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.

Travel Technology

10 Largest 2021 Travel Acquisitions Ripple Across Industry

Big names drove many of the top 10 travel mergers of the year. But among the largest deals, aircraft lessors, rail manufacturers and an online travel agency used the pandemic to scoop up infrastructure and technology to shore up their positions.

Dennis Schaal | 5 years ago

sonder ceo francis davidson at skift global forum 2021 source skift

Short-Term Rentals

Sonder Takes Next Step Toward Stock Market Listing in Mid-January

Will Sonder be a household name brand in accommodations in five years? The company hopes its Nasdaq debut in January, and a nifty $310 million in proceeds, will be the next stage in that evolution.

Dennis Schaal | 5 years ago

Online Travel

Evoking Travel Inspiration Online to Combat Covid Anxieties

Trip.com Group, Airbnb, and other online travel agencies have all made commitments to up their travel inspiration games. Pandemic uncertainties and anxieties will bolster their efforts.

Dennis Schaal | 5 years ago

Cruises

Carnival Passengers Are Spending Big Onboard

Pent-up demand isn't merely the desire to start traveling again. In the case of Carnival Corp. passengers, it means spending big to enjoy life during sailings.

Dennis Schaal | 5 years ago

Short-Term Rentals

Airbnb and Vrbo Start Sharing Information on Party House Offenders

The party house problem is a persistent one in the short-term rental industry. The more industrywide collaboration the better.

Dennis Schaal | 5 years ago

Online Travel

Trip.com Sees China Potentially Easing Travel Curbs in 2022

Six months or a year seem like way longer than that in the Covid era, and anything can happen in the interim. But it is significant that the executive chairman of China's largest online travel agency is postulating that inbound and outbound travel curbs could be softened next year.

Dennis Schaal | 5 years ago

Short-Term Rentals

Property Manager AvantStay Adds $160 Million in Funding for Expansion

AvantStay's move into brokerage services sets it apart from most of its peers. But as Zillow's experience of flipping houses and getting burned highlights, real estate can be a very risky sector.

Dennis Schaal | 5 years ago

panama panoramic view of mountains and sea

Tourism

Conscious Travelers Can Be a Money-Making Opportunity

Marketing to conscious travelers, for all of its societal benefits, may lead to potentially lucrative results, as well. Win-win?

Dennis Schaal | 5 years ago

Experiences

TUI Gets More Digital in Aspiring for Reinvention

Travelers in many parts of the world are used to the online booking of build-your-own vacation packages, and others prefer to walk into a travel agency to plan. After many years, TUI is trying to embrace digital trends, and is modestly executing on a plan to get more online.

Dennis Schaal | 5 years ago

Short-Term Rentals

Vacasa’s Value Falls 10 Percent on Stock Market Debut

Vacasa's market cap comeuppance in its first day of trading doesn't have huge significance. Are many private valuations inflated these days? For sure. But Vacasa's debut in a SPAC deal is a milestone for a bevy of startups seeking similar paths.

Dennis Schaal | 5 years ago