Skip to content
MarketScale
Demo
Creator Hubs›Say Yes To Travel
Say Yes To Travel logo

Sarah Dandashy unpacks the tech and brands powering modern travel.

Say Yes To Travel is a hospitality industry channel hosted by Sarah Dandashy, covering the technologies, logistics, and brands that shape modern travel. Each episode examines how hotels, airlines, and travel companies build guest experiences that keep people coming back. The channel gives B2B hospitality buyers direct access to expert voices on trends, tools, and operators defining the industry.

5 episodes
Channel Brief·Say Yes To Travel · 5 episodes
Updated Aug 6, 2020

Travel industry navigates pandemic uncertainty through expert voices.

Say Yes To Travel documents how travel professionals across cruises, airlines, hotels, and concierge services assess sector recovery during COVID-19. Episodes feature named experts sharing real-time observations from July to August 2020.

Say Yes To Travel builds its authority by interviewing travel industry insiders—travel agents, cruise experts, and hotel concierges—who offer firsthand accounts of pandemic disruption and recovery prospects. The channel's thesis is that understanding where travel is headed requires listening to people actively working inside hotels, cruise lines, airlines, and concierge services as lockdowns ease and border policies shift.

Drawn from Cruises Might Be Back Sooner Than You Think Sa… and 3 more →

“Friday, March 13th I worked. By end of weekend, hotel was closed.”

Klaus Heldt, Concierge Supervisor, Mandarin Oriental Barcelona

By the numbers

15

countries initially allowed EU entry as of July 1

120

rooms at Mandarin Oriental Barcelona hotel

6

years Sarah Dandashy connected with Stewart Chiron before meeting in person

What the channel argues

DataQantas Airlines announced cessation of all international flights until March 2021.→
DataEU opened borders to 15 named countries as of July 1, excluding the United States.→
InsightSpain's hotel sector experienced sudden full closures with staff told not to return overnight.→
InsightCruise industry identified as one of the hardest hit by the pandemic.→
InsightEU border policy review scheduled every two weeks, allowing rapid country additions or removals.→

What you'll learn

•Which major airlines halted international service and when they expected to resume flights.
•How the EU structured its reopening list and which countries were initially approved for entry.
•What happened inside luxury hotels when lockdowns took effect, from the perspective of frontline concierge staff.
•Why cruise industry recovery remains uncertain despite pent-up demand from avid cruisers.

What to do about it

→Monitor airline announcements for international flight resumption dates, as major carriers like Qantas set the cadence for broader sector recovery.
→Track EU border policy reviews every two weeks to anticipate when the United States and other nations may gain entry approval.
→Engage hotel concierge networks and international hospitality contacts to understand ground truth on reopening timelines and operational constraints in key destinations.

Who and what shows up

Stewart Chiron

Cruise industry expert, 'The Cruise Guy'

Connected with host for six years; interviewed on cruise industry recovery prospects and ship trends during pandemic uncertainty.

John Dekker

Travel Agent

Appeared twice on the podcast to discuss travel industry outlook; characterized as one of the best travel agents the host knows.

Klaus Heldt

Concierge Supervisor, Mandarin Oriental Barcelona

Provided firsthand account of hotel closure and Spain's strict pandemic lockdown measures from luxury hospitality perspective.

Anna Endrihovskaia

Les Clefs d'Or Concierge and Chef Concierge, Moss Hotel Moscow

Long-time connection through concierge network; shared Russian pandemic experience and perspective on how crisis removed people from their borders.

Sarah Dandashy

Host, Say Yes To Travel

Conducts interviews and connects global hospitality professionals; met cruise expert Stewart Chiron on one of her first cruises two years prior.

Questions this channel answers

Q

When will cruises resume operations?

The channel does not provide a specific resumption date, only that avid cruisers are awaiting the green light and that cruise expert Stewart Chiron assessed recovery prospects as of August 2020.

Cruises Might Be Back Sooner Than You Think Says “The Cr… →
Q

Which countries can Americans travel to right now?

As of July 1, the EU opened to residents of 15 countries including Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Japan, but explicitly excluded the United States, Brazil, and Russia, with the list subject to review every two weeks.

What Americans Need to Know about the EU Travel Ban: Say… →
Q

How did hotels handle the pandemic transition?

Hotels like the Mandarin Oriental in Barcelona experienced sudden closures, with staff told not to return with minimal notice; strict lockdown rules meant guests and staff could leave only for groceries or medical visits.

Concierges Around the World: The Mandarin Oriental in Ba… →
Q

What is the outlook for international air travel?

Major carriers like Qantas announced international flight cessation through at least March 2021, signaling extended recovery timelines for international aviation.

The Outlook on Travel for the End of 2020 →
Topics:Cruise industry recoveryInternational airline operationsHotel concierge servicesBorder and travel restrictionsPandemic travel trends
Themes:Expert insider testimony over headline reportingReal-time pandemic impact tracking across travel segmentsFrontline worker perspective on industry disruption

Industry context

The travel industry is in transformation rather than recovery, with travelers increasingly demanding personalization, sustainability, authenticity, and technology integration across all segments.

Want a show like this for your brand?

MarketScale produces and distributes branded shows like Say Yes To Travel for B2B companies.

Build your show →