Eva Mitchell, Director of Sales & Marketing, Marriott Jacksonville Downtown

Invest: spoke with Eva Mitchell, director of sales and marketing for the Marriott Jacksonville Downtown hotel about its upcoming renovation, how the hotel is adapting to meet the needs of millennial travelers, and how mentorship and “the buddy system” helps to retain employees.

What successes or key achievements have occurred for Marriott Jacksonville Downtown over the last year? 

One achievement is having the right staff and management company in place. This has been essential for us on our journey to be an amazing product. Location is key for us, and being in the downtown Jacksonville area plays a huge role for the hotel in terms of positioning.

What technological advancements are being implemented at the hotel to attract and better serve your clientele?

We have great advertising with HEI, our management company. They assist us in gaining the business that we have and the ability to help us earn the business we want. We also have a lot of internal systems through our management company and Marriott, which helps to better position us as well. We have some check-in advancements with digital keys, but we haven’t gone through a full transition yet with the building. That will happen this year, and we will have many new advancements in the building when construction is completed. 

What advancements are you anticipating with the renovation? 

It is a full renovation, so everything is getting touched, which is so exciting. We will have more Marriott brand standards present. We came into the brand label within the last two years and things have been transitioning over since then. Our systems and employees are in place, but we have been waiting for the building to match. Marriott International recognizes the classic Marriott brand as important to the millennial traveler. This is why our Marriott lobbies are not really a traditional lobby anymore, but a “Great Room.” The typical millennial wants to get out, network, explore and meet people, so the Great Room supports having a drink and getting to meet other people. It will be great to see the physical hotel shift to what travelers want. Some other millennial driven items we offer are related to sustainability. Our hotel participates in a recycling program and “green” LED lighting throughout the building, but we also will see a lot more features come out during the renovation. Travelers no longer want to stay in their room but have an experience they can bring home. We want our travelers to leave the hotel knowing they had a unique experience.

How have labor shortages impacted the hotel, and what are the strategies to overcome that challenge? 

The labor issue has been a challenge for the hotel industry. We are looking to fill positions with the right people, rather than people who are only here for monetary purposes. That has been huge for us – to attract and retain people in the right positions for their career and for the hotel. Of course, pay also attracts people, and we are willing to pay to have the right people in a position. Mentorship is also important, and we notice that our employees thrive with the right mentors. We have a kind of buddy system in the hotel for our staff. Without that, many people would lose their way in terms of understanding what is expected of them, and what they can expect from the job.  

What are some prominent trends in the hospitality sector that you are paying attention to? 

Travel has changed yearly post-COVID. We are looking for stabilization and travel returning back to normal. We have felt it so far this year and we really appreciate it. There has been a large shift in demand in Jacksonville from sporting events to concerts and more. The Jacksonville Jaguars continue to be a huge part of what we do here, especially in downtown Jacksonville. The better the Jaguars are, the busier and better the city is. The more people want to come and see them, the more it feeds into bettering the economy of the city. The Jaguars are getting ready to start a huge renovation to their stadium, and that may change our calendar if they reposition themselves. This will be rough, but our staff is seasoned and has seen it happen before. We would know how to react to this shift. This area is a special market made up of a mix of government and corporate business, and we need to make sure we can stay on top of the trends. That allows us to position ourselves correctly to service our guests in the right way.  

How are you staying connected to the community? 

Being close to the community is near and dear to our hearts. We donate linens and other things to give them a second life where they are needed. We try to service our local area homeless shelters and soup kitchens, which are downtown as well. We spend precious hours making sure we can serve and feed the downtown community, including helping at Feeding Northeast Florida, sorting and distributing food. 

What is your outlook for the hotel over the next few years, and what are your top priorities moving forward? 

We have been talking a lot about the renovation for a couple of years, so seeing that happen will be wonderful. This will get trust back into our downtown community, and that is what is most important to us.