Sean O'Neill

Sean O’Neill is Skift’s Senior Hospitality Editor. Sean’s forte is reporting, and he’s broken multiple hotel industry scoops. He has also conducted 1:1 interviews on stage with the CEOs of Marriott, Hilton, IHG, Hyatt, and Wyndham.

Hotels

Choice Hotels’ Interim CEO: What We Know About Dominic Dragisich

Dominic Dragisich knows Choice Hotels’ numbers, brands, and growth strategy as well as anyone. The question is whether knowing the playbook is the same as writing a new one.

Luke Martin and Sean O'Neill | 1 month ago

Hotels

Choice Hotels’ Patrick Pacious Is Out as CEO

Choice Hotels' announcement of a leadership transition without a confirmed successor points to an abrupt decision to part with the CEO.

Sean O'Neill | 1 month ago

Hotels

NYC Hotel Housekeepers’ Pay to Hit $61 an Hour

A strike threat timed to the World Cup gave hotel workers maximum leverage. Every hotel union negotiator in other major cities will see this deal the new national labor benchmark.

Sean O'Neill | 1 month ago

wyndham ceo geoff ballotti at skift global forum 2024

Hotels

Wyndham CEO Geoff Ballotti Diagnosed With Cancer: ‘Prognosis Is Favorable’

Wyndham CEO Geoff Ballotti was diagnosed with "multiple myeloma, but it was caught "early" and his prognosis is "favorable. The 65-year-old executive will remain in his role while he undergoes treatment.

Sean O'Neill | 1 month ago

Image of a guest room at a recently refurbished upscale hotel called the Tess Atlanta, which is part of Marriott's Autograph Collection and is managed by Peregrine Hospitality.

Hotels

This CEO Says There’s ‘No Moat’ in Hospitality: Peregrine’s Playbook

Peregrine Hospitality's CEO admits hotels have no competitive moat. His fix is operational discipline. The question is whether that'll be enough to deliver results.

Sean O'Neill | 2 months ago

Experiences

HBX Group to Buy Bridgify as Part of Broader AI Push

HBX has been trying to diversify from reselling hotel rooms since before it went public. Each time, the answer is new inventory and better tech for selling. Experiences and AI are the latest pitch.

Sean O'Neill | 2 months ago

Hotels

Hotel Equities CEO: Here’s Which Technologies Can Actually Lift Owner Margins

Hotel owners see operating-cost inflation grinding margins. One third-party manager is publicly betting that AI and other technologies are the most promising route back to profitability.

Sean O'Neill and Adriana Lee | 2 months ago

Tourism

D.C. Tourism Flatlines as Foreign Visitors Fall and Hotel Tax Funds Get Redirected

Washington, D.C.'s 2025 visitor count barely crept past 2024's level, exposing a flat market, driven by fewer foreign tourists.

Sean O'Neill | 2 months ago

Image of the Paris skyline with Accor's headquarters in focus and the Eiffel Tower in the background.

Hotels

A 12% Stake and a Looming Board Meeting: What Does Accor’s Activist Investor Want?

The activist fund Parvus has become Accor's largest shareholder without telling anyone why.

Sean O'Neill | 2 months ago

image of a stadium box overlooking a soccer match

Hotels

80% of Hotels Say World Cup Bookings Are Missing Forecasts

FIFA's outrageous ticket prices, combined with geopolitical turmoil, have contributed to soft bookings. Yet hotels that jacked their rates share some of the blame, too.

Sean O'Neill | 2 months ago