Episodes
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Steve Sinclair appeared on “Say Yes to Travel” to discuss with host Sarah Dandashy an aspect of traveling that many people might not consider: lost and found. Everyone has had to deal with losing something somewhere at some point while on a trip, and Sinclair’s company, Bounte, helps reunite people with lost… well, bounty.
The journey for Sinclair began when he was vacationing with his family and his young son’s blankets were lost at a hotel. The blankets were, mercifully, found, but the ensuing hassle and confusion chain-of-command to get them mailed and returned was too complicated. Sinclair saw a missing link in an industry. Inquring on how the hotel staff was keeping up with these kinds of issues, he discovered it was all down to “Excel and post-it notes.”
“The guest experience is so critical, you got to get the technology right to deliver that guest experience,” said Sinclair. Dandashy pointed out the importance of a company like Bounte, since oftentimes “the lost and found process” is often “only as good as the person on the phone.”
Sinclair deconstructed the issue into three pieces. The first point is logging, which Bounte has a simple picture-method where whomever sees an item can simply log it by taking a picture with a phone that is then captured into a company’s cloud. The item is also automatically recognized and labeled.
This leads to the second problem: searching capabilities. Many places don’t even know what’s in their lost and found. They always have to go back and search. “You’re basically fumbling the ball right in front of the guest,” said Sinclair. “We have a system so that you can go and search through it really quickly.”
The third issue Sinclair found is returning items. Oftentimes, this can be a nightmare. With Bounte, the guest is able to use an online system to check out and choose a shipping option, just like they would be able to do when ordering from a retailer like Amazon.
When it comes to having places like hotels choose a company like Bounte to help streamline their lost and found needs, Sinclair stresses that “not making a decision about technology is making a decision about technology.”
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Why is a nurse being featured on the Say Yes to Travel podcast? Well, Kelly Greytok, RN concierge nurse specializing in plastic surgery recovery, started out as a golf course coordinator straight out of college and then became a nurse. Greytok explained to Host Sarah Dandashy that she combined her love for travel with nursing by helping plastic surgery patients recover in hotels. She proudly maintains the motto of “exceeding the expectations of every guest every time.”
However, as one can imagine, the pandemic made Greytok’s job a little tricky with traveling and elective plastic surgeries nearly coming to a halt. Alternatively, plastic surgeons pivoted and adapted quickly, like hosting Zoom consultation sessions, and Greytok is ecstatic to see that change lasting.
Just in the U.S. this year alone, surgeons performed 15.6M cosmetic and almost 6M reconstructive surgeries, even with COVID-19 regulations. Greytok has noticed an increase in surgeries above the neck and believes it’s largely due to looking at oneself so frequently on Zoom meetings.
Greytok added that patients desire a seamless experience and the most qualified doctors since there is a hefty price tag associated with plastic surgery.
“More than ever, especially since the pandemic, people want safety, they want comfort, and they want connection,” explained Greytok. “And so I’m finding that instead of being at a house with all the other people and the crossover of nurses, they want to be in a private, luxurious hotel room… they want the privacy, and they want the great experience on their own terms.”
Interested in more information and tips on plastic surgery caregiving? Subscribe to the channel and check out Greytok’s website for bookings, videos, checklists and other resources.
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Episodes manquant?
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Celebrating stories of love in beautiful locations sounds like a dream job, and it is for Karen Bussen, the exclusive designer for Weddings by Palladium. Bussen joined Say Yes to Travel host Sarah Dandashy to talk about her experience and what’s trending for destination weddings in 2022.
Bussen’s roots are in the hospitality industry, and that’s where her journey to wedding planner extraordinaire began. “I was working at a restaurant in New York City, and a couple loved the floral arrangement I did and asked to help with their wedding. From here, I was hooked.”
Bussen learned on the job, making early morning trips to the city’s floral market. Over time, she did more than just design, helping couples plan their special day. She then joined the Palladium Group. “We had the same commitment to quality and service, and it was an opportunity to deliver an experience to couples across the world,” she said.
Now, she helps brides and grooms create their dream wedding days at Palladium resorts in Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Jamaica.
“Each resort has its own personality. The Riviera Maya is lush and natural. In Jamaica, the backdrop is the turquoise waters. The essence of the place is part of every celebration,” Bussen shared.
In talking trends for 2022, Bussen mentioned that since many couples had postponed their nuptials, they're going all out. “They are adding on events and experiences like welcome parties at the beach or farewell brunches.”
