Sean O'Neill Archives

Sean O’Neill is Skift's Senior Hospitality Editor. Sean's forte is reporting, and he's broken multiple industry scoops. Sean has also received praise as an event moderator, having interviewed the CEOs of major hotel groups such as Marriott, Hilton, and IHG on stage. He writes analysis pieces that pinpoint industry trends, and he profiles rising industry leaders. In his personal life, someone should stop him before he starts another home improvement project.

Online Travel

Rainmaker Group Sells Division for $300 Million to Focus on Hotel Revenue Management

This move will allow The Rainmaker Group to concentrate on its core competency of demand management for hotels and casinos, an area where competition is heating up from rivals like Duetto, LodgIQ, IDeaS, and Revinate.

Sean O'Neill | 8 years ago

Online Travel

Skift Forum Europe: Trivago's Bosses Try Unconventional Tactics to Manage Growth

How do you stay efficient and maintain core values when your company scales from 700 to 1,100 employees within a year? You get rid of most job titles and fly everyone to Ibiza for the weekend, says Trivago's managing director Johannes Thomas.

Sean O'Neill | 8 years ago

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 | 8 years ago

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 | 8 years ago

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 | 8 years ago

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 | 8 years ago

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 | 8 years ago

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 | 8 years ago

bridgestreet serviced apartments technology

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 | 8 years ago

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 | 8 years ago