Dennis Schaal

Skift Founding Editor/Executive Editor, member of leadership team: Author of The Definitive Oral History of Online Travel, The Oral History of Travel's Greatest Acquisition, Booking.com, and The Definitive Oral History of Short-Term Rentals. Dennis Schaal also wrote a Skift ebook, The Future of Travel Booking. He 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. Freelance for Boston Globe, Computer Shopper, and Etihad Airways Inflight Magazine. Also worked at The Star-Ledger, Connecticut Post, and was Editor in Chief of Corporate Responsibility Officer Magazine. Known for tough one-on-one interviews on stage at conferences, including CEOs/top execs of Expedia, Airbnb, Uber, Booking Holdings, Priceline, Kayak, Hopper, Marriott, Agoda, Skyscanner, Vacasa, and more.

Latest Stories

Short-Term Rentals

Hurricanes But Not Flu Outbreaks: Airbnb Revises Cancellation Policy

Airbnb's new cancellation policy will cover hurricanes — if they trigger government travel bans. But if there is a flu warning in the U.S., a malaria emergency in Thailand, or a Covid-19 outbreak, these situations would not be covered.

Hurricanes But Not Flu Outbreaks: Airbnb Revises Cancellation Policy

Business Travel

What an Amex GBT-CWT Merger Means For Expedia and Booking.com

As in the planned American Express Global Business Travel Group merger with CWT, many marriages have in-law issues.

What an Amex GBT-CWT Merger Means For Expedia and Booking.com

Hotels

Booking.com Ends ‘Possibly Misleading’ Sustainability Program

Booking.com's Travel Sustainable program ran into a regulatory buzzsaw.

Booking.com Ends ‘Possibly Misleading’ Sustainability Program

Hotels

Sonder Delays 2023 Earnings Report, Needs to Restate Financials for Past 2 Years

The expectation is for an increase in Sonder's overall net loss for 2022 and 2023.

Sonder Delays 2023 Earnings Report, Needs to Restate Financials for Past 2 Years

Online Travel

Booking Versus Expedia on TikTok

Booking.com and Expedia know they have to get out there and market where their potential customers are. In this case, millions are on TikTok.

Booking Versus Expedia on TikTok

Online Travel

See Why Google’s Competitors Think It’s Violating Europe’s Digital Markets Act

As with privacy concerns, the European Union is ahead of the U.S. when it comes to regulating digital platforms such as Google. European online travel companies aren't satisfied with Google's changes — but hotels think they go too far.

See Why Google’s Competitors Think It’s Violating Europe’s Digital Markets Act

Online Travel

Tripadvisor Sale: Apollo’s Interest and Possible Scenarios

Even Tripadvisor would agree that the sum of its parts is likely worth more the whole. That's what a potential buyer is likely thinking.

Tripadvisor Sale: Apollo’s Interest and Possible Scenarios

Short-Term Rentals

What’s Next For Airbnb: AI, Co-Hosting, Experiences, and the ‘Heartland’

Airbnb has been talking about introducing non-core services for an extended period. It's an educated bet that some will trickle out this year.

What’s Next For Airbnb: AI, Co-Hosting, Experiences, and the ‘Heartland’

Online Travel

Tripadvisor Plus Is Officially Dead: Here’s Why It Didn’t Work

Subscriptions were supposed to be the next big thing in travel. It hasn't worked out that way. eDreams Odigeo's program seems to be doing well, but most of the others are struggling.

Tripadvisor Plus Is Officially Dead: Here’s Why It Didn’t Work

Short-Term Rentals

Airbnb Closes In on 1.5 Million Verified Listings to Build Trust

To verify 7.7 million listings, as untold numbers are constantly dropping off and new ones are added in more than 220 countries, is a daunting task. By its nature, this will be an imperfect process.

Airbnb Closes In on 1.5 Million Verified Listings to Build Trust