The Eastern European construction market is facing a cooling period of "little less optimism", while Southeast Europe shows signs of stabilizing with a "little less pessimism", according to the Eastern European Construction Forecasting Association (EECFA) 2026 Summer Construction Forecast released on 22 June 2026. Despite the shifting sentiment, both regions are projected to sustain the record-high output levels achieved in 2025 through to 2028.
Commercial real estate companies remain optimistic about 2026, with 83% expecting revenue growth, according to a Deloitte report. This represents a slight decline from 88% last year, while 68% plan to increase expenses in 2026.
The hotel sector across South-Eastern Europe is evolving beyond its post-pandemic rebound. At SEE Property Forum 2025 in Bucharest, industry leaders agreed that while the “revenge travel” wave has subsided, the market remains on a strong footing—driven by solid fundamentals, new investment opportunities, and rising traveller expectations. What comes next, they noted, will be defined less by recovery and more by adaptation: sustainability, conversions, and smarter capital deployment are now shaping the region's hotel landscape.
CBRE has reported almost €1 billion in hotel transactions across Central and South-Eastern Europe over the past year, alongside around 20 operator search and selection processes, according to its Hotels CEE team. Notable transactions included the sale of Hilton Prague, one of the largest single-asset hotel deals recorded in the region.
The biggest growth in Eastern Europe is foreseen in Bulgaria going into 2025, while the rest of the countries are projected to make side moves in the coming years, according to a report by the Eastern European Construction Forecasting Association (EECFA).
Investors across Europe will continue to focus on sectors with strong structural tailwinds, such as living and logistics, according to a Knight Frank report.
SEE Property Forum 2024, Romania's leading international real estate event, brought together top economic minds to debate the effects of the economic convergence process in the region and also the current and future economic outlook of CEE.
Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Romania, Serbia and Slovenia already comply with the EU's 2030 target for 15% grid interconnection compared to installed power.
Romanian construction company Concelex recorded revenues of RON 1.48 billion (€296 million) in 2025, representing a 17 per cent increase compared to the previous year.
Polytrade Global, a Romanian group specialising in energy infrastructure, the supply of electrical equipment, and renewable energy projects, closed 2025 with a turnover of around €21.5 million, a 173% increase on the previous year, and a net profit of €579,000.
Grup Şerban Holding said its subsidiary Ferma Avicolă Şerban completed the sale to SAGEM of a portfolio of real estate and operating assets located in Bacău and Vaslui counties, consisting of land plots, buildings, installations and equipment related to poultry farming activities.
Romania has recorded the lowest corporate artificial intelligence (AI) adoption rate in Central Europe, with just 5% of companies deploying the technology at an organisational scale.