Hotel and Restaurant Times Oct/Nov 2017

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER‘17

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T H E B U S I N E S S P U B L I C AT I O N F O R T H E H OT E L A N D R E S TAU R A N T I N D U S T R Y

Sandymount Hotel

From Guesthouse to Four Star Hotel

Food Fads

Back to go forward

Training

Concerning gaps in hospitality

Brexit Ready Industry Support

www.hotelandrestauranttimes.ie

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COVER: Sandymount Hotel

Contents

Editorial 4 News

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Appointments 10 Bookassist 12 Fáilte Industry News

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Tourism Ireland

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Tallaght IT

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Sandymount Hotel

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Great National Hotels and Resorts

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The Orient Express in Galway

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RAI Food 4 Thought

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Food & Bev Live

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Dylan Hotel

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Brexit Ready

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Fáilte interview

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P. 32 P. 34

Staypal 42 IFSA 44 Mani ID

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Food Fads

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Training 50 Georgina Campbell Award

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Maximising Potential

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Hotel & Restaurant Times, Ireland’s longest established trade publication, is circulated on subscription to Chief Executives, Directors and Proprietors of Hotels and Restaurants in Ireland along with Architects, Interior Designers and Suppliers to the Hotel and Restaurant Industry.

Managing Editor: Cyril McAree (01-6285447, cyril@hotelandrestauranttimes.ie) Contributors: Pavel Barter, Dr Des O’Mahony, Susan Clarke, Caroline Leddy, Conor Power, Fáilte Ireland, IFSA, Tourism Ireland, Frank Corr, Marilyn Bright, Restaurants Association of Ireland.

Graphic Design: Tara Mccormack Printing: Turners of Longford

ALL CONTENTS OF THE MAGAZINE ARE COPYRIGHT OF HOTEL & RESTAURANT TIMES. H&R HOUSE, CARTON COURT, MAYNOOTH, CO.KILDARE TEL/FAX: 01 6285447 EMAIL: editorial@hotelandrestauranttimes.ie WEB: www.hotelandrestauranttimes.ie

All paper used in the production of this magazine comes from certifiably sustainable forestry.

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editorial

Half Making sense of Budget 2018 So the budget is done and dusted. We are quid’s in and basking in the afterglow of such governmental generosity. On a more serious note, the retention of the 9% VAT for tourism has to be welcomed. There was a concern that due to the rise in hotel room prices, particularly in the capital, Paschal may have reversed the VAT. Eyebrows were raised at the unprecedented increases in room rates. €290 per room now appears the norm in Dublin, irrespective of any events in the city. Silence from the IHF in regard to this matter is a concern. Not too long ago, the IHI pleaded with the minister to keep VAT at 9% - and they were warned then about the need to address the room rate.

editorial

Despite the VAT retention, the government still treats tourism like a poor relation. There was little investment support for agencies charged with marketing and developing tourism in the budget. The derisory amount allocated to overseas activity falls far short of what is needed.

Tourism contributed approximately €1.9m to the exchequer in 2016, which needs to be acknowledged and supported. When we see the food and agriculture sector receiving an extra €50m to assist with Brexit, that sums it up. The industry needs to be more proactive in other markets to offset the decline in UK business; this requires monetary support, not just glib words and photo opportunities from ministers.

The sector also needs urgent support for training. We are reminded daily about the chef crisis, the lack of personal in the sector. Countless organisations, representing various interest groups, have demanded government action. Perhaps the industry has to take action itself and ensure the availability of skilled personal. The Dalata hotel group, for example, has an excellent in-house apprenticeship scheme that is paying dividends.

Our chaotic use of resources also needs to be addressed. In excess of €220 million is been invested in Center Parcs Longford project, for example, with almost 1000 jobs in the pipeline. But there doesn’t seem to be any sign of the local council stepping up to the mark.

I would have thought that road improvements would be necessary to accommodate such projects, alongside improved transportation, bike trails etc. I would have hoped that local authorities would deliver plans and initiatives to encourage the development of such facilities. We might be waiting for a while...

Cyril McAree editor

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news

NEWS Four red stars for Harvey’s Point

Pictured is the team at Harvey’s Point Hotel. who picked up a coveted four red stars, making it the only hotel in the North West to receive this industry accolade. Held at Grosvenor House in London, the AA Awards recognize excellence in hospitality - the red star is its most supreme accolade for hotels.

Musgrave MarketPlace redefining wholesale

Dublin’s Bow Lane Head Chef, Gavin McDonagh (left), is pictured with Louise Lennox, TV3 show The Restaurant chef, and award-winning mixologist Andy Ferreira of Cask, Co. Cork, at the official opening of the upgraded Musgrave MarketPlace Robinhood branch. Located in Clondalkin, Dublin 22, the store’s renovation is worth €2.5m. The 73,000-square foot Food Emporium employs 80 staff and along with new state-of-the-art speciality areas, it also has a contemporary culinary theatre. This renovation is part of a €10.7m investment in the brand, over the past two years, which has seen Musgrave MarketPlace redefine wholesale on the island of Ireland. For more information, visit www.musgravemarketplace.ie

Top Marks at the Olympics

The Marker Hotel team were overall Winners of the IASI Olympics held in The Red Cow Moran Hotel. Pictured here with their trophy and €1,000 winnings are Iwona Jablonka, Katalin Hegyi and Shift Leader Joanna Lojas. The IASI committee are known to invent intriguing challenges and this year was no exception. Participants were timed emptying and folding a laundry bin; they had to make a romantic tray and the spot the errors in a bedroom challenge.

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news

Work begins on Center Parcs Ways and beans Longford Forest Edmond Shipway, a multi-disciplinary construction consultancy, has marked the start of the €233m Center Parcs Longford Forest development in Ireland, in its role as Project and Cost Manager and M&E Engineer. Center Parcs plans to create up to 1,000 permanent full and part-time jobs, once the resort opens, in addition to 750 temporary positions during the construction phase. Pictured is: Ross Crowcroft, Edmond Shipway Project Director; Martin Dalby, Center Parcs CEO; Taoiseach Varadkar; David Stevenson; and Edmond Shipway, Managing Director.

Mussel beach

Helen Moriarty, proprietor of Helen’s Bar, celebrating the launch of The Mussel House, a new exhibition developed by Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) in partnership with Fáilte Ireland, as part of the Taste the Atlantic- a Seafood Journey trail. The exhibition, overlooking Kenmare Bay, tells the story of Ireland’s rope mussel industry, which is valued at €6.5m

A Philly state of mind

A new report by UCC Coffee UK & Ireland says coffee shop food menus are falling short of the mark, with operators missing vital food sales opportunities. And with over two-thirds of consumers buying coffee shop food regularly, it has never been more important for operators to improve on their food proposition to maximise profitability. The survey, which was conducted in the UK, is pertinent to Irish trade operators, who are facing increased competition when it comes to offering the best quality coffee. The report, created in conjunction with UCC Coffee UK & Ireland ambassador, leading international pastry chef, Sarah Hartnett, explores how operators can go beyond coffee to create a point of difference.

Michelin star shines on Lisdoonvarna The Wild Honey Inn in Lisdoonvarna, Co. Clare, has been awarded a Michelin Star in the 2018 Michelin Guide Great Britain & Ireland. The Wild Honey Inn, a Michelin Bib Gourmand holder since 2010, has risen to Michelin Star status and becomes the only newcomer to join an 11-strong list of Michelin Star restaurants in the Republic of Ireland.

Published today by tyre manufacturer Michelin, the Great Britain & Ireland 2018 Guide is priced at €18.99 and is available at http://travel.michelin. co.uk and in bookshops

Dublin Airport has welcomed an announcement by Aer Lingus that it will launch a new direct transatlantic service to Philadelphia next year.

Aer Lingus will operate its new four times weekly service on a yearround basis from next March.

“Philadelphia will be Aer Lingus’ 11th transatlantic route from Dublin Airport, offering further choice and flexibility for business and leisure passengers on both sides of the Atlantic,” said Vincent Harrison, Dublin Airport Managing Director. “Dublin Airport’s transatlantic traffic has increased by 67% in the past five years and Dublin is now the fifth largest airport in Europe for North American connectivity after Heathrow, Paris, Frankfurt and Amsterdam.”

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The first resort The 2017 World Travel Awards Europe has recognised Conrad Dublin as Ireland’s Leading Luxury Hotel, at the 24th edition of one of the travel industry’s most prestigious awards programme. The 2017 Europe Gala Ceremony, which took place in St Petersburg, Russia, saw Conrad Dublin win one of 17 awards won by Hilton properties and brands, as voted by travel and tourism professionals globally.

news

Bon appétit

The Department of Tourism & Hospitality recently welcomed a visit by Stéphane Crouzat, the French Ambassador to Ireland, at the Cork Institute of Technology (CIT). The visiting party toured the extensive facilities in the Department, met with students, along with attending a pastry demonstration. The visit was part of a long-standing cooperation as part of FICAHT, which is the France-Ireland Network for Culinary Arts, Hospitality & Tourism. a network that brings together Culinary Arts, Hospitality and Tourism professionals, and academics from France and Ireland.

Last orders for Irish pubs Nearly half (49%) of Irish pubs and restaurants have reported a decline in tourists to their businesses over the past 12 months, according to a new survey. The survey found that 75% of business owners are concerned about Brexit and believe that the uncertainty it causes will impact consumer spending here in Ireland. Commissioned by the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland (DIGI), and conducted among 660 pub and restaurant owners across the country, the survey was designed to track sentiment of hospitality businesses following Brexit.

Pictured (l-r): Prof Margaret Linehan, Head of School of Humanities, Dr Noel Murray, Head of Department of Tourism & Catering, His Excellency, M Stéphane Crouzar, French Ambassador to Ireland and Dr Barry O’Connor, President, CIT.

To the manners born

The Etiquette School of Ireland (ESI), provider of professional training solutions, has announced the introduction of new Silver Service Staff Training workshops for the hospitality sector. The workshops will include a Formal Dining tutorial, providing training in dining and silver service; and The Art of the Table, an executive hands-on session providing training on formal table setting.

Training will be provided by ESI founder Orla Brosnan (pictured), a certified International Social Etiquette Consultant, along with Denis Kelly, who has over 40 years of experience in high class catering. Liam Campbell, respected wine journalist, is also in attendance.

To explore how an ESI workshop can help your business, contact Orla Brosnan at 01-6855895, or visit www.etiquetteschoolofireland.com

Sweet smell of success The World Chocolate Masters jury has announced Barry Johnson winner of the national selections.

Pastry chefs Sarah Frankland and Stephen Espouy were runners-up. This means that Barry will represent UK and Ireland during the international final in Paris in October 2018. At this event, 21 countries will be represented by their most talented chocolate chef to compete in a three-day final. For the first time ever, the UK and Irish national selection was live-streamed via Facebook. Over a million viewers watched as the day’s events unfolded

Blasket restoration completed

The Office of Public Works has completed work on the restoration of the original house of Tomás Ó Criomhthain, renowned Great Blasket Island writer. The house was in a roofless, derelict condition and has been restored in a traditional manner. It will be fitted-out with simple period furniture in the style of the time of occupation.

The house is intended to attract visitors to the Island and will help the re-imagining of the harsh living conditions endured by the Island community before it was abandoned in 1953. Despite the daily challenges of the environment the once thriving community produced many works of literature in Irish which are regarded as classics. Ó Criomhthain wrote the first of these: An tOileánach (The Islandman), followed by Fiche Blian ag Fás (Twenty-Years-a-Growing)

by Muiris Ó Súilleabháin and Peig, an autobiography by Peig Sayers.

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news

Climb every mountain

Minister for State at the Department of Tourism and Sport, Brendan Griffin T.D. has launched Munster Vales, a new tourism destination incorporating the Comeraghs, Knockmealdowns, Galtees, Ballyhouras and Nagles mountain ranges. The brand was officially launched in Lismore Castle, Co. Waterford.

