Clint Nagata, Founder and CEO of Blink Design

04/29/20 • 23 min

In the latest episode of The Future of Travel, Clint Nagata, Founder and CEO of Blink Design, talks to David about the impact of the virus on the world of hospitality design. Clint believes the crisis will accelerate many of the trends we were witnessing before—such as increased focus on genuine local experiences, integration of technology and wellbeing as a core component of a hotel’s offer.

Clint also hopes that luxury will take on a new meaning in a post-virus world, with consumers having learnt to enjoy and appreciate simple things, rather than the brightest or most expensive.

Clint also hopes that luxury will take on a new meaning in a post-virus world, with consumers having learnt to enjoy and appreciate simple things, rather than the brightest or most expensive.

Previous Episode

Choe Peng Sum, CEO of Pan Pacific Hotels Group

“We must look up,” explains Choe Peng Sum, CEO of Pan Pacific Hotels Group, in our latest episode of The Future of Travel. Speaking to David and Catherine, he acknowledges that we’re in the midst of a crisis of unmatched magnitude, but he is optimistic that recovery will come in 2021. The question is whether or not we’re ready for it.
Choe concedes the importance of conserving cash, but he stresses that you can’t just hide away and do nothing. He sees commercial opportunities – not only due to low interest and exchange rates – but also in the way hoteliers do business.
Choe says the hotel industry has traditionally been very backwards. He hopes this crisis will open our minds to doing things differently, whether that’s that means rethinking booking platforms or simply reassessing the importance we place on looking after our teams, our guests and the wider community.

Next Episode

Amanda Dyjecinski, Chief Brand and Marketing Officer of onefinestay

Will the short-term rental market come out of this crisis stronger than ever? This was a key area of discussion between Catherine and Amanda Dyjecinski, Chief Brand and Marketing Officer of onefinestay. Amanda believes the privacy of a home or villa will be an attractive proposition post-crisis, but this must be combined with reassurances on cleaning and housekeeping standards.
She argues that humans are not rationale beings and make their decisions with their emotions, so it’s going to be important how they feel about risk. In the short-to-medium term she agrees we’ll likely see a lot of extended family and friends travel, as people seek to reconnect with those they’ve been separate from during lockdown. onefinestay’s portfolio of luxury homes and villas is well-positioned to meet this demand.