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.

Announcements

Announcing Skift Tech Forum in Silicon Valley in June 2018

Skift Tech Forum will explore the tech disruptions happening in retailing, merchandising, and distribution of travel, with customer centricity as the connecting thread running across all the topics.

Sean O'Neill and Luke Bujarski | 9 years ago

Hotels

Amadeus Signs Premier Inn for Hotel Services as InterContinental Deal Steams Ahead

In the context of Amadeus Hospitality's progress, the Premier Inn deal gives a semblance of traction to woo other chains.

Sean O'Neill | 9 years ago

Online Travel

One in Five Amadeus Bookings Subject to New Fees as Air France Adds Surcharge

Air France's decision to join Lufthansa and British Airways in leveling surcharges means that 20 percent of the airplane tickets booked through Amadeus would be subject to the new fees. Expect Amadeus to try to undermine the effort with every muscle it has.

Sean O'Neill | 9 years ago

Online Travel

Airbnb Rival Xiaozhu Raises $120 Million: Travel Startup Funding This Week

The moneyed set looked East this week as China had its second travel unicorn, Xiaozhu, receive a billion-dollar valuation, following in the footsteps of its rival, Tujia, China's first travel unicorn. Meanwhile, Ctrip bought Trip.com

Sean O'Neill | 9 years ago

Online Travel

Travelport Signs Deal to Get Hertz’s Prepaid Car-Rental Rates for the First Time

As its pace of revenue growth slows, travel-tech player Travelport needs to diversify beyond distributing airline tickets. Rental cars are one bright spot. It is gaining traction thanks to a new deal with Hertz.

Sean O'Neill | 9 years ago

Online Travel

Tours and Activities Site GetYourGuide Secures a $75 Million Funding Round

Whoever said there's no money in tours-and-activities may want to have a chat with the folks at Battery Ventures, whose investment in GetYourGuide brings that startup's total funding to $175.5 million.

Sean O'Neill | 9 years ago

Online Travel

Skyscanner Is Propelling Ctrip’s International Growth

Ctrip, along with its partially owned sister brand Qunar, dominates Chinese online travel sales, but it has begun to lean heavily on its recently acquired flight search company, Skyscanner, to boost overseas sales.

Sean O'Neill | 9 years ago

Online Travel

MakeMyTrip Takes Steps to Escape Becoming a Price-War Casualty

The online travel market in India is ripe with opportunity. But competition is brutal. In response, MakeMyTrip has recently debuted loyalty programs and technological upgrades to entice well-heeled customers to choose it over the discounters.

Sean O'Neill | 9 years ago

SkiftX

Ctrip Buys Trip.com for Skyscanner to Enhance Local Recommendations

Ctrip-backed Skyscanner will tap in-destination content from social reviews company Trip.com. But is the acquiring company's true plan to further mobile engagement? Or is it to nab a domain name that may be appeal more to Americans than Ctrip.com -- or Alibaba's Fliggy?

Sean O'Neill | 9 years ago

Online Travel

Sabre Stays Profitable After Layoffs as the Company Vows to Become Nimbler

Investors liked Sabre's third quarter revenue and profit report. But the verdict is still out on whether the company is relying on cheap fixes like layoffs to hit its targets or if it is laying the groundwork for sustainable growth.

Sean O'Neill | 9 years ago