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

Largest Latin America Travel Agency Despegar Gets a Reprieve

Despegar's statement doesn't say it will begin paying local taxes in Argentina -- or how much -- but its actions give Latin America's largest travel agency some breathing room to work out a settlement.

Dennis Schaal | 12 years ago

Hotels

Breather App Offers Room Rentals by the Hour With Couches and Yoga Mats

Well, you know what they say. Regardless what the activity is, there's an app for that. And, now there is. Hourly room rentals via a mobile app. We know HotelTonight is poised to broaden its offerings a bit, but we doubt the company will try to mimic Breather on this one.

Dennis Schaal | 12 years ago

Cruises

Measles Outbreak on Costa Pacifica Hits Ship’s Crew Members

With norovirus outbreaks hitting the cruise industry relatively hard in the beginning of 2014, Costa Cruises, still in recovery mode from the Costa Concordia crash, didn't need a suspected measles outbreak among crew on one of its ships. Neither did the passengers who, according to reports, have so far not come down with the virus.

Dennis Schaal | 12 years ago

Hotels

Interval Leisure Group Expands Its Resort Management Business in Q4 as Timeshares Face Pressures

With so many diverse types of accommodations available these days and with the world getting younger, the timeshare business may be losing its luster (although that luster was tenuous, at best).

Dennis Schaal | 12 years ago

Online Travel

What Happened To Blink and SideTour 6 Months After Groupon Bought Them

While some erroneously looked to Expedia to take tours and activities mainstream, Groupon, if it survives, is making the first move.

Dennis Schaal | 12 years ago

Hotels

The Curious Rebranding of Orient-Express Hotels Into the Belmond Brand

It's a beautiful world (Belmond), and a curious one, as Orient-Express Hotels Ltd. is discarding its iconic -- albeit licensed -- brand, and is rebranding its portfolio of hotels, river cruises, rail lines, safaris and restaurants.

Dennis Schaal | 12 years ago

Hotels

Interview With Capella Hotels CEO: Crunching the Numbers to Create a New Luxury Hotel Brand

Can Capella Hotel Group make a sustainable business model out of providing highly individualized service to guests who think that run-of-the-mill 5-star properties are too cookie-cutter?

Dennis Schaal | 12 years ago

Online Travel

AudioCompass to Use $400K in Seed Funding For Tour Guide Expansion

AudioCompass is certainly off to a strong start in India, and importantly its audio tour guide apps work offline. A challenge for the startup going forward is that it seems like there would be little barrier to entry among would-be competitors.

Dennis Schaal | 12 years ago

Hotels

Airbnb’s First Aid Kit Giveaway Would Cover a Tiny Portion of its Listings

Airbnb's safety-device giveaway program doesn't cover its massive listing base, but it's better than nothing.

Dennis Schaal | 12 years ago

Online Travel

Booking.com Going For a Shock And Awe Strategy in U.S. With Huge Expansion

An outsider might think the U.S. online travel market is already saturated, but Booking.com is proving that there is plenty of room to grow in the U.S., and competitors are feeling the heat.

Dennis Schaal | 12 years ago