Brevard County is currently experiencing a surge in hotel construction, reflecting the strength of the local tourism market. This demand for hotel rooms and vacation rentals is driven by various types of tourists, including cruise passengers from Port Canaveral, spectators of rocket launches, families attending youth baseball and softball tournaments, beach enthusiasts, and ecotourism fans. Business visitors from space and high-tech companies also contribute to the demand.
Peter Cranis, executive director of the Space Coast Office of Tourism, predicts a hotel building spree over the next two years, with about 1,500 additional rooms expected, a 14% increase. This will take the total number of rooms over 12,000. The hotel industry appears optimistic about the Space Coast’s future, with numerous projects being discussed for 2026 and 2027.
By the end of 2025, up to 11 hotels could open in Brevard County, adding 1,369 rooms to the county’s options. A new 122-room Woodspring Suites hotel also opened earlier this year in Rockledge. According to data from hotel industry tracking firm STR, another ten hotels with over 1,100 rooms could open in 2026.
Cape Canaveral has seen significant hotel construction activity in recent years, largely due to record passenger counts at Port Canaveral, the world’s second-busiest cruise port. Cape Canaveral’s proximity to the port and more restrictive building height restrictions in nearby Cocoa Beach have stimulated this hotel boom. Five hotels have recently opened in Cape Canaveral, with two more set to open in 2025.
A recent survey found that 91% of cruise passengers from Port Canaveral stayed in the area for at least one night before or after their cruise. This year’s projected seven hotel openings with a total of 926 rooms will be the largest count in Brevard since 2020, when nine hotels with a total of 1,057 rooms opened. If all goes according to plan, the numbers will be even larger in 2026, with ten hotels and 1,104 rooms scheduled to open.
However, there are concerns that increasing interest rates and construction costs could potentially delay or cancel some future projects. Despite this, construction cost increases are beginning to stabilize, which is positive news for hotel companies planning new projects.
By 2027, the 502-room Westin Cocoa Beach Resort & Spa is set to open, becoming Brevard County’s largest hotel based on room count.
Source: floridatoday.com