The great escape The Well in the Garden, at Cliff at Lyons, has opened 30 minutes from Dublin city-centre. Nestled in the countryside close to Celbridge, and set amongst sprawling gardens, splashing fountains and floral walkways, this restored property is adjacent to the Lyon’s Demesne.

The new retreat offers body treatments designed by award-winning therapist Laura Clarke and a custom range of Irish-made botanical skincare products.

McGettigan’s return to their roots

The 18th bar of the renowned McGettigan’s Group has officially opened its doors.

McGettigan’s Dublin 9, located on the Swords Road in Whitehall, is part of the new Bonnington Hotel Dublin, and is based just 3km from Dublin city centre.

Castleknock Hotel celebrates launch of two new restaurants Winter is coming Kevin Moran, TD, Minister of State at the Office of Public Works and Flood Relief (OPW), congratulated the lucky winners in the Winter Solstice Lottery Draw for 2017. The Winter Solstice Lottery draw takes place each year in the Brú na Boinne Visitor Centre, at Newgrange, to select winners who will be provided with access into the Newgrange Chamber over the winter solstice period. Sixty winners were drawn by the children of Donore, Knockcommon and Slane National Schools. The winning applicants, along with a guest, will have access to the Chamber on one of the days between 18 and 23 December 2017.

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Guests from the world of entertainment, sport, business and the local community, gathered at Castleknock Hotel to celebrate the official opening of the refurbished ground floor, the centrepiece of which are two new restaurants: Earth & Vine and 22 Bar & Restaurant. Joining Guy Thompson, General Manager, and his team to mark the occasion were special guests including Irish models January Winters and Louise O’Reilly, actor Simon Delaney and Irish Gogglebox stars, Eileen and Angela.

news

House still a home to Michelin Star

IHI launches Munster Branch

Spreading the word about Irish service

AA all the way for Hotel Meyrick

House Restaurant at Cliff House Hotel, Waterford, has retained its Michelin Star in this year’s Great Britain and Ireland Michelin Guide.

House Restaurant has been led by Dutch native Martijn Kajuiter since 2008.

Pictured at the launch of the IHI Munster Regional Branch were: Oonagh Cremins The Innovate Room; Matthias Muller, IHI President; Brian Bowler, The Montenotte Hotel; Kevin Cullinane, Head of Communications Cork Airport.

Hotel Meyrick on Eyre Square, Galway, recently saw its restaurant, No. 15 on the Square, awarded an AA Rosette in recognition of culinary excellence.

No 15 is under the guidance of the head chef Phillip Dunleavy. For more information, visit www.hotelmeyrick.ie

Kathlyn Leahy from Kilkenny, full time student of Waterford Institute of Technology and training with Shannon College of Hotel Management, represented Ireland in Restaurant Service at the 44th WorldSkills Competition in Abu Dhabi from14 – 19 October 2017.

Ireland’s largest hotel gets bigger

Citywest Hotel has unveiled its newly refurbished premises, three years after it was acquired by Irish-owned property Investment Company Tetrarch Capital, and began its €13.5m investment programme. Building on its status as Ireland’s largest hotel, and currently employing 435 people, Citywest Hotel has undergone phase one of their strategic redevelopment, including contemporary refurbishments, upgraded facilities and staff retraining programme to attract both national and international conference organisers.

Amongst the property’s prized assets is Jeff Norman, Head Chef at Citywest Hotel. A member of the prestigious chefs organisation EuroToques, Jeff’s career spans over 25 years. His ethos revolves around producing simple, disciplined food using classical techniques and the best of seasonal Irish produce. He has worked in some of the top restaurants and alongside celebrated chefs including Gordon Ramsey and Angela Harnett.

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appointments

Febvre company announcement

Febvre & Company Limited has concluded the sale of its business to members of the management team together with a private investment group. Under the new structure, Jim Bradley, current CEO, becomes Chairman; Financial Director, Liz Coogan (pictured) is the new Managing Director and Aidan Farrell (pictured) is Operations Director.

New GM tees off at golf resort John O’Grady has been appointed General Manager at the Tulfarris Hotel & Golf Resort, near Blessington, Co Wicklow, part of the PREM Group’s portfolio of hotels. John joined PREM Group in August 2014 as General Manager of the Ballykisteen Hotel & Golf Resort.

He was subsequently appointed to an area management position with the Group to oversee operations at a number of PREM-managed properties.

Former website boss buys into Great National Hotels Guestline announces expansion of team in Ireland

Following the launch of its new Ireland office and introduction of a dedicated country manager, global hospitality software business Guestline has appointed Ingrid Fallon as regional sales manager.

Ready for business at Carton House

Carton House, Ireland’s luxury resort, is further strengthening its expert management team with the appointment of four new senior team members. Selina Murphy takes over as Deputy General Manager, Lorraine Allis as Assistant Director of Sales and Marketing, Sean Clancy will support Director of Golf David Kearney as Golf Sales Manager, while Paul Quinn is the new Head Chef leading the award-winning Linden Tree restaurant.

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The Great National Hotels and Resorts Group have announced that Rachel Howes, the former Managing Director of Booking.com Limited, has taken an ownership investment in Great National Hotels, the Irishowned hotel chain. Rachel Howes was instrumental in the success of Booking. com, helping to grow the company into a major global brand, now valued at €70 billion and listing 1.4m hotels in 226 countries. Howes is also co-founder of HomeRez. com, one of Europe’s emerging brand leaders in holiday letting.

appointments

GMIT appoints Jacinta GMIT has appointed Jacinta Dalton as Head of GMIT’s Department of Culinary Arts & Services Industries, succeeding Gerry Talbot who retired earlier this year. Welcoming Ms Dalton to the GMIT Management Group, GMIT President Dr Fergal Barry, said: “Jacinta’s wealth of management experience in the food and hospitality industry, her lecturing role in GMIT and her international role as a Fáilte Ireland Food Champion will enhance GMIT graduates’ career prospects and the Institute’s engagement with stakeholders in Ireland and abroad”.

Kelleher steps up Raymond Kelleher has recently joined the team at Trigon Hotels Cork which includes The Cork International Hotel, The Cork Airport Hotel, and The Metropole Hotel Cork, as Group Sales & Marketing Director.

Pots of experience The latest development at the Clayton Hotel Cork City is the appointment of Gerry Gillen to the role of Executive Head Chef. A Kinsale native, Gerry worked at The Shelbourne (Dublin), The Hyde Park Hotel and Grosvenor House in London. He was head chef at The Blue Haven restaurant in Kinsale, before taking up the position of Executive Head Chef at the Elm Tree Restaurant, Glounthaune.

O’Connell to handle sales at Clayton Hotel The Clayton Hotel Cork City has appointed of Paul O’Connell to the role of Sales and Marketing Manager at the four star city centre hotel. Paul has worked with many of Ireland’s leading hotel brands: from Hayfield Manor Hotel and Killarney Royal Hotel to The Kingsley Hotel, Cork and Travel Trade Sales for Fota Island Resort.

An Imperial appointment Flynn Hotels has announced the appointment of Danielle Healy as Sales & Marketing Manager for The Imperial Hotel, Cork. Prior to her appointment, Danielle worked for Cork Chamber of Commerce as a Membership Executive for three and a half years, and before this worked as a programme resource officer for the Department of Education, Western Australia.

New flavour for Meath restaurant

The IVY at Dunboyne Castle Hotel & Spa has announced the arrival of their new Executive Head Chef, Jean Michel Chevet.

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Bookassist

Six Key Digital Marketing Trends to watch for in 2018

By Bookassist Digital Marketing Team

As we hit the last months of the year, many businesses are turning to budgeting and planning. It’s an ideal opportunity to look anew at what you are doing in digital and see if you can catch the wave of new opportunities being created.

1. Driving Better Performance with Personalised Content

“Content is King” is still true, but now even more so when delivered with a personalised twist. Personalisation should be a core focus when devising a marketing plan for the new year. Conveying the right message at the right time to each individual customer persona is the holy grail. But how can we be sure that a customer’s specific needs are perfectly catered for?

• Firstly, know who your customers are and reach for who your new customer could be. Study your website’s analytics and demographics carefully to ensure you are not making incorrect assumptions. Making real use of that detailed data is critical.

• Secondly, ensure you have content on your website optimised in your customers’ languages, with different messages and offers depending on their needs. Geotargeting, where messages (or offers) alter based on the origin of the visitor, is something modern web management platforms like Bookassist’s Smart Content Management System can already cater for.

This strategy will involve even more effort from hotels from now on in terms of creating content that matches each customer’s specific preferences, for example having different messages for returning customers versus new ones. But moving in this direction is a must, since one size fits all calls-to-action are no longer enough.

And don’t let good new content go to waste. Successful businesses also pay to promote their unique content and gain further value from their efforts. Social Media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram continue to be low-cost options for hotels to leverage their novel personalised content with stronger promotion.

2. Results-driven Social Media

Assessing ROI on Social Media (SM) is a difficult task, especially when the strategy in the SM campaign is not directly linked to income. For a hotel or restaurant, the SM strategy is often not to increase the number of bookings (rooms or tables), but to increase brand awareness.

Measuring the effectiveness of SM campaigns is not as clear as when using Google AdWords, where it’s easy to measure the achieved goals related to the number of reservations made through your ad click-throughs. In SM we must know how much the goals are worth to us in non-monetary terms, and those goals fall into two categories: • Awareness: The number of people that know about your brand; • Perception: How people think and feel about your brand.

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Social Engagement Metrics, or “Vanity Metrics”, are the real currency in SM campaigns. Metrics often focused on are Followers or Page Likes, but they’re not the only ones. Key metrics also include: • Shares: the number of times your post was shared onwards; • Mentions: the number of times someone mentioned your brand; • Comments: the level of direct interaction on your posts; • Reach: the number of people who actually saw your post.

For example, comparing the number of people talking about your brand to the number talking about competitors (your Social Share of Voice) gives you good feeling for how well you are doing and if you are improving overall. Most Social Media platforms now give good analytics tool to help you gauge your success. It’s time to start using those tools.

3. The Rise of Dark Social

Dark Social (DS) refers to traffic that comes to websites via social channels but is not attributed to its original source. DS occurs primarily through private sharing of URLs on platforms like WhatsApp, Viber and Facebook Messenger.

Imagine this scenario. You post a link on Facebook promoting a special offer. A follower likes the post and tags one of their friends. That friend opens the link from your post. They like what they see and copy the URL, pasting it into a group chat on WhatsApp. In this picture, clicks on the Facebook post will be tracked in Google Analytics with Facebook as the source. However, when the URL is clicked in the WhatsApp chat, the traffic will be recorded as direct to website without any referral. That’s DS in action.

A study by RadiumOne in 2016 claimed “84% of consumers’ outbound sharing from publishers’ and marketers’ websites now takes place via private, Dark Social channels” .1 Unfortunately, there’s no accurate way to measure such DS traffic. Adding social sharing buttons to your website and correctly tagging the URLs you share on Facebook or in newsletters (with UTM parameters for those in the know) helps reduce the amount of socially-shared traffic being attributed to ‘direct’. But even that’s not entirely effective.

This does not mean DS should simply be ignored. Google Analytics allows you to deep dive into your traffic and segment ‘direct’ visits that arrived on a deep landing page using a mobile device. If a URL is quite lengthy, we can safely assume that users haven’t directly typed it into their browser, particularly on mobile. In the previously mentioned example, you could do a deep dive in Google Analytics to analyse mobile traffic after the offer was posted on Facebook.

It will be increasingly important to engage with this level of analysis to get a true picture of the effectiveness of your digital marketing strategy. Hard work, but definitely needed.

4. Voice Search Optimisation

Google Voice Search is not new - its first release was May 2012, with a multilingual update a few months later.2 Since then, Digital Marketers and SEO Experts have been proactively experimenting with new ways to exploit Voice Search, especially as mobile grows.

