Carol Dover: Northeast Florida hospitality leaders critical to success of industry
For any business to succeed, it must have good leaders. But for a whole industry to thrive, there must be solid partnerships in place among those leaders as they work together to achieve common goals. I am proud to say that is exactly what we have across Florida’s hospitality and tourism industry, the economic engine of our state and source of great pride for all in the Sunshine State.
Our recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and continued success is due to the dedication and hard work of many partners working together, including two key players from the Northeast Florida community.
Greg Cook was recently announced as the 2022-2023 board chair for Visit Florida, the state’s official tourism marketing corporation, which aims to enrich quality of life while working to establish Florida as the No. 1 travel destination in the world. As general manager for The Ritz-Carlton in Amelia Island, Greg brings more than 35 years of hospitality experience in various executive roles for Marriott. He has made such a difference in the local industry and those ripples have spread statewide.
Through many years of working with Greg, I have witnessed the positive impact of his passion and dedication to our industry and I am looking forward to his term as board chair and our continued partnership through the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA).
As board chair, Greg will lead efforts to provide guidance to Visit Florida through its programs, processes and messaging to ensure objectives are achieved to increase visitation and secure economic benefit for Florida communities. These efforts make a difference — even in your own backyard.
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Tourism is incredibly important, not just for the state, but for the local economy as well. Take into account that more than 687,000 visitors stayed overnight on Amelia Island in 2021, contributing an economic impact locally of over $1 billion. Not only does tourism help investment in roads, schools and parks, but it also keeps taxes low and creates jobs.
According to the Nassau County Tourist Development Council, more than 31 percent of the jobs in Nassau County are directly supported by tourism dollars. That’s around 13,000 jobs. I am proud to also serve on the Visit Florida board and value my colleagues and our partnership as we promote Florida as a top destination.
Another local leader who is critical to our successful efforts is Olivia Hoblit who serves as the board chair for FRLA. The regional manager for Innisfree Hotels on Amelia Island, Olivia is a longtime resident and hospitality industry expert of more than 22 years. She oversees Seaside Amelia Inn and the new dual-Marriott brand Courtyard/Springhill Suites on Amelia Island.
Olivia’s leadership has come at a critical time as we face historic inflation, supply chain issues, labor challenges and more. She has a unique ability to implement creative solutions to our issues and works seamlessly with colleagues across the industry, including Greg, to achieve positive results for Northeast Florida’s hospitality industry.
Her dedication and passion for the future of the industry has led her direction of mentoring programs and support for Florida’s high school culinary and hotel management programs — ProStart and Hospitality & Tourism Management — respectively. It is so important that we invest in the future of hospitality and give our kids the building blocks they need to excel.
Desire and demand for the Florida experience is strong and will continue to drive growth. Whether as a resident or visitor, leisure or business traveler, Florida is the epicenter of global hospitality and it is essential that we have the right people in leadership positions to ensure we continue to thrive and recover from the last two years. I am so proud to work with both Greg and Olivia as colleagues and partners as we continue to make a difference in the lives of local Northeast Florida communities, as well as those across the state.
Working together under their leadership, we remain “hospitality strong,” and Florida is positioned for great things ahead.
Carol Dover, president and CEO, Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association
This guest column is the opinion of the author and does not necessarily represent the views of the Times-Union. We welcome a diversity of opinions.