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

Budget Hotel Brand RedDoorz Raises $11 Million: Travel Startup Funding This Week

The concept of a budget brand hotel network that promises consistent amenities has been popularized by India's OYO Rooms. RedDoorz has traction with a similar model in Indonesia, which suggests the model may have legs worldwide.

Sean O'Neill | 8 years ago

tripactions founders corporate travel business travel

Online Travel

TripActions Raises $51 Million Series B for Its Business Travel Service

Talk about using incentives to change behavior. Is the threat of obsolescence due to new technology and startup business models enough to prompt incumbent travel management companies such as Egencia and Carlson Wagonlit to adapt?

Sean O'Neill | 8 years ago

Online Travel

Tour Tech Startup Redeam Turns to Industry Vets for Funding

Redeam doesn't recommend places to visit, call itself "a Facebook for travel", or indulge in other startup pitch clichés. It strives instead to build a solution to a pain point companies will pay to fix — namely, automating paper voucher redemptions for attractions. How refreshingly uncool.

Sean O'Neill | 8 years ago

Online Travel

Tours and Activities Companies Raise Over $15 Million This Week

Some investors think that patience is not only a virtue, but can also be worth a windfall. But waiting for big returns from tours and activities sector companies KKDay, Bookingkit, and TickX — which have received fresh investment rounds — may test their virtue.

Sean O'Neill | 8 years ago

Online Travel

Interview: HotelPlanner CEO Defends His Company’s NRA Ties

Stopping people under 21 years old from being able to effortlessly buy assault rifles is a societal decision. But it remains open for debate on how travel companies should treat a gun lobby that opposes such a move.

Sean O'Neill | 8 years ago

Online Travel

9 Big Challenges Facing Amadeus This Year

Amadeus' track record of profitable growth has been music to the ears of investors. But some airline and hotel executives claim to hear discordant notes in the giant technology vendor's forecasts.

Sean O'Neill | 8 years ago

Online Travel

What’s Behind Alibaba’s $486 Million Investment in Hotel Tech Giant Shiji

Shiji is a Beijing-based company that provides hotels and restaurants with operational software and hardware. It was already on an overseas acquisition spree before this new funding. Global leader Oracle Hospitality should be on guard.

Sean O'Neill | 8 years ago

Online Travel

Profitability Is Not On the Horizon for India’s MakeMyTrip as Price Wars Take Hold

India has many homegrown online travel players, but only a couple will thrive. MakeMyTrip will be one of the survivors, but it may take until 2022 for it to achieve profitability. Expect it to make more acquisitions and investments to consolidate market share.

Sean O'Neill | 8 years ago

Online Travel

Trivago Forecasts Slower Growth and ‘Difficult’ Quarters in 2018

It seems that Priceline Group's recent pullback from advertising on Expedia-backed Trivago may be a new normal. In a brutal move, Booking.com pulled almost entirely out of Trivago's search listings in Germany and Italy in December.

Sean O'Neill | 8 years ago

Online Travel

Google Is One Step Closer to Its User-Centric Vision of Travel Booking

Google is making it easier for travel shoppers to find and use its flight or hotel search through some design changes rolling out in the coming weeks. Watch out, Kayak and Skyscanner. Airlines and hotels will have to pay attention, too.

Sean O'Neill | 8 years ago