Life in the time of COVID-19 with Club Med’s Marnie Blanchetier

We sat down with Club Med’s head of marketing and director of sales for a chat and a few episodes of The New Pope, until she began to give us spoilers.

What are you reading?

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari. A long fascinating read that is great to put things in perspective.

What are you watching?

The New Pope, after loving The Young Pope, on SBS. It’s politically incorrect, surprising and hilarious.

What are you listening to?

Yann Tiersen piano songs – great to relax and escape.

What are you cooking?

Recipes from all over the world to keep some travel escapism alive! My current favourites are Moroccan couscous and Mexican fajitas. And as a Frenchy, crepes of course – lots of them.

How are you staying fit both physically and mentally?

15 minutes of yoga or meditation in the morning before starting to work and in the evening. We have some nice video sessions available on our Club Med at Home platform if you want to join! Also, walking call meetings when possible and FaceTime with family.

What’s the one thing keeping you sane?

Lots of cuddles with my son, gratitude exercises every day, and filling a bucket list of small things I want to do when normality resumes.

What’s something positive you’ve witnessed or experienced since the coronavirus hit?

Lots of friends and family realising what they really value in life and also how amazing our ‘normal life’ was – having a job, colleagues, sitting out in a restaurant and, of course, being able to travel. Again, an exercise in gratitude.

What have you learned about yourself amid the crisis?

That I can cope with uncertainty and find some creativity in this context, and that nothing should be taken for granted.

What’s your advice for others in the travel industry on coping with the crisis?

Keep faith in better days, nurture your relationships, keep learning and growing – lots of resources are available for free right now.

Also, look at how this crisis might bring some lasting changes in behaviours and aspirations and what you could be doing differently in the future to be a part of that.

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club med director of sales head of marketing Life in the time of COVID-19 midweek interview