Amex GBT Slams Timing of Justice Department Lawsuit to Block CWT Acquisition
Dead in the water? Not exactly, but the pending Amex GBT merger with CWT faces an uphill battle.
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.
L.A. Wildfires and Travel: What We Know, What’s at Stake
Devastating wildfires in Los Angeles County forced the closure of some tourist attractions, while airports remain largely operational, and some travel companies stepped in to provide free temporary housing for displaced residents.
GetYourGuide Shows European Commission How Google Should Fix Its Travel Ads
The European Commission may soon decide what Google must do to comply with the Digital Markets Act. In the experiences sector, GetYourGuide's proposed advertising changes may be an improvement for platforms and operators, but is the lack of price comparison among companies what travelers really want?
Kayak’s CEO: First AI-Online Travel Deal Will Be Like ‘A Dam Breaking’
There are huge stakes in how AI in travel will develop. And the truth is no one can say for certain at this point how it will play out.
Sonder Replaced CEO Francis Davidson as Board Chairperson
Having an independent board chairperson is always a good move. Given Sonder's current status, one wonders what took the board so long to make a change.
Airbnb Co-Hosting Takes Off on Social Media. Is it a Threat to Property Managers?
If Airbnb co-hosting really takes off, it is going to take away properties from property management companies of all sizes. But the pool of potential properties to manage is large and growing.
New Details After Casago-Vacasa Deal: Property Manager to Sell Some Local Operations
No company has been able to massively scale vacation rental property management despite rollup strategies that have often worked in other sectors. Will Casago-Vacasa be able to do it through a hotel-like franchising model or will that have its own pitfalls?
Casago to Acquire Vacasa for $128 Million and Take It Private
Vacasa got hammered in the public markets and needed to go private. Whether Casago and Rootstock have the wherewithal to right the ship is an open question.
Takeaways From NYC’s Near-Ban on Airbnb
Banning short-term rentals in New York City didn't instantly lead to a wave of affordable housing, although the impact could potentially be different in smaller towns and cities.
Hotel Versus OTA Direct-Booking Tussle Will Shape Distribution for Years to Come
Will hotel websites become the dominant distribution channel for hotels by 2030, leaving online travel agencies behind? It could certainly happen. However, there are reasons that scenario might not take place. Let's discuss this again in five years.