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.

Ground Transport

Uber May Be a Threat to Travel, But Not Logistics Says FedEx CEO

FedEx is too big to worry about pesky Uber nipping at its heels in the same-day delivery business. Still FedEx CEO Frederick Smith could be downplaying Uber's potential for diversifying beyond its core people-transportation business.

Dennis Schaal | 12 years ago

Hotels

Trivago to Launch Hostel and Shared Room Search

Trivago's new shared-room search reflects the born-again trendiness of hostels -- which are no longer called youth hostels -- and apartment shares. Booking.com and Kayak already have it, and others will add it.

Dennis Schaal | 12 years ago

Tourism

Leisure and Business Traveler Growth to U.S. Outpacing Convention Business

Conferences and trade shows could do more to attract international attendees, perhaps by tacking on or promoting leisure travel options to the main events.

Dennis Schaal | 12 years ago

Online Travel

Hotel Concierge App Alice Secures $1.3 Million in Funding

For hotels that don't have the resources to develop their own apps, the Alice hotel app and concierge service, and others like it, could be a useful solution for making concierge services more mobile-oriented.

Dennis Schaal | 12 years ago

Online Travel

TripIt Thinks Business Travelers Will Get Into Photo-Sharing

TripIt's premise is that business travelers will want to look at some pics and get some tips from Trover about restaurants and attractions during business trips. And, besides, when the business trip ends, a leisure trip often begins.

Dennis Schaal | 12 years ago

Hotels

Vacation Rental Services Startup Guesty Secures $1.5 Million in Funding

In startup land, B2B companies providing services to the vacation rental and apartment-sharing industry are hot, hot, hot.

Dennis Schaal | 12 years ago

SkiftX

What Will Priceline’s Rivals Buy to Beat Its OpenTable Acquisition?

The Priceline Group's intent to acquire OpenTable means that merger and acquisition activity in the travel industry in 2014 may even outdo 2013's frenetic pace. Get ready for the next shoe to drop.

Dennis Schaal | 12 years ago

Hotels

Apartment Rentals Are FlipKey’s Fastest Growing Category

TripAdvisor isn't exactly a wild-eyed daredevil, but the fastest growing category on its Flipkey accommodation site is apartment rentals, a category that flirts with illegality in large, urban markets like New York.

Dennis Schaal | 12 years ago

Airlines

JetBlue and WestJet Begin Their Own New Chapters on the Same Day

The differentiation between low-cost carriers and their network rivals in North America is becoming murkier as business class services and international service are going mainstream.

Dennis Schaal | 12 years ago

SkiftX

Does OpenTable Deal Signal New Acquisition Strategy for Priceline?

Priceline CEO Darren Huston has been aggressive with acquisitions in his short tenure, although it is possible that discussions with OpenTable began with the prior regime. Still, having acquired Kayak for $2.1 billion in 2013, and maneuvering through the pending $2.6 billion buy of OpenTable, Huston probably has his hands full for now.

Dennis Schaal | 12 years ago