Jon Makhmaltchi

Where hospitality meets personality

Jon Makhmaltchi is a luxury travel professional with more than 25 years of expertise working with the world’s finest hospitality brands. Throughout his career, he’s been a part of nearly every aspect of the hospitality business, from sales and management to hotel openings, including a stint at the front desk. 

After heading up sales for a leading luxury hotel consortium this Manhattan native launched J.MAK Hospitality in 2013 to help brands build relationships and partnerships in fun, innovative and authentic ways. He and his team work with luxury hotels, destination experts and other travel related services around the world to connect them with key travel agency partners and broader audiences who will impact their businesses and drive awareness. 

Some say that the current pandemic will trigger radical changes across multiple sectors; do you see this happening in your primary field? If yes, in which way? 

At J.MAK, we specialize in connecting independently operated hotels and operators with luxury travel advisors. No doubt we have already started to see change and will continue to as we begin to recover. There is room on the advisor side to be placing fees for their services so that they are not solely reliant on commissions should bookings cancel. On the operator side, there will have to be new consideration for deposits, how those funds are spent and when, as well as a revisit of cancellation policies and fees.

Which are the two most important disruptions that you expect to take place in the hospitality industry in the years to come due to the current crisis? 

I anticipate the need for space and a revisit of service to be two near immediate and lasting changes to our business. In the luxury segment, privacy has always been a cornerstone however there will be a greater emphasis on the need for guests to have their own space and distance away from other guests on property. This will also incorporate into service: things such as breakfast buffets immediately come to mind as something that will need a re-think, does there need to be so much human interaction in the arrival process, etc?

On the basis of your insights from your clients & partners, which destinations are showing the most resilience for the American traveler during this crisis, and which will be the first to recover?

While we are seeing re-bookings into summer 2021 for travel that has had to be postponed with credits issued in destinations such as Italy and Greece, we believe that the US domestic market will be the first to rebound. As we start to see slow recovery and reopening in the US by state, we are seeing interest for people to travel somewhere they can drive to easily or fly private if they have the means. While international government regulations in terms of allowing Americans to visit are still unclear in many areas, we find that those who will want to travel will do so more regionally to begin with due to the lack of barriers.

At which pace do you expect travel to make its recovery? Do you expect a quick (V shaped) rebound or something different? 

It unfortunately appears to be a long road to recovery. We are fortunate in the luxury market that those with the means to do so will likely be the first to get back out and travel again, however there are many that will await a vaccine before they roam too far from home. 

Which is the key action that hoteliers can take at this time in order to benefit in the long run (2021 and onwards) from your services?

Now is the time to be a true partner. Local law may protect deposits on reservations but keep in mind travel advisors will remember how you treated them and their clients during this crisis. Those who work  to find the best common solution will succeed in the long run. Now is also a good time to show the personality behind the hospitality as we say. Tell stories that share the experience and the people behind the property, people want the human not the business side right now.