The main difference between voice search and typed-in search is the length of the query and the nature of the sentence. Voice search queries

https://radiumone.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/RadiumOne-Dark-Social-White-Paper.pdf https://www.blog.google/products/search/voice-search-arrives-in-13-new-languages/

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Bookassist

tend to be longer and often a natural question, e.g. “What are the best hotels in Dublin city centre for families?”, versus a typed-in search like “family hotels Dublin”.

As a consequence, these searches belong to what’s known as the “upper funnel”, where users are researching broadly with little immediate commitment. The key for hotels is to ensure that the results of such searches present your property as part of the so-called “evoked set”, that small selection of hotels that users see, and then may recall later and preferentially favour once they are in the second stage of the research process. As voice interfaces proliferate, specifically targeting voice search is therefore increasingly important.

What to do?

• Write content in a natural, conversational voice and it is far more likely to match voice search queries. When writing, ask yourself what question is this content trying to answer? The Search Queries section in both Google analytics and Google Search Console can help you find what your users are already asking.

• Build a set of user intent queries based on your hotel’s unique selling points. For example, if your hotel has a spa, go to Google Search and start typing a few sentences with using spa a few related keywords to see what Google suggests as typical searches.

• Estimate search volume for your user intent queries to determine how many users might result and prioritise your content based on that. But also consider the quality of the search to ensure it is likely revenue-generating for your hotel.

• Make sure that structured data, known as Schema Markup,3 is present in your website, essential because it is now one of the key signals used to power search results.

service in a number of business channels, including websites, within apps, and on messaging platforms like Facebook, Twitter and others.

A recent survey4 by Oracle predicted that by 2020, 80% of top marketing professionals are expected to turn to chatbots for customer services and more.

Chatbots will be programmed for proactive customer engagement, tracking purchase pattern of consumers, the creation of personalized content and ads, providing feedback on site UI/UX and providing data for customer relations.

Chatbots could even be online salespeople, nurturing and generating leads.

Expedia has already launched chatbots on Facebook, Amazon Alexa and for Skype. Other big players in the travel sector like Booking.com, Kayak, Cheapflights, Skyscanner, are already experimenting with ChatBots to find flights and hotels at reasonable prices for their clients. And Hospitality groups like Marriott, Starwood and Hyatt have all been testing chatbots for some time now. Expect to see more chatbots competing for your customers’ attention.

6. The Impact of Video Advertising

Video content is consumed more than any other content type currently on the internet. Video content totally dominates the smaller screens - mobile and tablets – giving undivided opportunity for brand projection without distractions. In fact, every smartphone owner watches at least one video every day seeking knowledge, aspirations and entertainment.

And it is effective. Bookassist’s own recent success story for hotels is a case in point. Harbour Hotel in Galway, Ireland, needed to stand out more from the crowd.

Realizing their competitive edge lay in their own passionate staff, the hotel created a series of videos showing their love for Galway and the unmissable local places to visit. As a result of working with Bookassist digital, Harbour Hotel’s videos successfully reached thousands of potential customers on YouTube. This boosted their direct sales by 50% year on year and made their channel everyone’s new favourite destination.

Now that’s an effect!

5. Chatbots for the Hospitality Industry

We’ve all probably interacted with a chatbot without ever knowing it was a machine. Machine learning and artificial intelligence methods are now letting programs interpret users’ typed or spoken requests and are directing or answering the user automatically without human intervention. We’re now seeing chatbots assist with customer

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This article is condensed from insights of the Digital Marketing team at Bookassist (www.bookassist.com), the multi-award-winning technology and digital strategy partner for hotels worldwide. Contributors are (1) Lucia Ribagorda, (2) Sara SantosGarcía, (3) Jason Kelly, (4) Donald Piccione, (5)(6) Rumenigo Fernandes.

Bookassist is The Direct Booking Expert™ and is a Google Premium Partner and a Bing Ads Accredited Professional.

http://schema.org/docs/gs.html https://www.oracle.com/uk/corporate/pressrelease/oracle-report-can-virtual-experiences-replace-reality-vr-chatbots-for-cx-20161206.html

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fáilte industry news

Latest Fáilte Ireland Data Shows Tourism Industry Confidence Weakens in face of Sterling and UK Volatility with Border Counties Particularly Concerned Top-line data from the latest Fáilte Ireland Tourism Barometer, a survey of tourism businesses around the country, shows that overall industry confidence - while still up - has begun to soften.

Overall, industry sentiment is positive regarding this year’s performance.

However, a sense of caution is emerging, with almost a third of accommodation providers maintaining the status quo in 2017 and 15% expressing negative sentiment. Observing the trend, confidence is at its lowest levels in four years.

Commenting today on the top-line data from the Barometer study, Fáilte Ireland CEO Paul Kelly emphasised: “The top-line data from our tourism barometer reflects a tale of two Brexit

impacts – with Dublin continuing to thrive but with business confidence weakening as you move further west. Clearly, observing the responses to the survey, those tourism businesses are keenly exposed to a weakening of the British and Northern Irish markets.

“Brexit is having an impact. On the basis of the most recent CSO data, we revised upwards our estimate of the impact Brexit is having on the sector.

We now estimate that, by the end of this year, Brexit will have deprived us of 345,000 UK tourists - representing €100m in revenue and an estimated 2,900 tourism jobs. While on a national level this loss is being compensated by strong performances in the American and other markets, for those regions that are heavily reliant on British and Northern Irish tourists this offers little consolation and Brexit is already making a real impact.”

Get the full detail from the latest Tourism Barometer at www.failteireland.ie

If Dublin’s Statues Could Talk - Major US Tour Operators ‘Classic Vacations’ to put Ireland on ‘Must What Would They Say? Visitors to Dublin can now take a call from well-known Dublin statues such as Oscar Wilde and Cú Chullain as actors Brendan Gleeson, Brenda Fricker and Gabrial Byrne voice stories penned by outstanding authors such as John Banville and Roddy Doyle. This new innovative, city-wide initiative, known as Dublin’s Talking Statues, was launched by Fáilte Ireland earlier this month and aims to bring Dublin’s story to life for visitors as they explore the city.

Get a full list of statues, and find out more about the project at www.talkingstatuesdublin.ie.

Pictured is from left, Anna Mc Hugh, GPO Joe Duffy who wrote and voiced George Salmon, Deputy Lord Mayor, Cllr Aine Clancy and Keelin Fagan, Fáilte Ireland at the Cu Chulainn statue in the GPO.

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Visit’ Itinerary

One of the largest high end tour operators in the US, Classic Vacations, experienced the Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland’s Ancient East and Dublin recently with a view to including Ireland in their itineraries for 2018.

fáilte industry news

Get Brexit Ready info sessions Brexit Information sessions, preparing tourism businesses to ‘Get Brexit Ready’ took place recently in Bundoran, Donegal and Cork city. The sessions are part of Fáilte Ireland’s response to Brexit, which includes a suite of industry supports designed to help businesses at risk or already struggling with the loss of trade created by Brexit.

Find everything you need at www. failteireland.ie/ getbrexitready At the event were from left Michael Cullinane, Harveys Point, Paul Diver, Sandhouse Hotel, Martina Bromley, Enterprize Development Fund Fáilte Ireland, Vikie Kee, Kee’s Hotel, Philip McGlynn, Great Northern Hotel and Joan Crawford, Fáilte Ireland.

Pictured at Aniar on Dominick Stree were : Ronan Byrne Friendly Farmer, Chef Pawel Karnafel CAVA, Oisín Kenny Bia Oisín and Larry Maguire Galway Goat Cheese.

Taste of Place

This month Fáilte Ireland has been rolling out exciting new food innovation programme ‘Taste of Place’ to help Ireland’s visitor attractions to improve and enhance their food and drink offering. The programme, which supports catering, teams at high density attractions to deliver an authentic and quality food and beverage experience, has taken place in Anair, Galway, with further sessions taking place in the Tannery, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford and Cooks Academy, Dublin.

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tourism ireland

Tourism Ireland’s autumn promotional blitz targets late-season travellers around the world Tourism Ireland’s extensive autumn promotional campaign is under way, to boost late-season travel to Ireland from around the world. The September to December period usually yields as much as 30% of Ireland’s annual overseas tourism business. The campaign – which is being rolled out in North America, Mainland Europe, Great Britain, Australia and emerging markets – incorporates a major focus on city breaks, as well as on attracting visitors to more rural areas, over the coming months. Highlights of the activity include co-operative promotions with TripAdvisor, Expedia, Ryanair, Aer Lingus and Stena Line, transatlantic and long-haul airlines like American, Norwegian and Qatar; extensive online advertising; as well as a busy programme of digital, PR and social media activity.

In Britain, Tourism Ireland has partnered with Welsh singer and TV presenter Aled Jones, to produce a series of videos for Classic FM and Smooth Radio. The films – highlighting Dublin, Belfast, the Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland’s Ancient East and the Causeway Coastal Route – will reach about 7.5 million ‘culturally curious’ holidaymakers, through the Facebook pages of both radio stations, as well as through a bespoke section on classicfm.com and smoothradio.com. Pictured are Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland, with Aled Jones, in Trinity College Dublin.

Irish band Kodaline is fronting Tourism Ireland’s online video campaign with Vevo, a popular music and entertainment platform – highlighting Dublin to up to 10 million ‘social energisers’ in Britain; the band members are pictured with Hayley Pitts and Cornelia Steinbock, both Tourism Ireland, at the Hairy Lemon pub during filming in Dublin.

Game of Thrones campaign scoops silver, gold and overall Grand Prix award at Kinsale Sharks

Tourism Ireland took silver, gold and the overall Grand Prix award at the 55th Kinsale Shark Awards, for its global Game of Thrones tapestry campaign. The Kinsale Sharks International Creative Festival is recognised as Ireland’s premier advertising awards. Mark Henry and Brian Twomey, both Tourism Ireland, are pictured with the Grand Prix award.

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In the United States, Tourism Ireland has teamed up with the iconic Saks Fifth Avenue. Eye-catching window installations and in-store displays in the Saks Fifth Avenue flagship locations in New York and Beverly Hills are showcasing the island of Ireland – including Dublin, Ireland’s Ancient East, Northern Ireland, the Wild Atlantic Way and our world-class golf.

Selling Ireland in the Middle East and India A delegation of 12 Irish tourism operators took part in Tourism Ireland’s sales mission to the UAE and India. With approximately 100,000 visitors from the UAE and India travelling to Ireland last year, Tourism Ireland is committed to growing tourism from these markets further in 2018. Pictured in Dubai are Eugene Garrihy, Doolin2Aran Ferries/Dublin Bay Cruises; Genevieve Sheehan, Sheenco Travel; Clare Garrihy, Doolin2Aran Ferries/ Dublin Bay Cruises; David Wardell, Irish National Stud & Gardens; Siobhan Naughton, Tourism Ireland; Gary Gorman, Exploring Vacations; Robert Mazzucchi, Tailor Made Tours International; Lars Olsson, Stena Line; Alexandra Mehaffy, National Trust – Giant’s Causeway; Judith Webb, Tourism NI; and Peter Brazil, My Holiday Ireland.

tourism ireland

A taste of Ireland at ‘Flavours’ tourism workshop in London Thirty-eight Irish tourism enterprises took part in Flavours of Ireland 2017, an annual B2B workshop in London organised by Tourism Ireland to grow our share of the huge worldwide travel market.

Attended by representatives of top UK inbound tour operators, who are responsible for putting in place the arrangements for holidaymakers to Britain and Ireland from all over the world, this event was an excellent opportunity for the participating Irish tourism providers to highlight and sell their product to these important decision-makers and to encourage them to feature the island of Ireland in their 2018 holiday programmes.

Alison Johnston, Kildare Village; Robert Campana, Cann Travel; Joan O’Shaughnessy, Chairman of Tourism Ireland; and Tourism Minister Brendan Griffin, at Flavours of Ireland 2017 in London.

