Dennis Schaal

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.

Latest Stories

Online Travel

Despegar Sells Destination Unit to Iberostar Group, 600 Employees Transfer

If this deals truly helps Despegar better focus on its core services — selling travel — then it would seem to make sense. In the process, Despegar gets leaner.

Dennis Schaal | 1 month ago

Short-Term Rentals

Capital One to the Rescue? Inspirato Looks for Boost Through Its Strategic Partner

The new CEO will have to figure out exactly what Inspirato will be. Is it the "luxury hospitality company" of 2019, the "innovative luxury travel club" of 2024, or something else.

Dennis Schaal | 1 month ago

Short-Term Rentals

Inspirato Gets New CEO and $10 Million in Financing, Lays Off 15% of Employees

With Brad Handler out as chairman and his brother Brent Handler having given up the CEO role nearly a year ago, this deal represents a changing of the guard at Inspirato.

Dennis Schaal | 1 month ago

Short-Term Rentals

Vacasa Lost 9% of Its Vacation Rentals in the Last Year, Doesn’t See Profitability in 2024

Vacasa's weaknesses were apparent well before the vacation rental market turned soft. Now, they're even tougher to fix.

Dennis Schaal | 1 month ago

Online Travel

Expedia Group Delays Rollout of One Key Loyalty Program Beyond the U.S. and the UK

Ariane Gorin is not going to be a Peter Kern clone in her new role as Expedia Group CEO. Among her first acts was to pause the international rollout of the Group's One Key loyalty program.

Dennis Schaal | 1 month ago

Online Travel

Expedia.com’s Growth Outpaced Rivals, but CEO Notes ‘Softening’ Demand

Was that a typo? Room nights at Expedia Group's flagship brand leaped 20%. That's rare territory these days in online travel.

Dennis Schaal | 1 month ago

Online Travel

Tripadvisor’s Controlling Shareholder and Certares Are in ‘Active Discussions’ About Transactions

This earnings season has turned into a cloudy one for Tripadvisor. It’s certainly looking for some sunshine.

Dennis Schaal | 1 month ago

Experiences

Airbnb CEO: We’ll Relaunch Experiences in 2025

Can Airbnb be successful in Experiences when it avoids mass market tours and activities? Don't look to find that Taj Mahal tour on Airbnb.

Dennis Schaal | 2 months ago

Short-Term Rentals

The Airbnb Growth Juggernaut Just Slowed

The moderation in Airbnb's growth in the second quarter, which ended June 30, is obviously not because stock markets have nosedived in the past week. It's tough to keep a company growing at a rapid clip at scale.

Dennis Schaal | 2 months ago

Online Travel

AI Will Speed Travel Agent Decline, Says Booking CEO. Not So, Says ASTA Boss

True, as the head of ASTA says, some people will always prefer to use a travel advisor over an online travel website. But in the big picture, how will AI skew the trend?

Dennis Schaal | 2 months ago