Another trend Bussen noted is couples wanting to incorporate the culture of the location into their festivities. “They want to integrate the flavors of the place in authentic ways. At Riviera Maya, there’s a shaman experience where they issue a blessing, which ties back to Mayan culture.”
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The hospitality industry continues to evolve, and the people behind it do so, too. Joining Sarah Dandashy on Say Yes to Travel was Dan Ryan, Co-Founder of Agency 967. Ryan is a lifelong entrepreneur, industry expert, and host of the podcast Defining Hospitality.
After falling in love with hospitality, Ryan spent 20 years selling and sourcing custom furniture and fixtures for hotels. Managing all aspects of it became chaotic, so he founded Agency 967 to be an intermediary. “I needed to simplify everything and work with the best in category companies, so I can shorten everyone’s journey. I’m a connector between brands and hotel designers.”
Ryan used those words “shortening the journey” throughout the show and are huge for his personal brand and agency. He took on new ways to do this during the pandemic, starting Blue Canary, a cleaning training platform for hospitality. “We created a culture of safety,” he added.
Ryan also started his podcast, which he was excited to do because of his natural curiosity. “It’s called Defining Hospitality because it means something different to everyone, and it even made me rethink what hospitality is.”
Ryan and Dandashy also discussed trends. “Smaller rooms are here to stay. The mature hospitality industry has much to learn from Airbnb. They can equally inform each other.”
On the minds of hospitality leaders, Ryan said, “The hiring crisis was a problem before and is now a serious structural issue. What work looks like after the pandemic will impact both business and personal travel.”
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While travel is ramping up this year compared to 2021’s holiday season, it is doing so to a much greater extent than anyone had anticipated. Host Sarah Dandashy from Marketscale’s podcast Say Yes to Travel shared, “AAA projects that more than 53.4 million people with travel this Thanksgiving.” Surprisingly, she added that “This is just 3 percent shy of pre-pandemic levels.”
If you are planning on traveling this Thanksgiving, Dandashy noted that the best time to leave and return home is before 11 AM on Friday or Saturday and before 12 PM on Sunday. These tend to be the best times to avoid traffic jams, as traffic is projected to be about 40 percent higher nationwide this year.
Even the TSA has been noticing this trend. On November 19, they recorded the busiest day since the start of pandemic, screening over 2.2 million passengers.
Another industry experiencing the impact of the rise in travel is hospitality. There is still a hiring struggle for this industry, especially within businesses such as hotels, restaurants, and airlines. Dandashy’s tip: Be mindful and appreciative of your staff if you are in this industry. She added that it is important “even more so this year just given those circumstances with those long hours not as many people working so those people are feeling overlooked and overworked. So whatever you can do to show that appreciation and be mindful for the employees you do have will go a long, long way.”
Dandashy expressed her appreciation for all podcast guests and clients and added that there will be a few more episodes of Say Yes to Travel the remainder of the year featuring some phenomenal guests. As always, continue to say, “yes” to travel
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In this episode of Say Yes to Travel, Host Sarah Dandashy invited John Wolfe, CEO of House Advantage on the show. The two discuss Wolfes’ background in the gaming industry, his move to owning businesses that center on consumer loyalty and understanding consumers’ habits. They later dive into the importance of using the current pandemic-associated challenges to see the opportunities for growth and new ways of doing things.
Wolfe says the data they collect in how people make buying decisions and understand consumer habits is essential in loyalty. But also, so is the security of that data. In establishing a cyber-security company, Wolfe says, “if our whole lives are immersed in technology as it has been during the pandemic,” cyber-security is a safe counter bet. “People wake up every day in other countries and spend their entire day looking for ways to plunder companies wealth.”
Wolfe doesn’t consider his work as a job but an extension of his passions and lifestyle. “I tend to invest, build where I live and spend all my time.” Wolfe attributes the success of his companies to viewing things from a consumer-first attitude and mentality.
Wolfe admits that “My companies don’t look related, but understanding lifestyle consumer habits, data, the laws around protecting data and the technology of protecting that data all fit.” Wolfe said there wasn’t a science in how things came together but more of seeing opportunities and going after solutions to needs.
" We look for things we have to offer during the shutdowns and challenges.” For example, Wolfe developed a new home unit called Hack Trap. With internet lifestyle technology connected to appliances, cameras, and monitors at home, they saw a need for home data protection. “With people working from home, and all of the technology, there was a convergence of needs that we’ve met,” says Wolfe. It’s essential to embrace new areas as a business. Wolfe believes, “There isn’t a concern that doesn’t have an opportunity tied to it. If you look at it the right way, you can exploit an opportunity. I’ve never seen a problem that doesn’t have an opportunity.”