French connection for Ireland Eleven Irish tourism companies joined Tourism Ireland at IFTM Top Resa in Paris. IFTM (International French Travel Market) is the largest travel trade exhibition in France, attracting more than 30,000 visitors, including influential tour operators and travel agents, as well as business tourism decision-makers and leading French travel media.

Pictured are the participating Irish tourism companies with Finola O’Mahony (seventh left), Séverine Lecart (sixth right) and Monica MacLaverty (fifth right), all Tourism Ireland.

Ireland says ‘Guten Tag’ in Germany Twenty-nine Irish tourism companies travelled to Offenbach, near Frankfurt, to take part in a B2B workshop and networking event with leading German tour operators. The event was organised

by Tourism Ireland, to grow visitor numbers from Germany, our third-largest tourism market, in 2018 and beyond. The delegation from Ireland – which included hotels and B&Bs, visitor attractions, coach operators and destination management companies – met with German, Swiss and Austrian tour operators, in a bid to convince the influential travel professionals in attendance to include the island of Ireland in their holiday programmes for 2018.

Given that travel agents and tour operators continue to be an important booking channel for German holidaymakers, a key element of Tourism Ireland’s strategy is to work closely with the travel trade – both online and offline – in Germany. Pictured are Patrick Diamond, Irish National Stud & Gardens; Petra Schickling, Abbey Group; Svenja Bassen, JacTravel; Denise Quinn, Tourism Ireland; Úna Young, Select Hotels of Ireland; Zoë Redmond, Tourism Ireland; and Bernadette O’ Carroll, Irish Welcome Tours.

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Tallaght IT

Masters, Chef Students Meet the Master-Chef Bruno Loubet IT Tallaght MSc in Applied Culinary Nutrition Chef group with Bruno Loubet and his team

The Master of Vegetable-led Menu Design Chefs studying the MSc in Applied Culinary Nutrition had an exploratory trip to London recently, the highlight of which was lunch in the Grainstore restaurant and an inspiring afternoon with chef patron Chef Bruno Loubet prior to his retirement after 40 years at the helm of top London restaurants( La Tante Claire, Le Manoir Aux Quat Saisons, Bistro Bruno, L’Odeon and Bistro Bruno Loubet) The Grainstore a 200-seater restaurant, is a sustainable restaurant, putting sustainable practices at the fore, a restaurant space made up of reclaimed furniture and an open kitchen that keeps waste to a minimum. The concept of the Grainstore restaurant, focused on creating a sustainable menu that had mainly seasonal vegetables as the main star on the plate and meat or fish as the ‘side’. He believes that this is the ‘future’ of cooking. Loubet’s passion for vegetable focused seasonal cooking stems from his passion for gardening his own produce.

According to Loubet “we are very proud we managed to bring this idea that you can eat very well by eating much less meat and have exciting colourful tasty food on your plate. It was a big idea to bring to the public four years ago. Looking back, it was a bit of a risk. Nobody had done this before and it’s a big space. A lot of people told me, are you sure about this? And now a lot of chefs are having a vegetarian degustation menu.”

The success of the 200 seater restaurant, demonstrated a demand for this type of cuisine.

Following a most enjoyable ‘vegetable-led menu’ for lunch with most unusual combinations, the group was then joined by Bruno Loubet himself. He shared his ethos, his passion, his beliefs about the importance of chefs growing their own food, while also explaining what inspires him in cooking along with his plans for his next phase in Australia. In August he retired from cooking in the UK and has now moved to Australia where he plans to have a farm on which there will be a small restaurant and a cookery school.

Creative Culinary Arts Summer Academy for Secondary School Students

During the summer, three groups of local secondary school students attended a fun and interactive food camp in IT Tallaght.

This week-long summer camp focused on the creative aspect of culinary arts and the current trend and need for a health and wellness approach to eating and cooking and included food photography, food trail and a restaurant experience. Thanks to the EIQA and Bunzyl Ireland for supporting this initiative.

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design

from generation to generation in leafy D4 The Sandymount hotel consists of a terrace of eight Victorian houses, acquired over two generations, on Herbert Rd. Sandymount, an upmarket leafy district close to the city in one of Dublin’s much sought after addresses as in Dublin 4. It is in close proximity to one of Ireland’s best known stadia, the stunning Aviva Stadium. This results in this usually tranquil area exploding with animation on ´match days’ when up to 50000 head to legendary Lansdowne Rd venue.

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design

The hotel is currently owned and managed by father and son, John and Gerard Loughran and is the largest family- run hotel in Dublin. The hotel has been in the same family for over 50 years.

The hotel boasts 168 bedrooms. The substantial renovation was planned to take place in two phases allowing the hotel to continue trading, the bedroom upgrade first, followed by the total revamp of the bar, restaurant and function area. Working to a tight budget and a six month time frame the owners stressed that the overriding consideration and objective of the project was to increase the comfort and well- being of their guests.

The Loughrans awarded the design project to the design firm JDDG of Monkstown, established leaders in the hospitality sector for over twenty years. The brief was clear, to create comfortable contemporary spaces while respecting the inevitable constraints presented by period buildings and to maximise the very features which inspire the ‘heritage vibe’ The main bar within the hotel is aptly named the “ Line -out” as it is within the roar of the Aviva. This bar caters for guests, local residents and rugby match goers. The bar displays predictably rugby paraphernalia and this theme was developed with brick clad columns, rich timbers and decorative floor tiles, supporting dark and moody tones and simple patterns/ textures to the walls. Unique bespoke lighting was specified to add interest and create a new ambiance.

The restaurant now opens onto a new hard landscaped terrace with raised planters and a water feature, set within this large well landscaped rear garden, ideal for summer barbecue or corporate events. A new bar and food service buffet were created for hotel guests and corporate diners. The restaurant has been opened spatially, allowing more daylight and views of the garden.

The reception area has been entirely remodelled featuring contemporary wall coverings and lighting and decorative cladding on chimney breasts.

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Castle Interiors & Developments Ltd. is privileged to have undertaken the major renovation programme at the Sandymount Hotel, Dublin 4. in conjunction with JDDG. We pride ourselves on being a family owned and operated construction company which enables us to provide a personal and flexible service, yet have the expertise and capability to undertake the most complex and detailed projects. Also, with an ever expanding team of highly experienced trades people, we ensure all projects are carried out to the most exacting standards, within budget and always on time.

To have Castle Interiors involvement in your next building project, contact us at:

Castle Interiors & Developments Ltd 109 Aughnagar Road Galbally Dungannon County Tyrone BT70 2PP T: +44 (0) 288 775 9183 M: +44 (0)77 205 806 90 E: info@castleinteriors.net W: www.castleinteriors.net

McMullan O'Donnell WINDOW & DOOR SPECIALISTS

101 Drumflugh Road Benburb, BT71 7LF Co Tyrone Tel: 028 3754 8791 Fax: 028 3754 8543

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Respa Beds Kelletts (Oldcastle) Ltd, Oldcastle, Co. Meath, Tel: 353 49 8550313 http://www.respabeds.ie

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warm leather and attractive fabrics

design

Furnishings are a harmonious mix of classical and period items and a combination of warm leather and attractive fabrics compliment the rich velvets of the seating. A new library area was created in the former “Dry Bar “, a relic of days gone by.

This substantial renovation has happily achieved a 4 Star rating for the Sandymount Hotel which was indeed a significant objective in the decisionmaking process. Among the many accolades and commendations the hotel has received, it has recently won the prestigious “Europe’s Leading Green Hotel 2017 “ JDDG is delighted with the successful completion of this exciting project and hope to continue collaboration with Sandymount into the future .

MONAGHAN BROS

Knocknakill, Mayo Abbey, Claremorris, Co. Mayo.

Tel: +353 94-9365 504 www.barfurniture.net

We specialise in manufacturing standard and customised furniture for the hospitality industry. Come and see our stock in our large showroom. We also offer a full re-upholstering service for all your fitted seating, benches, bar stools etc.

Experienced tradesmen with over 30 years experience. Winner of “Best Export Business” at the National Enterprise Awards 2017

We are a family run business with over 30 years of experience based in Sallynoggin and Nutgrove in Co. Dublin and Newbridge in Co. Kildare, where we specialise in Interiors: Furniture, Carpets, Wood Floors and Beds.

Our carpet fitting team are highly skilled and have over 25 years experience with us; they are the best in the business and are unrivalled in quality and professionalism.

Contract & Domestic Fit-Outs Recent Contracts: Harcourt Hotel, Regency Hotel, Landsdowne Hotel, RSA Building Dundrum, Renaissance Skincare Howth Also, we have a full re-upholstery and design service based in our Sallynoggin branch that delivers the highest quality finished pieces.

Visit our website today at:

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design

The History Of Sandymount Hotel

Irish Independent, Family Run Sandymount Hotel, Dublin 4. Sandymount Hotel began life as a four bedroom guesthouse which was opened in 1955 by Tyrone man George Loughran and his wife, Rosaleen, nee McConn, from Downpatrick. It was their first home and they bought it with the aid of fellow northerner, Michael O’Hare, who worked in the local building society, and got them the loan.

Three weeks after they moved in, Rosaleen gave birth to the second of five children, John, who now runs the hotel. It’s been very much a family operation from the start with everyone helping out.

George, who came from a large farming family and his talent for everything from carpentry to building soon had the guesthouse up and running. Soon the couple were able to extend the guesthouse by buying the neighbouring property. They were often ahead of the trends. “In the 1960s we would have been one of the first guesthouses to have central heating and my father put in en suite bathrooms before anyone else was doing that,” says John.

Rosaleen was the outgoing half of the couple and her warm and friendly welcome ensured guests returned time and again to Sandymount. They continued to expand and by the time the couple handed over the hotel to the next generation in 1988, it comprised five of the period houses and had 100 bedrooms. It has now expanded to encompass eight of the two storey buildings. The couple continued to live in their penthouse apartment above the hotel and divided their time between it and their holiday home in the Canaries until Rosaleen’s death in 2004, followed by George’s three years later. It was a life well lived for Rosaleen, who was the eldest of six children when she lost her mother at the age of 11.

John has fond memories of growing up in the hotel, with everyone mucking in with the dishes and making up beds. The family’s northern connections are as strong as ever. “Throughout the 1960s

myself and my brother and sisters were sent up to Dunnamore near Cookstown in Co. Tyrone to spend every summer up there and we would have helped out on the farm. In those days there was no telephone or TV so we were sent out to give a dig out where needed – we probably got in the way more often than not,” he laughs.

Former accountant John married a receptionist at the hotel, Audrey, and jokes that his parents interviewed his wife before he ever met her. She left the job to raise their four children, one of whom, Gerard, works alongside John in the hotel. The others have followed diverse routes, with the eldest Lorraine having worked for London Harlequins, son Oisin based in Toronto and the baby of the family, Sinead, playing hockey for Ireland.

These days the Sandymount Hotel may be grander and much larger – it’s among the top 20% of hotels in Dublin on TripAdvisor – but at heart it remains the same with an enduring emphasis on making sure guests are comfortable and well cared for. In fact, the longest serving member of staff, Beatrice O’Donoghue, has worked on the reception for 37 years and Rose Foley, the housekeeping manager, has been with the family for 30 years.

The ambience of the Sandymount Hotel befits its position in this village in the city and the location is a part of its appeal. While the hotel didn’t have a bar for the first 40 years, these days the restaurant and bar are popular venues, particularly on match days when this base for the TV sports crews as well as the Ireland Under 20s squad is positively buzzing. People attending concerts at the 3 Arena love the fact that they can walk from the hotel along the banks of the River Dodder to the arena quicker than they could drive there. It’s also handy for the Bord Gáis Theatre and the RDS, however, mindful of its neighbours in this quiet residential area, the hotel avoids weddings and noisy functions. “The most important people to the hotel are the guests who spend the night and that has been the way the hotel has always been,” says John. Part of the recent refurbishment has included creating an outdoor terrace and a barbecue area, perfect for a relaxing summer’s evening.

