Sean O'Neill

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.

Latest Stories

Hotels

Marriott Unveils Overhaul: $90 Million in Cuts, Updates on Midscale Push

If you double your hotel empire over a decade, someone's eventually going to ask: "Hey, are we running this thing efficiently?" At Marriott, that someone is CEO Anthony Capuano.

Marriott Unveils Overhaul: $90 Million in Cuts, Updates on Midscale Push

Hotels

How Marriott Adds Boutiques With its Design Hotels’ Brand

Design Hotels is a Marriott brand that isn't quite a Marriott brand. It's more like an exclusive hotel club where 60% of owners have never run a boutique before. New boss Stijn Oyen is fine-tuning its strategy.

How Marriott Adds Boutiques With its Design Hotels’ Brand

Cruises

Royal Caribbean CEO’s Premium Push: Better Pricing, Shorter Cruises, Younger Passengers

Royal Caribbean Group's CEO Jason Liberty has a strategy to push his customer base upmarket. Liberty believes there's more willingness among consumers to pay more for premium leisure travel than previously assumed.

Royal Caribbean CEO’s Premium Push: Better Pricing, Shorter Cruises, Younger Passengers

Cruises

Norwegian Cruise: Pricing And Bookings Are ‘Exceptionally Strong’

Norwegian Cruise Line's story is essentially "everything is great and we're being careful to keep it that way for as long as possible."

Norwegian Cruise: Pricing And Bookings Are ‘Exceptionally Strong’

Hotels

Hyatt Hotels’ CEO on Loyalty, New Markets, and Sticking with Premium Brands

Hyatt's larger rivals are racing to plant flags in every market. Hyatt is more selective and believes the payoff will be in attracting high-end consumers to its loyalty program.

Hyatt Hotels’ CEO on Loyalty, New Markets, and Sticking with Premium Brands

Hotels

MGM Resorts Sees Healthy Vegas Demand Despite Heat Wave Hit, F1 Race Slowdown

MGM Resorts sees strong demand at its Las Vegas resorts continuing through year-end, despite minor performance hiccups in the third quarter.

MGM Resorts Sees Healthy Vegas Demand Despite Heat Wave Hit, F1 Race Slowdown

Hotels

Royal Caribbean: Higher Cruise Pricing, New Customers and AI Strategy

Young travelers are flocking to cruise ships, and Royal Caribbean is cashing in by creating private ports and islands as new attractions.

Royal Caribbean: Higher Cruise Pricing, New Customers and AI Strategy

Hotels

Hyatt Extends Lead in All-Inclusive Resorts Through Deal With Spanish Brand

For Hyatt, which has been aggressively expanding in this segment, the joint venture will boost its all-inclusive room count by about 30%.

Hyatt Extends Lead in All-Inclusive Resorts Through Deal With Spanish Brand

Business Travel

Wyndham Residence: The Latest Entry in U.S. Extended-Stay Hotels

The real test will be whether Wyndham can scale this extended-stay hotel concept beyond a handful of trophy locations while maintaining the upscale positioning needed to justify premium rates.

Wyndham Residence: The Latest Entry in U.S. Extended-Stay Hotels

Hotels

Accor’s Hotels Got a Boost From Luxury Spending and the Olympics

Despite advance skepticism, the Paris Olympics provided a sugar rush for Accor's hotels. But the company may need more than Olympic-sized live tourism events to sustain its ambitions for rapid growth worldwide.

Accor’s Hotels Got a Boost From Luxury Spending and the Olympics