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The pandemic pushed the hospitality industry to the brink. However, crisis often breeds innovation and creativity. So, what’s next for the hotel ecosystem? Brian Esposito, CEO of Esposito Intellectual Enterprises, is developing a new cryptocurrency-focused hotel concept. He joined Say Yes to Travel host Sarah Dandashy to discuss it.
Esposito’s holding company includes 75 entities operating in over 25 different industries, two of those being hospitality and crypto. He founded his company to build a world as he sees it and wants to contribute to it. “I want to add value, connect the dots, and enhance the guest experience.”
Esposito noted that several areas of hospitality are booming post-pandemic, including private aviation and wellness travel. He said that it’s an exciting time and the perfect one to do something completely different.
“I’m working on a new hotel concept with digital assets. Properties are at a discount now, and this could be a source of new profitability when the currency is crypto,” Esposito said.
Travelers may spend more in digital currency but need a space to do that. Reinventing the traditional hotel infrastructure is part of the concept. “It would likely include private residencies for the crypto community. But it’s bringing this abstract concept into a familiar environment.”
Another idea for these hotels is to remove the ballroom and replace it with a digital exchange floor. “Ballrooms are a burden and often bleeding money. The model would be to create a crypto exchange trading floor. It’s using an institutional model people know to introduce something new so people will want to get involved,” Esposito shared.
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The cruise industry was always a favorite for travelers, and it’s finally resurging after the pandemic. What does this new cruise experience look like, and what are guests now expecting? To answer this, Say Yes to Travel host Sarah Dandashy spoke with Paul Rutter. Rutter is a customer service expert, author, speaker, and spent 40 years as a cruise and entertainment director.
Rutter’s path to the industry was unexpected. He graduated from college with a teaching degree, with plans to travel before starting his career. A chance meeting turned into an offer to work on a ship. “I worked on multiple lines, received education from all these, and was traveling all over the world and getting paid.”
Rutter pointed out what makes cruising unique across hospitality and any other sector. “We live with our customers 24/7 and our coworkers. So, culture onboard is important. There are so many nationalities, so everyone has to be taken care of—happy crew, happy guests,” Rutter shared.
Cruises went dormant during the pandemic and are now back on the waters. Rutter explained that the cruise lines got together to create plans and procedures. “The cruise industry has been light years ahead of others in health and safety. Now with the plans and requiring vaccines or negative tests, there have been few outbreaks.”
The operational model had to adapt to the new reality, with contact tracing, crew-served buffets, and cordoning off potential cases.
Even though the environment is somewhat different, the commitment to exceed expectations and care for crew is still the same. Rutter’s More Than Perfect Customer Service Model drives satisfaction, retention, and loyalty. He combined this model and anecdotes from his 40 years in the business in his new book, “You Can’t Make This Ship Up.”
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On November 1, 2021, Palm Beach opened its newly renovated Town Marina. Say Yes to Travel host Sarah Dandashy chatted with Assistant Town Manager Carolyn Stone and dockmaster Mike Horn to explore this exciting project.
The dock, originally from the 1940s, was at the end of its life. As the only public marina on the island, rebuilding was a process. Stone said, “We really started from scratch, and my role, which includes oversight for revenue that’s not tax dollars, was to oversee the project.”
Horn, who has been with the city for eight years, echoed that the old docks were beyond repair. “We ripped it down and started over, upgrading everything.”
The marina’s history is rich, and since the town owns it, residents had input on the project, which also meant it took a bit longer. “We are a boating community, and most of those with slips are residents for at least part of the year,” Stone added.
The new marina delivers an upgrade in most every way. Horn said, “We now have adequate shore power, which we didn’t have in the old facility. We have floating docks and can accommodate boats up to 296 feet. It’s a well thought out design with Wi-Fi, wastewater removal, and utility pads.”
While the process to get to the construction was lengthy, it started in May 2020 during the pandemic. “There were lots of questions around construction in the pandemic, but we started on time. Weather was also a factor, as were concerns about the economy,” Stone noted.
The project kept moving, and they’re glad it did, considering it seems to be an impressive and successful project already, as Horn reported they already have 86% occupancy.
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On November 1, 2021, Palm Beach opened its newly renovated Town Marina. Say Yes to Travel host Sarah Dandashy chatted with Assistant Town Manager Carolyn Stone and dockmaster Mike Horn to explore this exciting project.
