rapid disruption to GCC hospitality by collapsing aviation capacity and traveler confidence. While flights began recovering after April, hotel demand lagged. Internationally exposed markets like the UAE were hit hardest, while Saudi Arabia showed resilience due to domestic and religious demand. Recovery is expected to be gradual, driven more by confidence than connectivity.

Our views around the world reflect early optimism for 2025, with the anticipation of stronger transaction activity and modestly improving hotel metrics in most regions.

The GCC region presents significant opportunities for hotel investment, driven by rapid supply growth and evolving market trends. However, challenges such as valuation mismatches, rising costs, and operational inefficiencies highlight the need for strategic approaches. Key considerations include aligning development costs with market realities, adopting modern valuation metrics, and leveraging diversified revenue streams to enhance profitability and sustain long-term growth.

Hala Matar Choufany shares her insights on Bloomberg Alsharq with Maya Hojeij, discussing key drivers behind the region's impressive visitation growth and tourism expansion.

The Market Snapshot: Asia Pacific 2024 highlights an overview of transaction activity in the region and presents 24 markets’ current hospitality landscape; each covering demand and supply dynamics, hotel performances, and key transactions.

Hala's contribution as one of the leading world experts in the "Business and Management Collection" from Henry Stewart Talks on the topic of Hospitality in the Middle East

India’s trillion-dollar wedding industry is back, larger and grander than ever before. Fueled by rising income levels, a growing number of high-net-worth individuals, and the charm of celebrity weddings, destination weddings, both domestic and international, are on the rise, which is expected to gain further momentum driven by India’s favorable demographics. Read on to know more.

Watch Hala Matar Choufany's discussion about the region's development of hotels, the existing challenges, and opportunities, at the 2023 Future Hospitality Summit