Abstract

Hotel distribution decisions are commonly analysed through objective performance indicators such as costs, profitability, and revenue outcomes. However, in multichannel environments characterised by attribution challenges and overlapping customer journeys, managerial evaluations and realised booking outcomes may reflect different dimensions of channel importance. This study examined the relationship between perceived channel efficiency and realised booking allocation in urban hotels. Survey data were collected from 54 three- to five-star hotels in Madrid, Spain, of which 49 provided complete channel-level information. Using non-parametric analyses, the study investigates whether managers’ evaluations of channel efficiency are associated with observed booking-share allocations across distribution channels. The results reveal two complementary patterns. First, perceived channel efficiency is positively associated with realised booking share within individual channels. Second, a notable divergence emerges between perceived channel efficiency and realised booking allocation: direct channels receive the highest efficiency evaluations, whereas online intermediaries account for the largest share of bookings. This finding suggests that channels most valued by managers are not necessarily those generating the greatest booking volumes. The study contributes to hospitality distribution research by linking managerial evaluations to observed allocation outcomes and by highlighting a distinction between perceived channel efficiency and realised channel dependence. Rather than viewing channel allocation solely as a performance-optimisation problem, the findings suggest that managerial evaluations are closely associated with observed allocation patterns in multichannel environments. The results also underscore the value of complementing managerial judgement with systematic channel-performance benchmarking.

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