Dennis Schaal Archives

Dennis Schaal is Skift’s Founding Editor and Executive Editor. Dennis has been a reporter focusing on online travel and short-term rentals for more than two decades at Skift, Tnooz, USA Today, and Travel Weekly. He is well-known for tough one-on-one interviews on stage at Skift events, including with the CEOs and top execs of Expedia, Uber, Booking Holdings, Priceline, Kayak, Hopper, and more.

Online Travel

A Timeline of Online Travel Agency Battles With Hotels and Airlines

There is pomp and circumstance, and plenty of bluster, but most negotiations between online travel agencies, on the one hand, and hotels and airlines, on the other, eventually end up in signed contracts. That's because the two sides usually need each other, like it or not.

Dennis Schaal | 9 years ago

Tourism

Twists and Turns in Travel Industry’s Approach to Cuba Since Obama’s Changes

Travel industry policies toward Cuba have not transitioned smoothly from Point A to Point B over the last three years, and the upcoming Trump administration fine print will likely change things anew.

Dennis Schaal | 9 years ago

Online Travel

TripAdvisor Returns to TV Advertising With Bathrobe-Clad Owl as Spokesperson

TripAdvisor's new ad campaign comes at a momentous time for the company, although TripAdvisor views it as part of a long-term TV advertising enterprise. With $70 million behind it and an empathetic bent it will probably do well. You can expect Trivago to up its game as well.

Dennis Schaal | 9 years ago

Ground Transport

Uber Board to Discuss CEO Leave of Absence and Report on Sexual Harassment

It's clear that Travis Kalanick, the embattled Uber co-founder and CEO, needs to go. Whether the board can push him out, given Kalanick's stake and leverage in the company, is another question.

Dennis Schaal | 9 years ago

Online Travel

Interview: Trivago Will Focus on Growth Over Profitability for Years to Come, CFO Says

Trivago is about 12 years old but has the attitude of a startup because the company's managing directors believe this is still the beginning of the beginning of Trivago's growth. Reduce advertising to focus on profitability? Forget about it — there are too many markets to conquer.

Dennis Schaal | 9 years ago

SkiftX

Don’t Look for Trivago to Jump on the Metasearch Buying Spree

Trivago is hotel-only and is focused on growing its own brand without the headaches of trying to figure out what to do with an additional brand. Trivago isn't talking about it, but would gladly leave it to Kayak to try to determine what to do with multiple brands such as Momondo and Cheapflights.

Dennis Schaal | 9 years ago

Airlines

Trump Travel Ban Won’t Be Reinstated, Appeals Court Rules

The United States is a country with checks and balances, meaning the President can't assert excessive powers just because he says he has them. For now, the travel ban is on ice.

Dennis Schaal | 9 years ago

Online Travel

Video: Google Exec Says Hotel Ads Are the Big Moneymaker in Europe

It doesn't surprise any soul who knows the travel industry that Google Hotel Ads is the breadwinner and Google Flights takes a back seat revenue-wise, but it's nice to hear Google finally say it.

Dennis Schaal | 9 years ago

Online Travel

Trivago Says It Needs to Be the Star of Its Advertising, Not Some Guy

Whether to feature a Trivago Guy or Trivago Woman, or both, on TV commercials is a serious strategy and business question for the hotel-search site. For now, it is opting for two actors in the U.S., as it has done elsewhere, for targeting and other purposes.

Dennis Schaal | 9 years ago

Ground Transport

Expedia to Buy Rail Distributor SilverRail Technologies

Expedia recognized some time ago that it needed to wire up rail providers, particularly in Europe and Asia, and now it is securing a technology leader in the space for its portfolio of transportation solutions.

Dennis Schaal | 9 years ago