How Regional Markets Drive Cross-Border Hospitality Growth

In today’s interconnected hospitality landscape, successful hotel development rarely happens in isolation. Regional markets often drive cross-border hospitality growth because similar economic structures, travel patterns and policy frameworks make it easier to transfer successful concepts, capital and partnerships from one country to its neighbours.

Over the past decade, EMEA has seen the highest share of cross-border capital inflows into the hotel sector compared to other global regions. In 2024, cross-border hotel investment in EMEA more than doubled, significantly boosting overall regional investment volumes, according to CBRE.

Across Eastern Europe and parts of Central Asia, emerging middle-class travel demand and improving aviation connectivity are unlocking new short haul city and leisure trips, while the Balkans and much of the Mediterranean share strongly seasonal, summer peaked tourism patterns. These economic and travel similarities create favourable conditions for hotel owners to scale their investments regionally, as operational models, brand positioning and guest expectations can translate effectively from one market to another.

For Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, regional growth begins with building strategic partnerships in key markets. When franchise partners experience Wyndham’s operational support, brand strength and global distribution capabilities, they often seek opportunities to expand their relationship into neighbouring markets. This creates a powerful network effect, accelerating development across entire regions.

A clear example of this dynamic can be seen in Wyndham’s growth across parts of Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia. Strong partnerships in Türkiye have introduced Wyndham’s brands to industry leaders who later bring them to neighbouring markets, creating a ripple effect across the region.

Dimitris Manikis, President EMEA, said that brands by Wyndham cover approximately 8,300 hotels globally, including approximately 130 in Türkiye, and added:

“This growth is enabled by the mutual trust we have with our partners. Trust is the single most important element in the franchise model.”

Dimitris stressed that Türkiye is not only a key growth market for Wyndham, but also the company’s gateway to nearby markets such as the Middle East, Balkans and CIS countries, and continued:

“We have leading presence in Georgia, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. We also leverage our strong presence in Türkiye for our success in these markets. Our franchise partners who are introduced to our brands in Türkiye bring these brands to their own countries as well. Türkiye’s importance stems not only from the investments within the country, but also from the domino effect it creates.”

For hotel owners, access to Wyndham’s global platform can significantly enhance performance and visibility beyond local markets. Cross-border expansion is particularly relevant in regions where tourism flows, business travel and investment networks naturally connect multiple countries. By combining global scale with regional expertise, Wyndham helps developers and investors think beyond individual projects and instead build diversified portfolios across multiple destinations. As hospitality investment continues to evolve, cross-border partnerships are expected to play an increasingly important role in shaping development across EMEA.

Discover benefits of partnering with Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, here.