Bedbanks in Contemporary Hotel Distribution: Historical Evolution, Conceptual Positioning, and Evidence from Madrid Hotels

Bedbanks constitute an important yet comparatively underexplored component of contemporary hotel distribution systems. While existing research has focused primarily on direct channels and online travel agencies (OTAs), upstream business-to-business (B2B) redistribution infrastructures remain under-theorised. This study examines the historical evolution, conceptual positioning, and empirical presence of bedbanks within hotel distribution systems. A sequential mixed-methods design was employed, combining a historical–analytical review of hotel distribution development with survey data collected in 2024 from 54 three-, four-, and five-star hotels in Madrid. The empirical analysis examined room-night allocations across direct channels, OTAs, and bedbanks for 2022 and 2023 and compared distribution patterns across hotel categories. The results show that bedbanks account for approximately 3–4% of total room-night volume, indicating a modest but consistent presence within hotel distribution portfolios. Significant differences in bedbank participation were observed across hotel categories, with four-star hotels displaying the highest levels of utilisation. The findings suggest that bedbanks are best understood as upstream B2B redistribution platforms that facilitate indirect demand access within layered and digitally interconnected distribution ecosystems. By integrating historical, conceptual, and empirical perspectives, the study contributes to hotel distribution research by showing that upstream redistribution infrastructures constitute observable and theoretically relevant components of contemporary tourism intermediation.