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Great National Hotels and Resorts

2018: A Mixed Bag for Irish Tourism Great National New Bath Hotel & Spa, Matlock, UK

Great National Ballykisteen Golf Hotel, Ireland David Collins, Chief Operating Officer with Great National Hotels and Resorts, Ireland and the UK’s fastest growing independent hotel chain, takes an alternative look at some emerging trends facing Irish tourism into 2018.

BREXIT

With little or no sign of even the most tentative vision of a post-BREXIT UK/EU relationship, investment decisions remain stalled, currency exchange rates volatile and economic uncertainties heightened.

No different one might suggest to even the most challenging times of our most recent recession.

Perhaps. However whilst the venerable mandarins of both Downing Street and Le Berlaymont jockey for position so as to avoid acceding too much too soon - or at least being seen to be doing so - this sustained stand-off, not helped by infighting within the Toryled Government, creates a vacuum wherein real, substantive challenges to business remain, becoming more exacerbated and amplified as the collective posturing and foot dragging continues.

Case in point, British tourism into Ireland has all but collapsed in 2017. No surprise here really given that the cost of holidaying in Ireland has increased by 20% in the last 12 months. Of course there’s a silver lining here for UK hotels with more folks deciding instead to holiday at home. Recent terror attacks may have further encouraged less foreign travel but the BREXIT factor still looms large.

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Indeed with this in mind the Government was well minded to leave the 9% VAT rate well enough alone – it wasn’t broken so thankfully they didn’t try to fix it but might perhaps also be persuaded to be even bolder and more robust with measures to support Destination Ireland as tourism is arguably our largest and most sustainable indigenous industry.

GDPR

Chilling as it is, that ongoing negotiations between the UK and EU might in fact not be conclusive even beyond 2019, hoteliers are similarly faced with other challenges which have been perhaps over-shadowed by BREXIT and yet demand equal attention. Take GDPR for example.

Otherwise known as the General Data Protection Regulation, this comes into force on 25th May 2018 replacing existing data protection frameworks under what’s called the EU Data Protection Directive.

So what ‘s it all about? The official word is the following: “The GDPR emphasises transparency, security and accountability by data controllers and processors, while at the same time standardising and strengthening the right of European citizens to data privacy.”

In a nutshell, data protection is being democratised with the weight of protection shifting very firmly to the consumer. The GDPR aims primarily to give control back to citizens and residents over their personal data and to simplify the regulatory environment for international business by unifying the regulation within the EU. So if you collect, store and process a customer’s data – which is pretty much every hotel I know – you must adhere to the GDPR.

Great National Hotels and Resorts The challenge for hotels however is that we typically work with multitudes of disparate IT systems with multiple data touch-points for our customers. Many of these systems furthermore simply don’t talk to one another – which is in itself a legacy issue created by PMS providers – which prevents integration and therefore the seamless management of client records.

It may have a smack of Y2K about it – and there are plenty of ‘snake-oil salesmen’ already winding folks up about ‘impending data doom’ - but in reality this is a massive challenge for hotels with significant penalties for non-compliance. And the clock is ticking therefore hotels are best advised to root and branch data handling procedures in earnest and ideally with professional assistance: Crowe Horwath are leading the way here for example whilst Shannon-based CalQRisk operate an IHF endorsed self-assessment solution.

Artificial Intelligence Of course the need for GDPR has largely been technology driven, the pace of which is accelerating as guests opt for a more seamless, frictionless online experience.

This in itself has become a key brand differentiator as guests increasingly expect personalised, intuitive engagement from brand providers. To do this, requires not just data collection but also data interpretation and implementation so as to deliver a truly tailored consumptive experience.

To mere marketing mortals, this is a huge challenge any day of the week whereby each of your guests is treated to customised advertising messages which reflect their needs, wants, likes and dislikes.

This is simply not possible. Or is it?

Enter Artificial Intelligence, AI for short.

It’s certainly nothing new. AI has been about for a while: Google’s intuitive programming for example enables it to learn from users’ past behaviour and preferences online so as to deliver a more refined, relevant search experience.

In terms of hosp-tech, Avvio recently unveiled Allora which deploys machine learning to deliver a more personalised digital experience for users and in so doing, further leverage channel shift and direct distribution by hotels. One to watch as it is essentially the world’s first booking engine powered by AI.

So there are plenty of examples of applied AI within our daily lives: what’s interesting is the sense that this really is only the beginning, that we’re on the cusp of something truly extraordinary, possibly even an industrial revolution for our time ...

Off The Bone Gastro Pub, Limerick

Up/Down/Sideways Consolidation For this reason, we can also expect increased cooperation, even consolidation within the hotel industry supply chain as competition for consumer attention escalates and the need to deliver a discerning and sustainable guest experience becomes more critical.

Driven in large parts by the significant cost of organically developing any type of tech IP, hotel brands are increasingly looking to secure unfettered access to both expertise and software as a means of ensuring competitive advantage whilst keeping pace with accelerating technologies. Cases in point being Marriott’s cooperation with Amazon Alexa and Accor’s acquisition of Gekko Group and its incumbent B2B technologies.

This race for the hearts and minds of consumers is also spurred on not just by those ‘dastardly’ OTAs with their high commissions and dominance in paidsearch but also in part by increased competition from ‘market disrupters’ that have speedily debunked traditional models, having been permitted to operate under less onerous commercial/statutory terms.

UBER is one such example and AirBnB is another.

The irony of course with the latter, being the hosp-tech poster-child it is, is that it is now faced with a slow-down in new owner recruitment plus increased legislative pressures, and as a result is currently trialing AirBnBbranded apartments - much like ‘traditional’ hotel chains - to provide brand cover for independent properties ...

Funny how if you’re long enough in this business, things come full circle.

That how we interact with the world around us - as both business owners and consumers - is about to change immeasurably, where for example our individual thought processes become predictable and where product preferences are anticipated simply by virtue of our behaviour online.

And that - thanks to our digital foot-print - you get what you want, when you want it, where you want it, etc. before you knew you wanted that something in the first place.

Great National South Court Hotel, Ireland

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dining

...and Poirot came too Frank Corr took the Orient Express in Galway Pull off the busy Galway-Clifden road a few miles from the city and you enter another world. Ahead lies the expanse of Lough Corrib, an ever-changing vista that to-day is all blue under a torn umbrella of dusty white clouds, but in an hour can be a shadow through the mist, evoking a Turner watercolour.

All around is a sloping golf course, dotted with green and buff sand traps, and overlooking all of this is Glenlo Abbey, which has retained its manor house style through its conversion into a hotel.

Reception is a gentle process with a warm West of Ireland welcome. Door here and there lead to lounges, a bar or a billiard room. Somewhere upstairs there is a small cinema.

Our room overlooks Lough Corrib – and never has an Irish lake looked more serene and bright. Forget what RTE is forecasting. The rain has not yet arrived.

Armchairs in a bay window, Nespresso coffee, Galway cheese and biscuits. A tv which will not be turned on. Big comfy bed with White Goose pillows.

But that is not why we are here. We have tickets for the Orient Express Experience.

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It starts at seven bells in the drawing room with a bespoke gin and tonic that has floating juniper berries and a dash of angostura. Then a silent whistle bids us to the Pullman Restaurant- two carriages which were once part of the Orient Express and were rescued from a siding in Britain. They checked our tickets with a vintage ticket punch and then sat us in the First Class carriage (where else?).

Ahead lay eight courses and eight wines, each representing a stop on an imaginary train ride from London to Athens. So there was Mimolette cheese from Calais, Escargots from Paris, Rosti from Zurich, Kiachi from Innsbruck, Viener Schnitzel, Halaszle (fish in broth) from Budapest, Burek (filo pastry with cherries) from Belgrade and finally Diples (crab apple with honey and cinnamon) from Athens. The wines included muscadet, gruner vetliner, reisling, and Beaume de Venise. All the dishes were complex, multi-flavoured and textured and cooked with skill and precision. The service was a perfect balance of classical and informal- in a word- very Irish. And it was all accompanied by an unending and always swinging Frank Sinatra.

Breakfast next morning was elegant, unhurried and plentiful and to the final farewell the staff of Glenlo were impeccable.

And Poirot WAS there- in the burly shape of the late Peter Ustinov in the late night film in the cinema.

FOOD for THOUGHT Budget 2018: The Outcomes • • •

VAT at 9% Retained Excise Duty to remain the same Minimum Wage increase from 1st January 2018 to €9.55 per hour

We would like to thank all of our members who contacted their local representatives over the past number of weeks in urging them to keep the VAT at 9% and for raising the many other issues, particularly the cost of doing business.

We had over 40 TD’s attend our annual Pre-Budget Briefing day allowing us to raise the above mentioned items.

2018 General Election It is highly expected that a General Election will take place in the first half of 2018. With that in mind, it is imperative that members continue to engage with their local TD’s and Councillors on the issues affecting your business.

• •

Importance of 9% VAT rate Cost of doing Business

Official Sponsors of Food for Thought:

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FOOD

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THOUGHT

Brexit and the Restaurant Sector The Restaurants Association of Ireland (RAI) published a report, entitled ’Brexit and The Restaurant Sector, highlighting the impact that Brexit has had and will continue to have on the hospitality industry in Ireland.

Brexit represents the most significant and uncertain challenge facing the Irish economy in generations. The restaurant sector is a key element of the Accommodation and Food Services sector and has a very strong regional and rural economic and employment footprint. It is very vulnerable and exposed to the consequences of Brexit.

For the Restaurant sector, there are many challenges that will need to be managed very carefully.

•

Maintain 9% VAT for the hospitality sector into Budget 2018;

•

Minimize minimum wage increases in order to allow restaurants to survive potential cost increases and a drop in profits;

•

Control the general costs of doing business for restaurants in areas such as local authority charges and regulatory costs

•

Address the shortage of trained Chefs and other restaurant operatives.

BREXIT AND THE RESTAURANT SECTOR A REPORT PREPARED FOR THE RESTAURANTS ASSOCIATION OF IRELAND BY JIM POWER ECONOMICS LIMITED

2017

40731_Brexit Report 2017.indd 1

Official Sponsors of Food for Thought:

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05/09/2017 13:09

FOOD

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THOUGHT

Restaurant & Hospitality Skillnet Upcoming courses through the Restaurant & Hospitality Skillnet include; Kitchen Management Training Thursday 19th October, Dublin Tuesday 31st October, Galway Wednesday 1st November, Sligo Restaurant Supervisor Management Programme This 8 day programme offers current Restaurant supervisors an opportunity to hone their skills and assist in progressing to a manager within a Restaurant/Gastro Pub. It is aimed at complementing the practical experience gained by individuals working in the industry. It provides supervisors with the necessary skills to effectively manage a wide range of restaurant operations.

This course is taking place in both Dublin and Cork.

Further details can be found on our website www.rai.ie/training Online Training - Induction Suite Package – ONLY €50 This new online course includes the following modules; • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Restaurant Induction Holiday Policy Customer Services Policy and Procedure Personal Presentation Floor Staff Uniform Time Keeping Busy Restaurant Dates Diversity of Duties Drugs and Alcohol Policy Greeting Customers How to Improve Sales HACCP Safety

Further details can be found on our website www.rai.ie/training

Official Sponsors of Food for Thought:

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FOOD

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NEW MEMBERS

My Melody

Co. Westmeath

Company Name

Location

The Fertha Bar & Restaurant

Co Kerry

Roundwood House

Co. Laois

Rosspoint Bar & Restaurant

Co. Kerry

Keshk

Dublin 4

The Holestone

Antrim BT390DG

Devour Bakery & Café

Co. Mayo

Alive Organic Café

Co. Wicklow

Mikey Ryan's Bar & Kitchen

Co. Tipperary

The Derg Inn Restaurant

Co. Tipperary

Neighbourhood

Co. Monaghan

The Vee Bistro

Co. Waterford

The Lazy Lamb

Co. Waterford

Michie Sushi - Dun Laogharie

Co. Dublin

Taylor & Clay

Antrim BT1 4QN

Strokestown Park Café

Co. Roscommon

The Old Fort Restaurant

Co. Roscommon

Café Cucina

Dublin 1

Kopitiam Café

Dublin 1

Flame Restaurant

Co. Meath

The Yew Tree

Co Mayo

Just Wing It

Dublin 24

Sugar & Spice

Co. Wexford

Brogans Bar & Guesthouse

Co. Meath

Meet Me in the Morning

Dublin 8

Gourmet Food Parlour - Santry

Dublin 9

The Old Mill

County Cork

Genovese

Dunlin 7

You and Me Restaurant

Dublin 9

Offbeat Donuts

Co. Dublin

Cass & Co.

