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.

Hotels

Starwood Founder Barry Sternlicht Invests in HotelTonight

Does HotelTonight really provide incremental bookings without detracting from the hotels' own websites and apps? Several big hotel chains and Barry Sternlicht are now on board and apparently believe so. But, what happens down the road when the humble startup gets too powerful? That's something to consider, as well.

Dennis Schaal | 12 years ago

Online Travel

GetYourGuide Attracts Online Travel Heavyweights and $4.5 Million In Series A Funding

Although a stretch, GetYourGuide has frequently likened its desire to ramp up and aggregate the most tours and activities it can for each destination to that of Booking.com. Along with the founder of Qunar, GetYourGuide now has a Booking.com veteran, its former CEO, on board to help in the tour and activities company's expansion efforts.

Dennis Schaal | 12 years ago

Online Travel

JetBlue Could Spin Off Its LiveTV Subsidiary

With in-flight connectivity and entertainment such a hot commodity, JetBlue could spin off LiveTV or sell it to monetize an asset for its shareholders.

Dennis Schaal | 12 years ago

Hotels

Skift Q&A: How JW Marriott Is Targeting the Accomplished Traveler

Some may consider JW Marriott a bit stodgy, but the luxury brand knows what it is and who its guests are, and it is busy curating experiences to win their passions. With only 63 hotels currently, and another 35 on the way, JW Marriott must be doing something right.

Dennis Schaal | 12 years ago

Hotels

Traxo Delivers Hotel Recommendations Based on a User’s Loyalty History

Whether Traxo is the company that ends up bringing personalized hotel recommendations to throngs of travelers or another company does it, this is where online and mobile travel is heading. The airlines are trying to do this, as well.

Dennis Schaal | 12 years ago

Ground Transport

Uber Apologizes For Over-the Top Aggressive Tactics in New York

The ride-sharing sector is getting uber-aggressive, city-by-city. Were Uber's tactics against Gett the product of one rogue sales force or the way business is done across the country? Uber has told its sales teams to cut out this crap.

Dennis Schaal | 12 years ago

American Could Help Alaska Airlines Fend Off Delta in the Battle for Seattle

Dennis Schaal | 12 years ago

Airlines

IATA and Travel Agencies To Meet In Miami About A New Way of Doing Business

After brutal battles between airlines and travel agencies over the last few years, IATA realizes it can't push through the changes in distribution that it seeks without some buy-in from the other side. New battles may be in the offing so enjoy the peace while she reigns.

Dennis Schaal | 12 years ago

Airlines

National Federation of the Blind Sues DOT On Airline Kiosk Access

Allowing airlines to wait a decade to give blind people limited access to airline kiosks seems profoundly unreasonable.

Dennis Schaal | 12 years ago

Online Travel

Groupon Adds 20,000 Properties To Its Hotel Feature

Groupon is rounding out its hotel offering after having acquired same-night hotel app Blink last September. The whole thing is still a very niche product.

Dennis Schaal | 12 years ago