Sean O'Neill

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.

Online Travel

Amadeus Hospitality Is a Tough Sell Despite Progress With InterContinental Hotels Group

Amadeus hopes to clear some of the underbrush that's grown up in hotel technology. If it succeeds, it will likely reshape the costs and systems used for selling rooms industrywide.

Sean O'Neill | 8 years ago

Online Travel

Expense Management Startup Divvy Raises $35 Million: Travel Startup Funding This Week

Divvy launched in April, and it may already be valued at $150 million. One possible lesson for other startups is that customers may be eager for simple, one-stop interfaces because they're facing "dashboard fatigue" from having to check too many other online systems.

Sean O'Neill | 8 years ago

Airlines

Spirit Airlines Makes Gains Despite Rising Fuel Prices

Spirit Airlines increasingly aims to prove it is possible to be cheap and loved.

Sean O'Neill | 8 years ago

Online Travel

Travelzoo Stock Price Tumbles as Costs Devour Profit

CEO Holger Bartel has been angling his deals company into a smarter business model. But the cost of Travelzoo's investments continues to drag down earnings. Investors responded by shaving 30 percent off the company's share price on Wednesday.

Sean O'Neill | 8 years ago

Online Travel

Every One of Expedia Group’s 23 Brands, Explained

Check out our Skift Takes on Expedia Group's brands for consumers and businesses. Time for some #realtalk.

Sean O'Neill | 8 years ago

Online Travel

Secret Escapes Raises $67 Million: Travel Startup Funding This Week

If he were around today, Gordon Gekko of the movie Wall Street would probably say, "Cheap money is good." A combination of factors has made it relatively more easy to obtain funding for startups in many countries.

Sean O'Neill | 8 years ago

Online Travel

Sabre Blends Distribution Network and Airline Units Under New Leadership

The travel technology giant has bowed to investor and airline demands for a management team more focused on software solutions that help with the retailing, distribution, and fulfillment of travel as an end-to-end journey, not just siloed by function.

Sean O'Neill | 8 years ago

Online Travel

Headout Raises $10 Million for Activities Tech: Travel Startup Funding This Week

Investors have bet big on luxury experiences, with investments in Headout, which offers last-minute activities; Key Concierge, which does something similar for luxury rental properties; My Daydream, which offers customized upscale tours; and Seatfrog, which offers last-minute upgrades.

Sean O'Neill | 8 years ago

Online Travel

Airline, Hotel, and Silicon Valley Heavyweights Back Startup Aiming to Fix Travel Data Hurdle

Journera aims to act like a magnet attracting relevant information across company databases about a traveler’s complete trip. It would help, say, a hotel learn when a high-status customer’s flight has been delayed. While the idea is great in theory, it may prove elusive in practice.

Sean O'Neill | 8 years ago

Hotels

Analysts Are Puzzled Why Booking Holdings Acquired HotelsCombined

The deal surprised analysts, some of whom didn't see an obvious logic for it. Yet one thing is sure: Online hotel sales are a bit like an old-fashioned butter market. A big chunk of butter changes hands multiple times and everyone gets their hands greasy.

Sean O'Neill | 8 years ago