China pipeline update

At the close of the third quarter, there were 2,728 projects/478,859 rooms under construction with 332 projects/56,141 rooms scheduled to start construction in the next 12 months. Projects in the early planning stage total 635 projects with 121,873 rooms. Construction starts increased in Q3, rising 10% year-over-year (YOY) by projects and 5% by rooms, to close the quarter at 265 projects/41,189 rooms. 

New project announcements in Q3 totaled 252 projects/34,721 rooms. The upper midscale chain scale reached a record-high project count this quarte with 1,229 projects/185,208 rooms. Combined brand conversions and renovations reached record-high project totals at Q3, increasing 21% YOY by projects and 9% YOY by rooms, with 225 hotels/41,370 rooms. 

Brand conversions alone hit record-high project and room counts, with 208 projects/36,038 rooms.

By Rob Schneider