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.

Cruises

TUI Pushes Premium Rates for Tours and Plans Climate-Driven Shifts

TUI has emerged from the pandemic leaner and more focused under the steady hand of CEO Sebastian Ebel. But the company's pivot into becoming a digital-first, experience-led business remains tough to execute.

Sean O'Neill | 2 years ago

Tourism

Record 119 Million Americans to Travel for Year-End Holidays

More than a third of the U.S. population will travel more than 50 miles during last dozen days of the year. If weather cooperates, it could be the busiest travel period of the year.

Sean O'Neill | 2 years ago

Hotels

Hotels Will Start Selling So Much More Than Rooms

The hotel industry is finally catching up to airlines in the art of online upselling, with new tech investments set to unlock billions in ancillary revenue.

Sean O'Neill | 2 years ago

Media and PR

Influencers Are the New Power Brokers in Travel

Leisure travelers increasingly lean on trip inspiration from their favorite influencers. The power of these content creators will only grow as social media platforms eventually add e-commerce functionality, enabling influencers to sell travel (and earn commissions) directly in their posts.

Sean O'Neill | 2 years ago

Hotels

LVMH Takes Stake in Boutique Hotel Group Les Domaines de Fontenille

While this is only a minority investment in a small company, LVMH's stake in Fontenille shows its ambition to accelerate its travel and experiential offerings internationally, beyond just Cheval Blanc, Belmond, and Bulgari Hotels & Resorts.

Sean O'Neill | 2 years ago

the swimming pool on the top of the Bulgari Hotel in Rome Italy shows the skyline of the city

Hotels

Bulgari’s Contrarian Strategy in Luxury Hotels: Few Locations, No Loyalty Points

Bulgari Hotels isn't just selling rooms. It's selling one of the rarest commodities in modern luxury: restraint.

Sean O'Neill | 2 years ago

view of a new luxury resort on the shores of Italy's Lake Como

Hotels

IHG’s Luxury Brands Tap Multi-Generation Travel for Growth

IHG is revamping its luxury suites and rolling out new training to help cater to a rising trend in multi-generational travel. Who knew family values could be such good business?

Sean O'Neill | 2 years ago

view of a restaurant in a former monastery in Panama City

Hotels

Hyatt Exec Explains Soft Brand Strategy With Boutique Luxury Hotels

One of Hyatt's many business models is to take indie luxury hotels that pride themselves on being boutique-y, providing them the benefits of Hyatt (distribution! marketing! operational support!) and then downplaying any sign of corporate involvement in the eyes of guests. So far, it's working.

Sean O'Neill | 2 years ago

interior room at a luxury hotel, the Edition hotel in Jeddah, operated by Marriott

Hotels

Marriott Luxury Hotel Push Targets Wealth Transfer to Millennials and Gen Z

Marriott sees an opportunity to tap into luxury travel spending by millennials and Gen Z, expected to inherit tens of trillions of dollars worldwide over the next couple of decades.

Sean O'Neill | 2 years ago

Ground Transport

Amtrak Posts Record Ridership – Can it Double by 2040?

Amtrak runs some very long routes, like the California Zephyr, but most people don't actually use them to go across the country. Instead, they use them for shorter trips, like visiting their aunt in the next state over. Amtrak is planning its growth around this.

Sean O'Neill | 2 years ago