Sean O’Neill is Skift’s Senior Hospitality Editor. Sean’s forte is reporting, and he’s broken multiple hotel industry scoops. He has also conducted 1:1 interviews on stage with the CEOs of Marriott, Hilton, IHG, Hyatt, and Wyndham.
Meituan’s Hong Kong IPO May Intensify Its Rivalry With Ctrip
China's travel market is fast-growing enough that it could support a competitor to current leader Ctrip. That day may arrive soon, too, given that Meituan-Dianping is showing surprising traction in hotel booking.
Skift Global Forum Preview: Why Ovation Is Embarking on a New Elite Luxury Brand
Jack Ezon of Ovation’s leisure business is starting Embark, a luxury agency with an unusual business structure. In this Q&A, Ezon shares how agents can thrive in the digital era, the biggest problem facing the travel industry, and why he hires so many millennials.
Beekeeper Raises $13 Million for Hotel Tech: Travel Startup Funding This Week
Beekeeper is joining Expedia-owned Alice, Amadeus-owned HotSOS, and fast-growing Quore in helping boost the effectiveness of hospitality worker communication.
Travel Could Gain From Apple’s Augmented Reality Push
Of all travel companies, TripAdvisor has the most to gain by taking advantage of the expanding augmented reality functionality of iPhones and other devices. Overlaying rich hotel and restaurant reviews on real-world scenes could be widely popular. Will it act?
A Peddler of Fake Reviews on TripAdvisor Gets Jail Time
TripAdvisor hopes that jail time will scare off the dishonest folks creating fake reviews. We hope so, too.
Apple’s New iPhone Push Notification Tweaks Could Help Travel Brands
Despite the hype, Apple is merely playing catch-up to Android by rolling out new tools for fine-tuning app notifications. But it's still good news for the many users of business travel apps on Apple devices.
Skift Restaurants Forum Preview: Square Sees Itself as Championing Creativity
Alyssa Henry's ace leadership is one of the unsung reasons why Square's engineers have effectively delivered intuitive payments software to many restaurants.
Tour Booking Startup Evaneos Raises $80 Million
Overtourism is a struggle facing many destinations. Companies like Evaneos, which connects travelers with off-the-beaten-track tours and activities, may go some way to addressing the issue.
TripCreator Raises $8 Million for Itinerary Management: Travel Startup Funding This Week
This week, itinerary tool TripCreator, luggage maker Paravel, and travel distribution software maker Duffel all announced funding rounds.