The Hotel Building Boom Across Latin America Just Hit a Staggering New Number — and One Country Dominates

Latin America’s hotel construction pipeline has reached 755 active projects totaling 113,663 rooms as of the first quarter of 2026, according to new data from Lodging Econometrics. That’s a 6% increase in projects compared to the same period last year, with early-stage planning activity climbing even faster at 12%.

Mexico leads the entire region by a wide margin, accounting for 247 projects and 36,646 rooms — roughly a third of everything under development. Brazil sits second with 132 projects, while the Dominican Republic holds third place with 84 projects and 18,014 rooms, buoyed by continued investment in destinations like Punta Cana.

Of the 755 projects in the pipeline, 300 are already under construction, representing more than 50,000 rooms. Another 189 projects are expected to break ground in the next 12 months, while 266 remain in early planning stages.

The luxury segment is particularly active, with 142 projects and 26,590 rooms in development. Upper midscale hotels showed the strongest growth rate, with a 28% year-over-year jump in project count.

Forecasters expect about 104 new hotels with nearly 18,000 rooms to open across the region by the end of 2026. Fourteen properties have already opened this year.

For travelers, the pipeline translates into a wave of new options across the Riviera Maya, Cancún, and the Dominican Republic over the next two to three years — including several all-inclusive mega-resorts, boutique properties, and luxury brand debuts that are reshaping the competitive landscape.