Co Waterford

Offbeat Donuts

Dublin 16

Box of Frogs Café

County Cork

Offbeat Donuts

Dublin 2

The Green Room Bar

Dublin 1

Railway Tavern - Fire Box Grill

Co. Donegal

Quinns Corner

Tyrone BT70 1RX

Porterhouse Galway

Co. Galway

Goose Restaurant & Wine Bar

County Louth

Raglans Restaurant @ Ballsbridge Hotel

Dublin 4

Nine Arches

Co. Longford

Gally's Bar & Restaurant

Co. Kerry

Da Paolo

Co. Wexford

Stradbally Fayre

Co. Laois

Taproom 47

Dublin 7

Morelands Grill @ The Westin

Dublin 2

House of Plates

Co. Mayo

The Shack

Co. Cork

Doormore Hotel

Co. Galway

Caprice Café

Galway

O’Connor’s Cafe Bar and Restaurant

Co. Limerick

Salt Restaurant & Bar

Co. Galway

The Trappers Inn & Jackson’s Restaurant

Co. Galway

O’Sheas Restaurant

Dublin 2

Tequila Jacks Mexican Restaurant & Tequila Bar

Co. Cork

Aroi Asian Street Food

Co. Kilkenny

Lana Asian Street Food

Co. Limerick

Lana Asian Street

Co Longford

Horse and Hound

Co. Offaly

Simon's Place Coffee Shop

Co. Dublin

Cask - Hotel Isaacs

Co. Cork

La Bella Roma

Co Cork

Croi

Co. Kerry

Mrs. Stones @ Wells House & Gardens

Co. Wexford

Grove House Restaurant

Co. Cork

The Pine Rooms

Co. Waterford

The Oasis Bar & Restaurant

Co. Donegal

Little Cabana

Co. Dublin

Old Glen Bar & Restaurant

Co. Donegal

The Bridgewater Inn

Co. Kildare

The River Café

Co. Kildare

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NEW ASSOCIATES Company Name

Location

Tommy Varden Ltd tommyvarden.ie/

Co Galway

Reach Retail Services www.reachretailservices.ie/

Dublin 24

Dawn Meats www.dawnmeats.com/

Co. Waterford

Patagonian Glacier Waters www.pgwaters.com/en

Dublin 16

Food Safety Excellence Ireland www.fsei.ie/

Co. Westmeath

Down 2 Earth Materials www.down2earthmaterials.ie/

Co. Cork

Walshs Bakehouse www.walshsbakehouse.ie/

Co Waterford

The Smokin’ Butcher www.hughmaguirebutchers.com/

County Cork

Glastry Farm Ice Cream www.glastryfarm.com/

BT22 1DR

Aluline Grease Traps www.aluline.ie/

Co Dublin

drinksGenius http://www.drinksgenius.ie/

Dublin 12

Down 2 Earth Materials www.down2earthmaterials.ie/

Co. Cork

Ardsallagh Farmhouse Cheese http://ardsallaghgoats.ie/

Co. Cork

Hi-Life Dining Club www.glastryfarm.com/

Co. Down BT189HQ

Linko Building Contractors www.facebook.com/Linkobuildingcontractors/

Dublin 15

DVP (Doyles Veg Prep) www.doylesvegprep.com/

Dublin 22

CSE Ireland http://www.cseireland.ie/

Co. Donegal

Spice Mix

Co. Cork

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H&RT OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2017

31

Food & Bev Live

We’re Back for 2018!

The only place to do business in 2018

CATEX was the show that gave you a great start to 2017 with 82% of exhibitors satisfied with the level of business generated. Why not continue that upward curve of business growth and exhibit at next year’s Food & Bev Live, the place where your industry will be doing business next February.

For Further information on how to book your stand, please contact: Niamh Kenny - E: niamh.kenny@eventhaus.ie Margaret Andreucetti - E: margaret@eventhaus.ie Richard Byrne - E: richard.byrne@eventhaus.ie

TAKING place in Citywest, Dublin from the 6th - 7th T: +353 (0) 1 846 0020 February 2018, Food & Bev Live – brought to you by IFSA, the Or visit: foodandbev.ie Teaming up to bring its annual show to Food & Bev Live 2018, Stonehouse, organisation behind the phenomenally successful CATEX show, Ireland’s leading independent wholesale company, will take over the Lakes and the Restaurants Association of Ireland (RAI) – returns to kick Suite on the second floor of the Convention Centre at Citywest on 6th start the 2018 hospitality season.

February, where its White Hat brand and product portfolio will take centre stage offering its members’ customers a unique range of special offers and Bursting with industry-specific attractions, that serve up new product launches. inspirational solutions for Ireland’s foodservice and hospitality

sectors, Bev Live 2018CATEX is the only expo in Ireland to From theFood team&that delivers

have ALL Industry support, resulting in a unique opportunity for exhibitors and visitors alike to attract business from leading industry associations across the sector.

John Cunningham, Chairman of IFSA comments: “Capitalising on a revitalised Foodservice sector and playing home to a vast portfolio of national skill competitions, demonstrations, new technologies and conversation; Food & Bev Live will be a twoday shop window for ‘the best of’ within the industry, from skills to products, services and innovation.

“Demonstrating the appetite for an annual industry event, we’re thrilled to welcome the support of many industry bodies to the show. For the first-time, the Restaurants Association of Ireland will be hosting the Global Hospitality Tech Summit at the event and the Stonehouse trade expo is joining us, running as a complementary event at Citywest, giving visitors even more reason to attend Food & Bev Live!”

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NEW for Food & Bev Live 2018

Food & Bev Live In a first for the sector, Food & Bev Live and new event partners, the Restaurants Association of Ireland (RAI), will host the Global Hospitality Tech Summit 2018 - set to be the world’s largest conference dedicated to examining recent trends in technology which are forming the future of the hospitality industry.

the industry, the Euro-Toques Ireland Live Stage is a dedicated space for chefs to gain new knowledge and share ideas through presentations, panel discussions and demos on culinary trends. New for 2018, the area will play host to multiple workshops specifically dedicated to young chefs focusing on recipe creation and exciting culinary innovations from master chefs, as part of the Euro-Toques educational program.

Through speakers, breakout sessions and panel discussions, the conference aims to transform the way in which hospitality industry professionals attract customers, run their businesses and set themselves apart from the competition.

• The hotly anticipated Irish Barista Championship and Irish Cocktail Championship are taking place. See the country’s best baristas battle it out

Who visits Food & Bev Live:

Attracting thousands of visitors from the food, hospitality and technology sectors, Food & Bev Live is a two-day extravaganza of foodservice excellence bringing together National skills finals, live demonstrations, new product launches and unique networking opportunities.

As well as the latest product innovations covering equipment, food and drink, and technology, Food & Bev Live is set to unveil a variety of new exhibitors, attractions and business opportunities.

Visiting the show will help your business to:

• Increase profitability and day-to-day efficiency • Identify key trends and stay ahead of the competition • Maximise new ideas & training opportunities • Grow your industry network and establish strong business relationships

Euro-Toques Ireland will be returning to Food & Bev Live 2018 with a packed schedule across the two-days. Focusing on delivering solutions for

Don’t Miss:

to represent Ireland in the World of Coffee 2018 and watch Ireland’s leading mixologists put their skills to the test in the intensive cocktail challenge as they compete to become the National Cocktail champion.

• Euro-Toques Ireland Chefs’ Masterclasses where Ireland’s top chefs will share their knowledge and serve up advice.

• Following the huge success of Chef Ireland 2017 at CATEX, Panel of Chefs Ireland, will once again host the much-anticipated Chef Ireland Culinary Competition 2018 at Food & Bev Live.

• Contract Caterers’ Culinary Challenge - Watch as highly-competitive contract catering teams compete to prepare, create and serve up a feast, fit to impress the judges.

Thousands of visitors from the food, hospitality and technology sectors are expected to attend Food & Bev Live. Created to offer visitors innovative ideas, new products, technology and the business advice that will help to grow business in the year ahead, Food & Bev Live is taking place on 6th and 7th February 2018 at the Citywest Events Centre, Dublin.

Further information can be located at: www.FoodandBev.ie and information on the Global Hospitality Tech Summit can be found at www.hospitalitytechsummit.ie Keep up to date with show news via our media partners or on our social channels: @FoodandBevLive For further information on Food & Bev Live 2018, please contact Niamh Kenny, Show Manager on 01 846 0020 or niamh.kenny@eventhaus.ie

Adrian Cummins RAI launches the first global hospitality summit to be staged at F&B LIVE 2018 H&RT OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2017

33

The Future Of Catering Design

About Us:

Based in Ireland, CDS are a division of Bunzl McLaughlin.

As experts in commercial catering design, we offer innovative solutions to the catering, hospitality and foodservice industries.

We started out as a small team of specialists in commercial catering design and have grown in numbers and knowledge, completing hundreds of successful and transformative projects in the UK and Ireland, through our designs, equipment and furniture.

At Catering Design Solutions, we ensure our customers get the best, innovative solutions to give them competitive advantage. This is why we place a strong emphasis on future innovations in the commercial catering industry, taking what we learn and putting it into developing the products and services that make up our solutions.

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Call:34(NI) 028 3751 1999 (RoI) 048 3751 1999 H&RT OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2017

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Dylan Hotel

future proofing

the dylan

It took amazing vision to turn a former nursing home, built in the 1900’s to a 5-star boutique hotel and with the success of the latest refurbishment at The Dylan, it seems that vision and luxury has remained..Hotel & Restaurant Times met up with Barry Francis GM at the hotel to chat about his role and the recent upgrade. We talked to Barry about his career from luggage porter to GM of a 5-star hotel.

Barry Francis,General Manager of The Dylan Hotel in Dublin is a probably one of the youngest GM’s in the business. He has a quiet yet focussed demeanour, and obviously the right man to be in charge during the recent work undertaken at the hotel. The hotel which recently underwent a 10 million Euro refurbishment taking it from 44 bedrooms to a 72 bedroomed 5-star luxury property.

“I’m originally from Malahide and after I did my Leaving Certificate in 1995 I went over to London. I had two brothers working in hotels there, so I thought I’d go over for a year but I ended up being there for 11 years”, explains Barry.

He continues, “I was on a management training programme but I started as a luggage porter. Working in the UK was my first experience of the hospitality

H&RT OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2017

35

Dylan Hotel

industry and I just loved it. It was a steep learning curve. I had to manoeuvre my accent so corporate London could understand me! But I loved the interaction with the guests whether they be corporate or leisure, you learn to change your hat for each guest, depending on their culture. In London there are a lot of Arabic and Israeli guests, lots of mixed cultures and I found learning their needs and cultural differences really interesting”.

Barry’s career moved relatively quickly through the UK hospitality sector as he gained experience in a number of different roles. “I was a porter for just under a year and then I moved to concierge, then receptionist, shift leader, then team leader for receptionists. I was night manager and duty manager and then I moved into reservations. I was fascinated by how this machine, a hotel operated and I loved working in the operations side of things as well as the revenue aspect”.

“My move from porter to those management positions was relatively quick. I am ambitious and you don’t get anywhere by sitting still. In the Dylan we believe we are ahead of the game and at the top of the marketplace and we try to be innovative in the marketplace. I think that ambition mirrors my own”, says Barry.

