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.

Online Travel

Spain’s eDreams Odigeo Claims to Spend Nothing to Market Its Booming Subscription Plan

Like any online travel agency, eDreams Odigeo spends plenty on marketing to obtain new customers, but is currently spending next to nothing outside its own channels on getting travelers to sign up for its "Prime" subscriptions. No YouTube or banner ads, but this could change soon.

Dennis Schaal | 5 years ago

Online Travel

Remember When Expedia Wanted to Reduce Its Reliance on Google? Big 180-Degree Shift Now

Critics blasted Airbnb for relying too heavily on Google advertising to obtain customers in 2019. But in the beginning of 2021, Expedia outspent all of its rivals on paid marketing and made some gains. Expedia and its Vrbo brand are making no apologies for it.

Dennis Schaal | 5 years ago

Hotels

Airbnb’s Short-Term Rental Challengers Double Down on Brand-Building

As happened with major online travel agencies, there will eventually be several winners in short-term rentals beyond Airbnb. But will these come from the independent property managers trying to build consumer brands, or will the larger players take them out as is customary?

Dennis Schaal | 5 years ago

Hotels

Vacasa and Sonder Face Challenges as They Get Ready to Join Airbnb as Public Companies

Will Vacasa and Sonder have the wherewithal as public companies to build their own brands independent of relying on Google and Airbnb, and will their business model challenges be surmountable? There's a ton of potential and so much work ahead for each of the companies.

Dennis Schaal | 5 years ago

Online Travel

Tripadvisor Plus Offers Plenty of Chain Hotels Even If It Is Short on Brand Agreements

Consider Tripadvisor's excruciating marketing decisions: It wants to shout to the world that travelers can save hundreds of dollars on a Hilton or Marriott booking for their next trip when enrolled in the subscription program, Tripadvisor Plus. But that's going to piss off Hilton and Marriott.

Dennis Schaal | 5 years ago

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Online Travel

Expedia and Airbnb Split on Travel’s Future and 10 Other Top Travel Stories This Week

In Skift's top travel stories this week, we covered the Expedia CEO's take on Airbnb, the Hyatt-Apple Leisure deal, two online travel veterans launching a hotel distribution network, the unpaid fines of unruly flyers, among other topics.

Dennis Schaal | 5 years ago

Online Travel

Despegar’s Strength in Mexico and Colombia Helps Blunt Pandemic Impact

Argentina-based Despegar has broadened its geographic reach through acquisitions, and that has enabled the company to boast that seasonality factor has been eliminated from the business. While that statement is a stretch, it will be great for the company to take advantage of Mexico summers while Brazil winters.

Dennis Schaal | 5 years ago

Online Travel

Online Travel’s Localization Quandary

Traveloka knows how to go local in Indonesia and some other countries in the region, and that's one element of its traction in these markets. But can local ever be too local when online travel agencies mull international expansion?

Dennis Schaal | 5 years ago

Online Travel

Skift Global Forum Preview: Expedia CEO Sees Airbnb as ‘One-Dimensional’

Peter Kern is correct that Expedia Group currently offers broader travel services than do Airbnb and Booking Holdings, but whether Expedia can gain ground on its rivals and can execute on its strategy are entirely different questions.

Dennis Schaal | 5 years ago

Hotels

Don’t Call Us Oyo: Online Travel Veterans Launch Hotel Distribution Network With Distinct Model

Oyo made headlines for offering hotels a minimum revenue guarantee in exchange for taking control of hotel operations. Bob Diener and David Litman are doing it with a twist — trying to drive demand to select hotels to steal business from their peers in exchange for hefty margins on each sale.

Dennis Schaal | 5 years ago