Dennis Schaal Archives

Dennis Schaal is Skift's Founding Editor and Executive Editor. Dennis has been a reporter focusing on online travel and short-term rentals for more than two decades at Skift, Tnooz, USA Today, and Travel Weekly. He is well-known for tough one-on-one interviews on stage at Skift events, including with the CEOs and top execs of Expedia, Uber, Booking Holdings, Priceline, Kayak, Hopper, and more.

Hotels

European Commission Finds Google Favors Its Own Travel Listings, Violates Competition Rules

Skift has been arguing for more than a decade that Google creates an anti-competitive playing field by self-preferencing its own travel businesses over those of competitors. The European Commission's wheels are turning very slowly.

Dennis Schaal | 5 days ago

Short-Term Rentals

Airbnb Calls Vrbo Billboards 'Confused' and 'Desperate'

Airbnb isn't happy with Vrbo's more aggressive advertising strategy. But as a challenger brand, Vrbo feels the need to score some points.

Dennis Schaal | 6 days ago

A view of a resort hotel with a big pool on a sunny day Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos

Online Travel

SCOOP: Former CNBC Host Acquires Reservations.com

This is the next chapter for Reservations.com after a cancelled SPAC deal in 2022.

Dennis Schaal | 6 days ago

A man speaking on stage while seated in a yellow chair.

Airlines

Air India CEO: 'The Power is in Our Hands' to Capture Outbound Travel Demand

Will Air India be able to seize the opportunity? While the airline industry is being hampered by a myriad of supply constraints, the airline has a lot of cards it can play.

Dennis Schaal | 1 week ago

Short-Term Rentals

SCOOP: VTrips' Steve Milo Is Out as CEO

VTrips has been under pressure for some time, and will need a cash infusion to right the ship.

Dennis Schaal | 1 week ago

Two people in conversation on stage at a conference.

Online Travel

Tripadvisor Appoints Ex-Booking.com Exec as Viator President

Pepijn Rijvers doesn't bring a ton of experience in the tours and activities sector. But he's a veteran in the online travel agency sector and in marketing, which will play a big role in Viator's prospects.

Dennis Schaal | 1 week ago

A Vacasa-managed property in Pagosa Springs, Colorado.

Short-Term Rentals

Vacasa Accepts Revised Acquisition Offer, Turns Down Rival's Higher Bid

One reason Vacasa's board looks more favorably about the Casago bid is because of the leverage that Davidson Kempner wields over Vacasa as a debt holder. If Vacasa accepts the investment firm's bid and the deal gets dragged out, then Davidson Kempner would be in the driver's seat.

Dennis Schaal | 1 week ago

Short-Term Rentals

Short-Term Rentals: Airbnb's Dominance and Booking's Gains in 1 Chart

The big three online travel agencies are generating almost three-quarters of the short-term rental revenue on the planet. The rest of the crowd is seeing their previous foothold diminishing.

Dennis Schaal | 2 weeks ago

Online Travel

Southwest Didn't Get the Gains It Expected From New Online Booking Channels

Southwest is looking to expand its online distribution even though it didn't get the love it sought for its now-abandoned 'bags fly free' policy.

Dennis Schaal | 2 weeks ago

Tour Operators

Airbnb Experiences: New Details Point to Direct Competition with Viator and GetYourGuide

Experiences has traditionally been a low-margin business so Airbnb was never going to make a go of it tethered to a niche offering. The challenge in going mainstream is to maintain some differentiation from rivals.

Dennis Schaal | 2 weeks ago