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.

Trivago CEO Axel Hefer at Skift Global Forum

Online Travel

Trivago Looks to Take Share From Google If Regulators Step In

Trivago's expectation that it could benefit from the EU chomping down on Google Travel during 2022 is very much an open question. Beyond the fines levied and outside of travel, Google has managed to maneuver its way around regulatory crackdowns to a large degree.

Dennis Schaal | 4 years ago

Online Travel

Don’t Expect a Huge Crisis Bounceback for Online Travel Agencies This Time

The online travel space has always been super-competitive, but established players like Expedia Group and Booking Holdings face a growing roster of formidable competitors, including hotels, Google and Airbnb.

Dennis Schaal | 4 years ago

Airlines

Allegiant Air to Get New CEO During Challenging Period

When Allegiant President John Redmond adds the CEO title in June, he'll have to deal with some of the same issues, such as the pandemic, that he's trying to handle now. Add one more thing to the list: Frontier could become a more formidable flight competitor if it gets the OK to merge with Spirit.

Dennis Schaal | 4 years ago

Ground Transport

New Hertz CEO Will Be Ex-Goldman Sachs Finance Chief Stephen Scherr

Hertz's next CEO has his work cut out for him in remaking the company. The car rental firm's transformation plan sounds good on paper, but it will be up to Stephen Scherr to turn vision into reality.

Dennis Schaal | 4 years ago

Online Travel

Hopper Plans to Stay Private for Now With $5 Billion Valuation

Hopper has been making a go of things with varied degrees of success for 15 years and the company is now finding its stride. Being a private company has its allures, but you can bet that Hopper executives would jump at the right deal. Who wouldn't?

Dennis Schaal | 4 years ago

Online Travel

Google Sees Travel Searches Jump Sixfold Over Covid Rules Confusion

As travel demand picks up helter skelter, depending on the destination and trip mode, travel advertising has returned as a strong piece of Google's business. Among the companies that have emerged from the pandemic with momentum, you can place Google in the upper echelon.

Dennis Schaal | 4 years ago

Online Travel

Hopper Cancellation Policy Could Disrupt Short-Term Rentals

Hopper aims to be a big player in short-term rentals, and it's still under development cancel-for-any-reason feature could draw a ton of positive attention from hosts and guests. It could either mean a ton of red ink for Hopper or, if successful, spur competitors to scurry to offer knock-offs.

Dennis Schaal | 4 years ago

Short-Term Rentals

Airbnb Regulatory Fixer to Depart, Leaving Controversial Legacy

Under Chris Lehane, Airbnb has often irritated and outraged local government leaders and short-term rental peers. But as we know about negative campaigns and hardball tactics, they often get results.

Dennis Schaal | 4 years ago

Short-Term Rentals

Sonder CEO on the Generational Divide in Hospitality

Sonder doesn't need to put Hilton or Airbnb out of business to be a winner. But it has to has to cope with the market's displeasure with unprofitable companies, and to prove that its guest experience will deliver on its promises, starting with millennials and Gen Zers.

Dennis Schaal | 4 years ago

Short-Term Rentals

U.S. Short-Term Rental Rate Sticker Shock Will Sting More in 2022

Short-term rental owners in locked-down countries undoubtably suffered or went out of business in 2021. But for many owners in the U.S., it was the best of times, and their revenue soared. One wakeup call — there may not be an adequate number of listings to meet demand.

Dennis Schaal | 4 years ago