Barry returned to Ireland in 2005 and became revenue manager at The Dylan. “I’m here 11 years. I had never worked in the 5 -star market before.

In London, moving from a 4-star hotel to a 5 -star was very difficult. So, I jumped at the opportunity to work in a luxury 5- star boutique hotel”.

Barry also held a sales and marketing role in the hotel for two years, however, he moved back into an operations role and became assistant general manager. Barry has now been GM at The Dylan for three years.

“It is a very challenging role but it’s very enjoyable. It’s fast paced and managing people is a challenge because you want to keep good people. Happy staff, happy guests, it is that simple. Staff retention is very challenging but we have a very strong front office team and that is an integral part of the hotel. Food and Beverage staff are more fluid and transient, but that makes the selection process key”.

The Dylan is 11 years old and this year it has added 28 new bedrooms as part of a 10 million Euro refurbishment. So how did Barry and the team manage this project? “It was really well managed with very little distribution to the hotel. Senior management communicated really well on each step. We moved into an open- plan office so that meant we were constantly talking to each other about each stage. Gráinne Ross headed up the project and we were really pleased with how it went”.

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“Myself and Gráinne travelled to Paris together to look at a number of hotels there. Then I travelled to London and she travelled to USA to look at others. From those trips we gathered ideas about the style we wanted and the architects and interior designers pulled it all together for us. Durability and exclusivity are essential at the 5- star end of the market. The new bedrooms have a more modern style to the original rooms and we wanted that. But the look is in- keeping with the hotel’s luxury experience”, explains Barry.

“Technology is also extremely important and we are continually upgrading this. We are constantly upgrading our WiFi and the code is in our bedrooms, on the TV so it’s very easy to access. We have bluetooth Bose speakers in our rooms and I-pod stations. All the lights are controlled by a touch pad on the wall also”, says Barry.

“In general our market is 70% corporate and 30% leisure. However, this changes depending on factors like seasonality, events taking place in the City, etc. Our neighbourhood and Baggot St, brings a strong lunch trade and our evening drinks trade is also strong which is a good indicator of how well The Dylan sits in the locality. We host a lot of engagement parties, christenings, baby showers, which come through our corporate clients, our local customers and through word of mouth”.

VDA is proud to be the supplier of in-room lighting control and TV entertainment to the Dylan Hotel VDA is a leading international company providing technical solutions in Interactive Television, Building Automation, and Room Management. Also providing IPTV, Guest Wifi, and Smart Touch Switches.

The Dylan Hotel in collaboration with VDA have installed the new ONAIR Interactive TV system in all the hotel rooms.

And to make the rooms luxurious, every room is equipped with an elegant collection of glass touch switches by VDA.

www.vdagroup.com

Food offerings at The Dylan include a number of menus.

Breakfast is cooked to order with a continental buffet available. Brunch menus are available on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays. There is afternoon tea and a lunch menu available from Monday to Sunday.

“We have a very innovative chef and together we oversee the dinner menu which is available from Tuesday to Sundays.

The providence of the products we use is very important to us also. Our Chef is very innovative for dinner dishes and together we have created signature dishes like ‘fairground for two’, which is candy floss, ice cream, and treats you would find at a fairground, served on carts which we had specially made. Our ‘salt based sea bass for two’, is another signature dish and it’s done at the table, which guests really enjoy”.

The Dylan has introduced a menu tasting programme whereby staff taste the food on offer on a given evening,7 days a week 15 minutes before service. Barry explains, “it gives the team on the floor added knowledge about what they’re selling and they can give personal recommendations to guests”.

So after a refurbishment of this scale, how does Barry see the future for The Dylan? ”The future is good, we have good business on the books for 2018. Our levels of enquiries have increased. It feels like a bigger hotel now but we are still the smallest 5- star boutique hotel in Dublin”.

Contact VDA in Ireland at: Stonewell House, Cloughanover, Headford, Co. Galway. Ireland T: +353 (0)93 36691 e: sales@vdaireland.com

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It took amazing vision to turn a former nursing home, built in the 1900’s to a 5-star boutique hotel and with the success of the latest refurbishment at The Dylan, it seems that vision and luxury has remained.

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37

Brexit Ready

Get Brexit Ready Fáilte Ireland’s ‘Get Brexit Ready’ programme was recently launched in their Dublin Headquarters.

The programme is based on four main pillars; Brexit Readiness -which will assist businesses to remain competitive. Spreading the Risk- which will help businesses with market diversification and protect against an over-dependence on the British market.

Battling for Britain – which will help businesses with British market retention and Fitting Fit - People capability for improved business performance.

The programme will roll out in a number of ways with workshops being held in the most Brexit vulnerable areas over the next two months. There will also be access to the programme via the ‘Get Brexit Ready’ website (www.getbrexitready.com) which offers businesses a self-assessment tool and a survey which helps them to identify where they are most vulnerable and what strategies they need to focus on. As part of the programme there is also an online knowledge hub called ‘Brexit Bytes’ which will allow for new initiatives and sharing of information as the impact of Brexit becomes clearer.

At the launch the Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Brendan Griffin commended the work of Fáilte Ireland on this initiative explaining that Brexit is a key issue for the industry that will affect all sectors. “There has been a 6% decline in UK visitors to the country in the first six months.

Overall however, visitor numbers are up by 3%. We have a currency issue to contend with but we still have a very competitive product to offer”, said the Minister. Minister Griffin went on say that Brexit isn’t a reason for the industry to give up on the UK market. “This is a challenge and we will rise to it. I am confident that with everyone working together we can assess our risk areas and find solutions”, he said.

Paul Kelly, CEO of Fáilte Ireland spoke next and he highlighted the scale and importance of the business of tourism to the country. “Tourism generates 8 billion in revenue to the country which equates to a quarter of a million jobs. Our most important market is our nearest market and that is the UK; the British and Northern Irish visitor”, Paul explained. He went on to say that while there are still a lot of unknowns in terms of Brexit, we do know that there has been a drop in UK visitors to the country which equates to a revenue loss of 88 million and 1,900 less jobs in the sector. “Britain is now cheaper for visitors from other markets. So, now the UK is also our biggest competitor”, Paul said. He went on to emphasise the importance of retaining our value for money reputation and increasing the value for money experience for visitors.

Paul Keeley, Director of Business Development in Fáilte described Brexit as a ‘fog’ due to all the unknowns. However he said the first six months of this year have brought some clarity and he said we must respond to what we know. Paul said we must respond to Brexit in waves and as we get more clarity, then create initiatives and respond. Paul explained that the overall focus of Fáilte Ireland’s

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Fáilte Ireland’s CEO, Paul Kelly, pictured at the launch of the ‘Get Brexit Ready Programme’ with Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Brendan Griffin, and Martina Bromley, Fáilte Ireland’s Head of Enterprise Development

Members of the Get Brexit Advisory Group include Niall McCarthy, Cork Airport, Howard Hastings, Hastings Hotels, Paul Kelly, CEO, Fáilte Ireland, Martina Bromley and Paul Keeley, Fáilte Ireland, Joe Dolan, President, IHF and Stephen Cotter, CIE Tours

Brexit Ready

Since the launch, Fáilte Ireland has begun rolling out Get Brexit Workshops across the country. Pictured at the Donegal workshop were: David MCgee, Joan Crawford Fáilte Ireland, John McCarter, Martina Bromley, Fáilte Ireland and Dermott McLaughlin.

Brexit programme is to help businesses retain their GB visitors and also, to diversify to ensure they reach other markets. Paul described Brexit as a moving target so he said any response has to be adaptable. Paul also explained that the range of measures included in the Fáilte Ireland Get Brexit Ready programme offers businesses a range of interventions, across all sectors and for every staffing level.

Fáilte Ireland partnered with those at the cold -face of the industry as well as Cornell University to ensure the Brexit programme was research based as well as applicable to businesses. Joe Dolan, President of the Irish Hotels Federation spoke at the launch about the areas he felt were most Brexit vulnerable.“The poorest performing areas for tourism are the biggest risk areas in terms of Brexit”, he said. “63% of visitors to Leitrim and 65% of visitors to Monaghan are from the UK. For these areas and for other border counties UK visitors are the biggest off season visitors as well as the visitor population with the biggest impact on local economies”, Joe explained.

According to Joe, for these areas, Brexit has impacted already and the rate of decline is acute. Joe discussed the loss in the retail sector also due to the currency difference, the loss of the UK visitor but also because the tourist from the South is now going north. “We are facing big losses this Christmas as we see people from the south already shopping in the North.

Weddings are moving North and coach tours and golf tours are in decline in the border counties and through the midlands areas”, he said. Joe continued, “the short break leisure market is much more expensive for people from the north now and Belfast has become a huge competitor as many people from the south are availing of short-break deals there”, explained Joe.

Attending Fáilte Ireland’s Cork Get Brexit Ready workshop were Hal McElroy, The Trident Hotel, Kinsale, Martina Bromley, Fáilte Ireland, Michael Lennon, IHF (Irish Hotels Federation) and Niall MacCarthy, Cork Airport.

Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland was also in attendance and spoke of his organisations full support of the Fáilte Ireland Brexit programme.

“Tourism is one of the biggest industries in the world”, he explained. “This year the EU market was worth 750 million globally, North America and the USA was worth 620 million and the UK is worth 450 million globally. This is market diversification in real terms and we need to ensure that Ireland is competing for a share of these markets”, Niall said. Niall also pointed out that Tourism Ireland is continuing to build a strong platform in the UK with a big year round active programme including Kodaline heading a campaign, Alled Jones and their presence on Smooth FM as well as the digital platforms in the UK that Tourism Ireland have developed.

At the end of the launch Minister Griffin was asked about his proposals for the upcoming budget and he was keen to point out that he recognised the importance of the 9% VAT rate saying “if it’s not broken, why fix it”.

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fáilte interview

A Blogging Good Time

Mike Buckley, Kerry Coaches, Shane Dallas, TBEX Conference Director and Lloyd Griffiths pictured at TBEX

Bloggers take in the Waterford Greenway as part of their Ireland’s Ancient East experience

Following the success of enticing the great gathering of North-American travel writers to Kilkenny last May, the arrival of some 650 of the world’s top travel and social influencers to these shores was another important coup for Fáilte Ireland in keeping Ireland high on the agenda in modern-day English-speaking media.

According to the national tourism authority, each member of this highly influential group spent an average of two weeks here, being inspired to tell an audience of some 380 million followers all about Ireland.

They have come because they heard about the TBEX Europe conference in Killarney. This year, the annual jamboree of online travel bloggers took place in the Killarney Convention Centre from the 3rd to the 5th of October.

Fáilte Ireland was successful in bringing the conference to Ireland and has made maximum capital of the event by designing bespoke fact-finding trips for the bloggers and content creators while they were here, working with 500 members of the tourism industry to ensure that the influential delegates had an unforgettable time.

Christina Barrios (Mexico) and Tim Anderson (US) explore the Rock of Cashel

The ancillary activities included the TBEX Fáilte Ireland Travel Summit that took place ahead of the conference at Kilkea Castle, Co Kildare. This was attended by 22 bloggers/influencers from the industry, representing the crème-de-la-crème of online travel writing. They discussed the role of social media influencers in building compelling destination brands.

Johnny Jet (real name John E. DiScala) is a prime example of a blogger at the top of his game. In his former life, he was an average American who was afraid to fly. Today, he makes a living from jetting around the world and writing about it. His articles and tweets are models of professional expression and he has managed to amass a formidable army of followers through Twitter (117,000), Facebook (37,000), Instagram (26,000), Pinterest (8,000) and Google+ (1,600). The story of how he got to this point is an interesting one in the evolution of the modern-day blogger/influencer:

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Natalie DiScala amd ‘Johnny Jet’ attended the TBEX Europe Conference along with baby Jack. Pictured with Fáilte Ireland’s Declan Murphy.

fáilte interview “I grew up in Connecticut,” he explains from his hotel room in Killarney. “Around high-school, I became afraid to fly for a few years…Then in college, I dated a girl whose parents lived all over the world and once I’d made that first trip with her to Hong Kong, it opened my eyes. I’d never flown business class before and once you fly up front, it’s hard to go back.

