The branded residences sector, meaning residential units developed and managed in partnership with global brands and offered to hotel standards with high-quality services, has recorded notable growth of 180% over the past decade.
The total number of projects reached 1,746, including 779 completed projects and 967 under development, according to data from Global Branded Residences (GBR) published on the website of the Future Hospitality Summit.
During the first quarter of 2025, 79 new projects were added to the development pipeline, an increase of 5% compared with the previous quarter, reflecting the sector's continued momentum. The Middle East and North Africa region accounted for the largest share, at 36% of total projects, led by the UAE with 75%, followed by Egypt with 11%.
The region also accounts for 13% of completed units worldwide and 25% of projects under development, and is home to 9 cities among the world's top 24 destinations in the sector. Dubai tops the list as the city hosting the most branded residential projects, ahead of major cities such as Miami, New York and London.
The Branded Residences Forum is scheduled to be held on October 29 in Dubai as part of the Future Hospitality Summit. The forum aims to discuss investment strategies, residential marketing, sustainable design and legal frameworks, with the participation of leading figures from the hospitality and real estate sectors from major companies such as Marriott International, Accor, Arada and Zuko. It is organized by The Bench in partnership with Global Branded Residences.
For his part, Jonathan Worsley, Chairman of The Bench, said that following the great success of the forum's inaugural edition last year, this year's edition comes to once again shine a spotlight on this important real estate asset class and highlight the broad investment opportunities the sector continues to offer.
Jeff Tisdall, Chief Business Officer of Accor One Living, also stressed: "As the founding sponsor of the forum, we affirm our commitment to supporting this thriving sector, which is witnessing growing global demand, and we consider the forum a pivotal platform for exchanging insights and shaping its future prospects."
The forum will conclude with the announcement of the first edition of the Global Branded Residences Awards, which will honor the best real estate brokerage firms, individual brokers and the biggest real estate deals in this growing sector.
To view the post on the Future Hospitality Summit website, click here.
