High Point x Design has issued an open call for contributors and experts for its inaugural Vacation Rental Design Summit, to be held April 20-21, 2023, in High Point, just before the official opening of the Spring High Point Market.
The event, presented by HPxD and the High Point Market Authority, will feature presentations, panel discussions and expert-led breakout sessions. Topics will include design’s impact on profitability, ROI and the guest experience; the business of vacation rental design, marketing and branding; technology for short-term rentals; and trends in the sector. Additionally, attendees will discover new product resources from innovative brands in the home furnishings, kitchen and bath, textiles and technology categories.
HPxD is looking for a wide range of speakers experienced in the short-term rental industry, including interior designers, kitchen and bath designers, property managers, developers, technology integrators, innovators and visionaries.
The summit comes at a time when the vacation rental industry is seeing unprecedented growth and visibility. In fact, it was the growing curiosity of her colleagues about the market that prompted interior designer Jessica Duce, founder of JDuce Design in Spring, Texas, and co-owner of Vacation Rental Designers, to propose the idea of the summit.
“This is not residential design. This is not hospitality design. Vacation rental design is cultivating a luxury experience in a residential setting while anticipating the needs of the guest, owner, property management and housekeeping,” says Duce, who will speak at the event. “There is no other design niche quite like this.”
The online Call for Contributors online submission form is open through Jan. 6. Selected participants will be notified and featured in national print and digital media campaigns leading up to the event.
Tammy Nagem, incoming president and chief executive officer of the HPMA, says she sees the summit aligning well with her vision for High Point Market. “High Point is well-versed in executing large events and is also accustomed to catering to the shifting needs of the home furnishings industry. We are uniquely qualified to host this event, both in terms of the infrastructure surrounding High Point Market but also in terms of the resources we have here for designers diving into this niche. The product base is here, the expertise is here, and the inspiration is endless.”
The summit will be open to architecture and design professionals, as well as hospitality groups, developers, property managers, real estate agents/investors and the media. Online registration for the event will open in January.
For partnership and sponsorship opportunities, email Jane Dagmi, HPxD managing director, at jane@hpxd.org or visit HPxD.org/VRDSummit.
