Hotel Brokers International

What Hotel Brokers International does

Hotel Brokers International (HBI) is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit professional association founded in 1959 (originally as the Motel Brokers Association of America) and headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri. It operates as a cooperative network of independent member broker offices that serve as intermediaries between buyers and sellers of hotel real estate across the United States, with international reach via its website. The organization reports more than 11,000 cumulative transactions and historically claimed a 40-50% share of U.S. select-service and economy hotel sales. Its core offerings include the member broker network, a public hotel property listings database (100+ active listings), the Certified Hotel Broker (CHB) professional certification, an Affiliate Membership Program for hospitality service providers, and the Hotel Investor's Marketplace conference and webcast series.

HBI's revenue model is subscription-based, generated primarily through broker membership dues and affiliate member fees; pricing is not publicly disclosed. Go-to-market is sales-led through member brokers who work directly with hotel owners, investors, and institutional clients to negotiate acquisitions, dispositions, valuations, and related services such as financing, franchising, and appraisals. Marketing channels include the property listings website (global traffic), the Hotel Investor's Marketplace conference/webcast series, email newsletters, and a public relations program established in 1963. The organization does not operate a traditional technology product stack; no public API, SDK, or AI capabilities are offered, and its technology footprint is limited to the listings platform and event delivery.

Name

Hotel Brokers International

Legal name

Hotel Brokers International

Website

https://hbihotels.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1959

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Hotel Brokers International is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit professional association, founded in 1959, that operates a cooperative network of independent hotel broker member offices intermediating U.S. hotel real estate transactions. It generates revenue via broker membership fees and offers property listings, the CHB certification, and the Hotel Investor's Marketplace conference.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hotel Real Estate Brokerage

NAICS

Offices of Real Estate Agents and Brokers (53121)

SIC

Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531)

akta.pro primary industry

Hospitality Brokerage (BPAJABAE)

Keywords

• Hotel real estate brokerage
• Hospitality property transactions
• Hotel investment services
• Broker certification programs
• Hospitality listings platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Kansas City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Broker Membership Fees: HBI generates revenue through membership fees charged to broker offices that join the association. Members gain access to the network for cooperative sales, shared expertise, resources, and access to the HBI database and website platform.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Hotel Brokers International is a professional association of member broker offices that serves as an intermediary network for hotel real estate transactions. Members provide brokerage, valuation, and transaction services for the acquisition and disposition of hotel properties, supplemented by a public-facing hotel property listings database and the Certified Hotel Broker (CHB) professional certification program.

Product overview

Hotel Brokers International (HBI) is a professional association of hotel brokers, not a unified software product. The organization's offering consists of a membership network for hotel brokerage professionals combined with a public-facing hotel property listings platform. Core components include the property listings database where HBI member brokers post hotels for sale, the Certified Hotel Broker (CHB) certification program for professional credentials, the Affiliate Membership Program allowing hospitality service providers (lenders, franchisors, procurement vendors) to access the broker network, and the Hotel Investor's Marketplace conference series for industry education and networking. The INNside section provides internal publications including press releases, history, and board information.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Certified Hotel Broker (CHB): The industry's only certification in hotel brokerage, designed to distinguish those who have advanced their professionalism and competence in hotel brokerage.

Products and services

• Hotel Brokerage Services Intermediary brokerage services facilitating the acquisition and disposition of hotel properties, ranging from economy to luxury and small select-service to large full-service hotels. Provided through a network of member broker offices serving hotel buyers and sellers.
• Hotel Property Listings Platform Searchable online database of hotels for sale, where HBI member brokers post property listings. Prospective buyers can browse available hotels by location, brand, number of keys, and price range. The platform currently includes more than 100 property listings.
• Certified Hotel Broker (CHB) Program The industry's only professional certification program for hotel brokers. Awarded to professionals who have advanced their professionalism and competence in hotel brokerage.
• Affiliate Membership Program Positions hospitality service providers such as lenders, franchisors, appraisers, and procurement companies at the center of the HBI brokerage network, providing access to broker relationships and transaction opportunities.
• Hotel Investor's Marketplace Conference Hospitality real estate investment conference series delivering hotel investment data, trends, and networking opportunities for hotel investors and brokers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully negotiated more than 11,000 hotel real estate transactions
• +2 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Source Bay Procurement PartnersminorOthersSource Bay Procurement Partners provides full-service FF&E procurement for hospitality projects nationwide, delivering disciplined sourcing, transparent pricing, and hands-on project management from specification through installation. Neuco Furniture & Upholstery, their sister company, provides in-house custom upholstery and furniture services.
• Wyndham Hotels & ResortsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWyndham Hotels & Resorts is the world's largest hotel franchising company by number of hotels. As a leading hotel franchisor with 24 brands in the portfolio, they help hotel owners increase revenue and enhance guest satisfaction through expert revenue management and effective marketing strategies. Their Wyndham Rewards loyalty program drives approximately 50% of U.S. stays to their hotel owners.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• CBRE Hotels: Capital markets and investment sales practice within the world's largest commercial real estate services firm, with a dedicated hotels team handling large institutional hotel portfolio transactions. Directly comparable in intermediating U.S. hotel investment sales but operating as a broad incumbent across all CRE categories rather than a hotel-specialist association.
• Newmark Group: Commercial real estate investment sales, debt placement, and advisory firm with a hospitality capital markets team handling hotel investment sales and financing. Comparable as a broad-incumbent capital markets intermediary active in U.S. hotel transactions, though not a hotel-only specialist.
• Eastdil Secured: Institutional real estate investment bank handling large hotel portfolio and single-asset sales for sophisticated investors. Comparable as a competitor for higher-value hotel investment sales mandating intermediation, though primarily focused on trophy and portfolio deals versus HBI's select-service/economy base.
• Cushman & Wakefield: Global commercial real estate services firm with a dedicated hospitality practice handling investment sales, valuation, and advisory across hotel property types. Comparable as a broader-incumbent hotel investment sales competitor serving many of the same institutional buyers active in U.S. hotel transactions.
• JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group: Global real estate services firm's dedicated hotels practice offering investment sales, asset management, and advisory for institutional hotel owners. Overlaps HBI in intermediating larger full-service and luxury hotel investment sales, but does not specialize in the select-service/economy niche that dominates HBI's transaction base.

Direct peers

• HVS International: Global hospitality consulting, valuation, and transaction advisory firm serving hotel owners, lenders, investors, and operators. Directly comparable to HBI's broker network in providing hotel-specific valuation and transaction services, including for select-service and full-service assets across the U.S.
• The Plasencia Group: Boutique hospitality investment sales, capital markets, and advisory firm focused exclusively on hotels. Comparable as a specialized hotel-only intermediary serving many of the same buyer and seller segments as HBI member brokers in the U.S. hotel transaction market.
• Marcus & Millichap: Large institutional commercial real estate investment sales firm with a dedicated hotels specialty group that brokers the acquisition and disposition of hotel properties across the U.S. Closely comparable to HBI in that it focuses on intermediating hotel investment sales for similar buyers and sellers, but operates as a single corporate brokerage rather than an association of independent member offices.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hotel-brokers-international

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hotel Brokers International