Hotelbeds | HBX Group

About Hotelbeds | HBX Group

Hotelbeds operates as a global travel technology company, functioning as a major business-to-business (B2B) bedbank in the travel industry. The firm's core business revolves around a proprietary technology platform that connects hotel partners with a wide array of travel sellers, including online travel agencies, retail travel agents, tour operators, and airlines. This model allows hotels to distribute their room inventory to hard-to-reach global markets, while providing travel distributors with access to a vast portfolio of accommodations and travel-related services. The company generates revenue by taking a commission on the bookings made through its platform.

The company was founded in 2001 as a unit within First Choice Holidays PLC. Through a series of mergers, it became part of TUI Group. A significant milestone occurred in 2016 when Hotelbeds was acquired by private equity firms Cinven and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) for approximately €1.2 billion, enabling it to operate as an independent entity. Following this separation from TUI, Hotelbeds embarked on a strategic expansion, acquiring competitors Tourico Holidays and GTA in 2017, which significantly increased its scale and market presence, particularly in North America and the Asia-Pacific regions. The company has since consolidated these brands to streamline its operations. In 2021, Nicolas Huss, with a background in the payments and financial sectors including roles as CEO of Ingenico and Visa Europe, was appointed CEO, succeeding Joan Vilà who transitioned to a non-executive role.

Hotelbeds' platform offers a comprehensive portfolio of travel products. Beyond its core offering of over 180,000 hotels, it provides access to ancillary services such as 24,000 transfer routes and 18,000 activities. The company's technology is designed for scalability, handling billions of search requests daily and providing robust API integration for its partners. By connecting a fragmented supply of hotel rooms with a global network of over 60,000 travel distributors, Hotelbeds offers hoteliers a way to increase occupancy with high-value international guests who tend to book further in advance and stay longer. For travel sellers, it provides a one-stop-shop with a diverse range of inventory and a booking engine to facilitate seamless transactions.