The dock, originally from the 1940s, was at the end of its life. As the only public marina on the island, rebuilding was a process. Stone said, “We really started from scratch, and my role, which includes oversight for revenue that’s not tax dollars, was to oversee the project.”
Horn, who has been with the city for eight years, echoed that the old docks were beyond repair. “We ripped it down and started over, upgrading everything.”
The marina’s history is rich, and since the town owns it, residents had input on the project, which also meant it took a bit longer. “We are a boating community, and most of those with slips are residents for at least part of the year,” Stone added.
The new marina delivers an upgrade in most every way. Horn said, “We now have adequate shore power, which we didn’t have in the old facility. We have floating docks and can accommodate boats up to 296 feet. It’s a well thought out design with Wi-Fi, wastewater removal, and utility pads.”
While the process to get to the construction was lengthy, it started in May 2020 during the pandemic. “There were lots of questions around construction in the pandemic, but we started on time. Weather was also a factor, as were concerns about the economy,” Stone noted.
The project kept moving, and they’re glad it did, considering it seems to be an impressive and successful project already, as Horn reported they already have 86% occupancy.
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The passion for travel can inspire more than just memories—it can also become a successful career. That’s the story of Tara Cappel, Founder and CEO of For the Love of (FTLO) Travel and Sojrn. She joined host Sarah Dandashy on Say Yes to Travel to talk about travel trends and her launch of Sojrn.
“Travel has always been a driver in my decisions in life, so I wanted to help others see the world,” Cappel said.
FTLO Travel is modern group travel for young professionals. The company takes care of all the planning, including curated inclusions and slow sustainable travel. When the pandemic hit, the business halted.
“We stopped running trips in March 2020 and turned back to community and bringing people together to maintain that excitement for travel,” Cappel explained.
During this time, Cappel and her team began to think about the long-term impact of the pandemic on work, life, and travel trends. That path took them to Sojrn, a “work from home meets study abroad” experience. Travelers spend a month abroad at one of their chapter destinations, where they can work, play, and connect. They started with chapters in Athens, Tuscany, Bali, and Medellin, with plans to add Cape Town, Mexico City, Rome, and Barcelona in 2022.
“We take care of accommodations and a workspace. Each chapter has a culturally relevant theme. We sold out immediately and have 5000 people on the waitlist,” Cappel shared.
Next, Cappel offered some thoughts on trends. “I think people are reprioritizing things in their lives and looking at those bucket list trips. There’s going to be a lot of demand.”
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On this episode of Say Yes To Travel, Host Sarah Dandashy talked with Jason Fudin, Co-Founder and CEO of WhyHotel, a hospitality platform, and operator focusing on multifamily buildings. It operates pop-up hotels out of the vacancy of newly built luxury apartments during the initial lease-up process. They talked about Fudin’s career, his time at Vornado Realty, and WhyHotel.
Fudin’s background is in high-rise institutional real estate development. He worked on large real estate developments for Vornado Realty that at times were worth more than $2 billion. Focusing on innovation realty, he tended to work with companies such as WeWork and how they could make space more efficient and better utilize it. While he was at Vornado, he piloted WhyHotel, and they spun it out to become its own independent, venture-backed company in 2017.
“The real estate world is kind of archaic in that highly siloed, and it has no flexibility,” Fudin said. “I was in the unique position of spending those 100s of millions and billions to build products while seeing a changing set of consumer preferences so spaces could be more flexible.”
WhyHotel brings a hospitality-style product into apartments, according to Fudin. Their first business line is a pop-up hotel. In some ways, it was the right place at the right time, as Vornado gave Fudin the freedom to build this new platform.
“If you’re a guest of ours or resident, you get to stay in high-quality apartment homes in great neighborhoods, but you get hospitality services,” Fudin said. “You get that hospitality experience.”
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Hyatt Hotels made a splash this week by announcing that it has agreed to buy resort operator Apple Leisure Group for $2.7 billion in cash.
Sarah Dandashy, host of MarketScale’s Say Yes to Travel, weighs in about the state of the industry and what we can expect as 2021 marches on.
In this soundbite, she shared her thoughts on the looming uncertainty of the hotel industry and how the big players might be looking at the Delta variant as an opportunity to expand their footprint.
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With so much change in the hospitality industry, many stakeholders are seeking new ideas, inspiration, and solving challenges. Hotel owner, operator and investor Rupesh Patel joined Say Yes to Travel host Sarah Dandashy to discuss his career and what he’s doing now as an industry advocate, social media community builder, and host of Hospitality Live with Rupesh.
