Punta Mita Instagram LIVE with Lynne Bairstow, MITA TechTalks Founder

In our twelfth Checking In with Punta Mita’s Carl Emberson, we had the pleasure to interview via Instagram LIVE Punta Mita’s pioneer and resident, Lynne Bairstow!

If there is someone that knows Punta Mita from top to bottom, and from every angle – that’s Lynne. She’s been here since the beginning, witnessing the amazing evolution of a destination that has become the most prestigious resort communities in Mexico.

Lynne Bairstow was part of the Punta Mita sales and marketing team for a long time, currently she manages Mita Ventures, a VC firm focused on technology, and organizes MITA TechTalks, an annual event that reunites a curated limited group of investors, corporations and startups from Silicon Valley, Mexico, and Latin America, in a setting known to inspire exceptional networking: Punta Mita.

More than a check in, this was more a chat between two Punta Mita lovers that happen to be good friends. Lynne and Carl met years ago when Carl arrived to The St. Regis Punta Mita Resort as General Manager, and his friendship has grown since then.

Recently, as part of Punta Mita’s 20th Anniversary, Lynne and Carl worked together in the creation of an amazing commemorative Punta Mita Book, by Assouline, Lynne, who is an experienced writer, was in charge of the writing and affirms that this was a pure “labor or love” and by far, the easiest things she’s done, a project that gave her the opportunity to relieve marvelous memories, and be a front row spectator on the transformation of this beautiful place.

Lynne, as all residents enjoy being part of such an active and fun community, and events as the Punta Mita Gourmet & Golf  have become one of their favorites, and while these were on hold for the last couple of months, little by little Punta Mita will resume its activities, adapting them to this new reality but maintaining the characteristic Punta Mita’s charm. At the time of this interview, a date has already been set (with pencil) to celebrate the 10th edition of the Punta Mita Gourmet & Golf, so mark your calendar for November 5th-8th (according to Lynne’s expertise, November is one of the best months in Punta Mita: clear ocean, perfect weather and a green everywhere), and soon the new dates for the traditional Punta Mita events as the Punta Mita Flavors, Punta Mita Carnaval, and all the popular golf tournaments will be announced.

As in any conversation nowadays, during the chat they couldn’t avoid talking about COVID-19, the way this pandemic has change of lives, and how lucky we are for being able to stay safe within this amazing destination. This was the case for many residents and visitors that decided to stay in Punta Mita during this contingency, proving what Lynne has claimed for so many years, that Punta Mita is a great place to mix business and pleasure. For many years, Punta Mita has been Lynne’s primary home, she runs a business from here, and is a big believer of this virtual way of working. She finds this place inspiring and with less distractions, allowing her to get more things done and still have time to enjoy life. Maybe after this quarantine many more will be willing to come on board with this lifestyle and find in Punta Mita the perfect place to do so. Its connectivity, easy access from air and land, security, amazing amenities, world-class medical services and of course, a remarkable natural beauty make it a unique destination.

And what comes after quarantine? Well, we all will have to go on with our lives but facing a much different reality. Both Lynne and Carl agreed that the entire region has done an outstanding job addressing all the different challenges caused by the pandemic. This week marked the reopening of many business and services that were closed for too many days, some of them are already open, and many others are in the process of getting ready with all protocols to ensure people feel safe coming back.

And to be honest, of all the places in the world, Punta Mita is the place to be. Lynne highlights Carl’s work as coordinating force between all different parts involved in the community: hotels, beach clubs, Punta Mita Hospital, non-profit organizations and residents. The work of all these parts together makes everyone feel safe, secure and protected, creating a very important peace of mind and mental health so important around these days. Punta Mita’s and Carl’s work and support have gone beyond the gates, joining efforts in the support of our local non-profits, implementing different programs to make sure no one in the surrounding area is going hungry. This makes people feel supported and cared for, unifying the spirit of the community. Definitely an outstanding response quickly coordinated within the community to help all those who lost their income.

In the last couple of days, while the activity in the local business is increasing, it’s so satisfying to watch the level of good service, compliance of COVID protocols, and the kindness of the staff, so excited to welcome clients again. Lynne and Carl agreed on how privileged we are to be in a corner of the world like this, where the “requirements“ of the new reality are, in many cases, our regular way of living: al fresco dinners, outdoor activities, Vitamin D from the sun… Can’t think of another place in the world to do this.

In the upcoming weeks more and more hotels, shops, restaurant and other services will resume activities inside and outside the gates, maybe just in time to welcome some summer travelers. Tail of the Whale restaurant is opening on June 16th. Both, the Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita, and The St. Regis Punta Mita Resort will reopen on July 1st, each one of them with great surprises; El Surf Club inauguration is scheduled for July 1st too, Sufi Ocean Club, Pacifico Beach Club and Kupuri Beach Club are reopening soon, and vacation homes are also back available for rentals again… a lot of good news, finally Punta Mita is returning to the good old days.

We are aware we are facing challenges on the travel industry, “getting here“ might be uncomfortable part of the trip, but once people arrive to Punta Mita they will be totally fine. We believe they’ll enjoy longer stays and even will conduct business and work while here, combining the best of both worlds.

To finalize the conversation, both Lynne and Carl thanked the entire Punta Mita staff for their incredible attitude and responsibility facing this unprecedent situation, making everyone feel like family and keeping us all safe. Although we are still going through uncertain times, we are thankful for this incredible opportunity to appreciate our life and not taking things for granted, it is our chance to capitalize the experience and make of this a better place overall.

Save the date for the MITA TechTalks 2021 edition: February 9th-11th. MITA TechTalks is a fabulous way to promote tech innovation in Mexico, exciting this are happening: companies are developing great projects and getting funded, tech industry is creating new jobs and supporting Mexican economy. Looking forward to have you again!