Sean O'Neill

Sean O’Neill is Skift's senior hospitality editor, reporting on hotels. Send him news tips at [email protected]. He's been a full-time journalist for two decades. He lives in Washington, D.C. Stop him before he starts another home improvement project.

Latest Stories

Online Travel

Amadeus’ Bet on Hotel Services Is Beginning to Pay Off

Amadeus says it is pulling off its promised trick of staying profitable despite margin pressure on its mainstay airline services business. This year much depends on how well its reservation system projects with Southwest Airlines and IHG go.

Sean O'Neill, Skift | 7 years ago

Amadeus’ Bet on Hotel Services Is Beginning to Pay Off

Online Travel

Trivago Wants to Find Profitability and Spend Big on Marketing, Too

Your eyes weren't fooling you. Late last year, Trivago really did spend more on its TV ads than ever before in many markets. In its first financial report as a public company, the price-comparison company says the ads are working.

Sean O'Neill, Skift | 7 years ago

Trivago Wants to Find Profitability and Spend Big on Marketing, Too

Online Travel

Travefy Makes Its First Acquisition: Travel Startup Funding This Week

Travefy solidifies its business with travel management companies, TravelCar brings its car rental solution to U.S. airports, NIDA Rooms expands its branded budget hotel room model in Southeast Asia, and more news in our weekly roundup.

Sean O'Neill, Skift | 7 years ago

Travefy Makes Its First Acquisition: Travel Startup Funding This Week

Online Travel

Airbnb Buys Payments Company Tilt to Let Travelers Split Trip Costs

Travelers have long asked Airbnb to make it easier to share the cost of a rental, including when they are using different currencies from a lodging host. By acquiring Tilt, the startup will likely add that service to its app.

Sean O'Neill, Skift | 7 years ago

Airbnb Buys Payments Company Tilt to Let Travelers Split Trip Costs

Online Travel

Stayzilla Closes Indian Alternative Lodging Business Despite Raising $34 Million

It was only last May that Stayzilla received $13 million in a Series C round. An impressive-seeming execution must have blinded investors to spreadsheet data showing the company was not generating enough revenue to cover its costs.

Sean O'Neill, Skift | 7 years ago

Stayzilla Closes Indian Alternative Lodging Business Despite Raising $34 Million

Online Travel

China’s Ctrip Will Focus on Domestic Hotels Following International Spending Spree

After making a string of investments, Ctrip may be keeping its gunpowder dry in 2017 — at least according to our interpretation of the latest comments of its executives. That will give it a chance to digest its recent acquisition of Skyscanner and to deepen its hotel coverage within China.

Sean O'Neill, Skift | 7 years ago

Online Travel

BridgeStreet Pushes Corporate Housing Towards a Mini-Revolution in Online Booking

A fresh approach to online distribution will heat up the corporate housing sector. It will make it easier for property managers to distribute serviced properties and for travel managers to book them.

Sean O'Neill, Skift | 7 years ago

BridgeStreet Pushes Corporate Housing Towards a Mini-Revolution in Online Booking

Online Travel

4 New Travel Startups Helping Hotels Engage With Guests

Tink Labs is a standout Hong Kong company in the hotel ecosystem. It attracted $170 million in funding to make its Handy loaner smartphones a free amenity in hotels worldwide. But we found some other companies that are also offering promising tools for hoteliers.

Sean O'Neill, Skift | 7 years ago

4 New Travel Startups Helping Hotels Engage With Guests

Hotels

Choice Hotels Mulls Options for a Tech Division That Struggled to Break Even

Choice talks a good game about its SkyTouch subsidiary. But signs point to continued heartache. Expect the franchisor to focus instead on the vacation rental software it gained by acquiring Dutch startup Maxxton plus its own reservation system.

Sean O'Neill, Skift | 7 years ago

Choice Hotels Mulls Options for a Tech Division That Struggled to Break Even

Online Travel

OAG Gets Sold Again as it Pushes its Flight Schedule and Forecasting Service

OAG was taken over by private equity in 2013, which retrofitted it with a focus on airline data services. But this once legendary brand will face tough competition from FlightGlobal and other players.

Sean O'Neill, Skift | 7 years ago