Patel literally grew up in hotels when his father purchased one in South Florida. He wasn’t always on the hospitality path, studying multi-media design. Eventually, he merged his passions to a successful career. “I like bringing ideas from other industries to new ones and doing things that are unique,” he added.
“I like bringing ideas from other industries to new ones and doing things that are unique.” - Rupesh Patel
Because of Patel’s love for hospitality, he built a strong following on LinkedIn. “I just wanted to share my passion, show value, and bring ideas on operations, marketing, and customer service,” he said.
Once the pandemic hit, Patel pivoted from being a speaker and consultant in-person to putting that into his LinkedIn postings and show. “I wanted to inspire people while they were down. I was seeing my employees and others struggle, so it was about staying positive.”
Patel also recognized the shift in the hotel business that will outlast the pandemic. “The entire guest experience is changing because of technology. I was able to direct message my hotel on my flight here to see if I could check in early, and I wouldn’t have been able to do that a few years ago.”
Additionally, Patel discussed the adoption and acceleration of technology in every facet of hotel operations and the power of data. “We’re collecting data about who is there, what they’re buying, and what they’re doing to improve experiences.”
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Will hospitality ever be the same? Should it be? What has the industry and world learned since the pandemic? These are some of the topics Say Yes to Travel host Sarah Dandashy discussed with hospitality expert and TV and podcast host Anthony Melchiorri.
Melchiorri is well-known in the hospitality industry, which he said allowed him to “use all my personality.” He worked at storied hotels and eventually became a hotel “fixer,” turning around properties no one else could. This success led to multiple Travel Channel shows, including Hotel Impossible.
"Managers are getting crushed. They are high performers, and we need to reimagine the role of that level going forward.”
Melchiorri talked about what the last year-plus has been like for the industry. “It was shock, and we were all going to zero together and had to figure it out, but in the end, I’m grateful.”
He also found himself home with all that energy, which lead to Checking in with Anthony and Glenn that he co-hosts with Glenn Haussman. “It became bigger than just something to do like a touchstone for the industry. We’re bringing people together and teaching the industry,” he said.
Dandashy asked Melchiorri about the trends he’s seeing. “On the good side, people appreciate travel more. The incorporation of technology and getting it right because hospitality is usually behind has pushed ahead much sooner than without the pandemic.”
However, he also has concerns. “It’s the people. Supervisors are getting crushed, and that’s hard. There’s a void there, and I’m working on some concepts to address it.”
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The state of travel for both business and leisure is still largely in flux as reopening unfolds. With that in mind, Sarah Dandashy, host of MarketScale's Say Yes to Travel, answered a few questions about the state of the industry and what we can expect as 2021 marches on.
In this soundbite, she shared her thoughts on pricing's impact on travel decisions.
"Have people stopped making travel decisions based on price? It's a great question. Certainly, if you have been trying to plan a trip this summer, you probably realize, wow, travel is getting pretty expensive.
Now, arguably, over the past year, maybe you haven't traveled as much. You saved up a little bit, but price will always play into travel decisions.
Now, what we are seeing is, per a recent study by American Express, about 33% of Americans are actually spending more on their travel experiences now, mainly because they have saved up for it.
So, certainly, travel is more expensive. But, you know, people are taking that into consideration as they are planning their travel and moving ahead. So, no, people have not stopped taking into consideration pricing or pricing when it comes to travel. That will always be part of the equation."
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The COVID-19 pandemic didn't officially stall all business travel, but much of the world's business has been conducted remotely for more than a year.
So, with reopening underway, has there now been a shift in the way we perceive the necessity of traveling for business? MarketScale Say Yes to Travel host Sarah Dandashy weighed in.
"Have we seen the shift in the perception of business travel? I think so. I definitely think so.
Very famously, last year, at the end of 2020, Bill Gates actually came out saying that this was the death of business travel. But what we've seen since then is, absolutely, we will be going back to business travel now.
It is a longer sort of runway for us to get back to those numbers that we saw before, and maybe we don't ever quite see the exact same numbers, but I think we will. We are creatures of habit.
People can always argue that in-person meetings are invaluable. So, business travel will certainly rebound. It's just going to go at a slower pace, especially as, right now, things are still very, very fluid in regards to the pandemic.
At the end of the day, it comes down to liability, and businesses want to be careful what they're liable for. So, it will come back, it'll just be that slow sort of recovery. But I know that people are excited to get back out there and to travel for business."
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