“From that one trip, I had enough frequent-flyer miles to get a free flight in the US. I thought to myself ‘Wow! This is some kind of racket!’ and then I started researching into all kinds of tips and tricks. After I graduated from college, I took a job where I was travelling a lot for a college as a recruiter. We were on a really tight budget but I had developed a taste for the good life and I was always finding ways to get better seats on flights and other travel tips. This was 1995 and the Internet was still brand new. I started doing an email newsletter to everyone I worked with, saying ‘Hey, even though we’re on a really tight budget, you can stay in a 5-star hotel if you use this website’ or ‘you can get double miles if you call this number’.

to try to get our word out there.” Indeed, the advent of TBEX Europe represented a massive opportunity for Fáilte Ireland to bring a huge number of travel bloggers, traditional travel media, digital content creators and social media influencers to Ireland all at once.

The issue of establishing professional standards in the blogger industry is one that was up for discussion at the conference, according to Ciara. This is something that’s clearly of concern not only to the likes of restaurants and hotels being hit by blagging bloggers but also to those bloggers who, like DiScala, take their business seriously.

“I think that it comes down to the way it’s managed,” says Ciara. “I think that a lot of that sort of thing happens all the time (bloggers contacting restaurants with the objective of getting a free meal). The bloggers that we would deal with are very professional about what they do and they work in a partnership arrangement; a very clear business arrangement.”

“I go on some of these press trips and there’ll be writers there treating it like a vacation,” says Johnny. “I’m not on vacation – this is work for me and that’s always the attitude I took. When some of these people would be out by the pool having a piña colada, I’d be in my room writing… Those people are not the norm – they’re giving bloggers a bad name.”

“The next thing I know, I’m being asked to speak at a college conference where they were mostly talking about subjects such as financial aid but I started my talk on how to fly first class and other travel tips. I did it with another guy and it was the most popular talk at the conference.”

“What is really so important for us in bringing TBEX here is that it allows us to reach new audiences and motivate them to come and visit Ireland,” says Ciara. “We feel that these influencers and bloggers, through their channels, can reach a huge audience and can influence those people who dream of coming to Ireland to actually make that decision to come here.”

DiScala says that for him, there wasn’t any objective to make money in all of this: it was a case of being constantly amazed at a voyage of discovery that he had gone on, from a point of being afraid to even get on a plane; one that he wished to share with other people and show them that it wasn’t difficult to do.

That process appears to be well underway and a measure of just how large a digital footprint TBEX Europe left on the Irish tourism industry is the fact that over three billion online Twitter impressions have already been generated. It’s an impressive fortnight’s work for Fáilte Ireland and it’s only the start of the story: These delegates will be producing content about Ireland for weeks to come; showing and sharing with the world. This will, Fáilte Ireland hope, reinforce the many reasons why Ireland should be a destination of choice for their legions of followers.

He set up a website, which became a mine of information on travel tips from across the Internet and guide books, all gathered into one source for the benefit of his growing list of readers eager to get an ‘in’ into the world of luxury travel. It wasn’t long before he attracted the attention of the mainstream media.

Appearances on radio and television, as Delegates attending TBEX got a real Irish welcome at the well as invitations to speak at travel shows, TBEX Welcome Night in Drumquinna, Killarney followed swiftly.

Sliabh Liag gave the delegates plenty of spectacular Wild Atlantic Way views

The whole notion of this whipper-snapper blogger was still a very new concept that many mistrusted and it wasn’t until 2004 that DiScala got invited on a proper grownup media press trip. Even then, the publicity agent who organised it told him that he would only be able to come if he had a commission from print media. Ironically, some of the accommodation hosts featured in the trip were still getting bookings years later as a result of his website article, long after the effect of the printed article had faded away.

Since then, DiScala has been on many more press trips, some of which have involved blogger-only trips. So what future do print media have in this evolving world? Does he believe that they will even exist in 10 years’ time?

“I would certainly hope so. I’m a big fan of them. I think that all the major newspapers and magazines will still be there.

I’m not sure that they’ll be selling as many copies but they will still have a presence for sure.”

“Personally, I don’t think that print media will ever die,” says Ciara Sugrue, Head of International Publicity and Events at Fáilte Ireland. “There’s a huge section of our audience who like and trust print media. So it’s important that we maintain that and work with print media internationally… I think that we need to work with all of the channels of distribution

Farewell to TBEX - before heading to the airport, many of the bloggers stopped off at Fáilte Ireland to celebrate the 3 billion impressions generated throughout TBEX

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Staypal

Hotels Value Add with Service The advent of ancillary revenue in Hotels

The price of a flight from Milan to Paris was €400 in 1992. Today it’s only €25. A large part of these falling airfares is the advent of ancillary fees such as baggage and allocated seats – separating these out allow airlines to reduce basic fares.

Is a similar shift likely to take place in the accommodation sector? In some cases, ancillary revenue in hotels already outstrips the room rate. In Southeast Asia you might pay $5 or $10 for your room, but the same hotel could earn $50 to $100 by helping you book activities like guided tours, scuba diving or other tourist experiences.

Unlike airline ancillary fees, hotels can generate revenue by facilitating guests with purchases they are actively looking to make while on holiday. Hostels already understand that fees generated from tours are an important contributor to total revenue per guest.

Recent figures show airline ancillary revenue at 15%, while hotel ancillary revenue is far behind at under 2%. Considering hotels have much longer customer engagements, how can this be?

Hotels manage room rates and availability across multiple channels. Technology is enabling hotels to achieve price parity across channels and increase direct bookings, but its ability to increase ancillary revenue after check-in has lagged behind. So, while revenue managers have adapted to the online challenges surrounding room rates and availability, it’s been to the detriment of focus on the post check-in ancillary opportunity.

Shifting focus

Hotels are in sales mode when converting website leads into confirmed bookings. The sales funnel doesn’t end there, but when the guest arrives, hotels too often switch into service mode. How hotels think about the “revenue while resident” can make a huge difference to the hotel properties’ yield.

After guests check in there are many opportunities to sell additional products and services during their stay.

Fáilte Ireland report 94% of tourists are conducting research while on holiday – of that number, 83% use a smartphone (which rises when free Wifi is available).

Couple this with the fact that tourists still want to gather information from offline sources such as hotel staff and the revenue opportunity becomes very clear.

Many hotels assume guests make their activity bookings pre-arrival, but according to Phocuswright, for certain activities over 80% of guests book after checking in. These are all indicators of existing opportunities for the hotels to become more heavily involved in ancillary sales. With the increase of ondemand and other services becoming available to book online, it’s now much easier for a hotel to have a broad, seamless offering as part of their current operations.

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Staypal Help to buy scheme

Sales people often say, they don’t sell: they help people to buy. This is a lesson hotels should note – the future won’t be in charging for previously standard services: it’s about offering new products and opportunities to guests.

Hotels have the opportunity to help guests book enhanced experiences inside or outside the hotel gates. Not only does this mean increased revenue: it also improves the guest experience, increases satisfaction and fosters loyalty, leading to a virtuous circle of repeated and growing business over time. It’s very evident from Airbnb’s recent acquisitions how guest expectations are evolving. Tourists demands no longer stop at lodgings. They have expanded into a desire for great holiday experiences all around their destination.

Airbnb now facilitate booking both experiences with local tour guides and restaurants through their recently acquired Resy restaurant booking platform. Before you recoil: I’m not advocating for hotel staff to walk up and down the corridors selling scratch cards. Rather, a more nuanced approach, looking holistically at what customers want from their holidays can yield increases in revenue per guest.

Perhaps guests are looking for Yoga classes or personal guided tours, services that you could easily find a local partner to provide. In the US, a company called Zeel are working with hotels to offer on-demand massage therapists, a great way for hotels to earn additional revenue, provide a great guest experience and all without a capital commitment.

Working with local suppliers can be a great way to enhance your guest offering. You may have a local brewery who would do beer tastings in your bar, or a local artisan food producer who would create a showcase menu for guests. This is a win-win scenario for everyone: the guests get a great experience, the producer gets increased exposure and you increase guest spend.

The opportunity for ancillary revenue doesn’t need to be limited to leisure tourists. A large push is currently on to sell Ireland to business travellers. Using a service such as Irish company Meetingsbooker, hotels can earn additional revenue by filling excess meeting rooms.

Ancillary revenue is a simple equation: the more you can offer a guest the better their experience will be, adding up to more revenue generated for you, now and into the future. By focusing on the lasting guest experience, not just the transactional check in and out, you’re responding to the needs of today’s tourist, with the expert local knowledge that helps you curate their experience, making a great result for the industry and the customer.

Most hotel websites focus on attracting prospects to book rooms directly. Why not extend this online presence to the guests currently staying with you and the opportunity they present – for example, including bookable tickets for attractions and restaurant bookings?

You can direct guests to your ancillary products from calls to reception, in-room cards, WiFi redirects, or even by allowing guests to use their favorite chat platforms, like Facebook Messenger.

This connectivity will become increasingly important over the next few years. Think about how many less engagements you would have with your family or friends if you didn’t have chat apps.

What chat apps have done to social applies to business communications too. Following a pilot scheme for chat communications, Starwood noted “We quickly found guests naturally wanted to communicate with us the same way they did with everyone else”.

Once hotels have worked out when to sell, they must address what to sell.

Removing the things guests expect as a given with room bookings and charging extra for them probably won’t work for most businesses.

Instead, start monitoring what your guests have been asking for. Can they be brought into your portfolio of guest services?

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IFSA news

Get Involved!

FOOD & BEV LIVE

Returning to Citywest, Dublin, 6th - 7th February 2018, Food & Bev Live will once again welcome Ireland’s leading foodservice industry operators along with a range of national skills finals. For details on how to get involved with Food & Bev Live contact Niamh at Niamh.kenny@eventhaus.ie or call (01) 8460020.

Bord Bia Foodservice Seminar Bord Bia’s annual foodservice seminar will take place in the Aviva Stadium, Dublin on Wednesday, 8th November. Speakers will include representatives from leading forecourt convenience and fast casual operators, in addition to a panel discussion examining some of the key drivers supporting continued foodservice growth.

A REDUCED BOOKING RATE of €80.00 including VAT is available to IFSA members (regular rate €100). Please note that numbers at this rate are limited. For booking information contact louise.mcloughlin@ifsa.eu.com or see www.ifsa.eu.com/events

Catering Innovation Agency Adare Manor is the talk of the Hotel and Irish Foodservice Industry. It’s reopening is eagerly anticipated. Kitchens throughout Adare Manor by the Catering Innovation Agency Ltd - C.I.A, The Smarter catering equipment ™ people have grown a reputation for innovative kitchen designs and quality execution. Enda O’Donoghue, Seamus Marnane and Christina Nolte will celebrate ten years of C.I.A activity shortly.

Continuous surfaces, quality fabrications, energy efficiency, ergonomics and “made in Germany” detail are at the heart of a C.I.A. Kitchen. 2016 has seen the C.I.A install eye catching kitchens at The new Red Cow, O’Gormans, The Bog Road Portlaoise, Hotel Minella and the Horse and Jockey Hotel.

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IFSA Family Christmas Movie Screening 2017!

Invite your staff, clients and their families along to this exclusive IFSA Private Screening and Christmas Event in either Dublin or Belfast.

Book Now for a Private Screening of this year’s Christmas Blockbuster, THE STAR. • SATURDAY, 2nd DECEMBER 2017 – ODEON, VICTORIA SQUARE, BELFAST • SATURDAY 9th & SUNDAY 10th DECEMBER 2017 – ODEON, POINT VILLAGE, DUBLN 09.30am: Warm Welcome Reception Visit Santa at his grotto, presents for all the children and other entertainment on the day. Meanwhile adults can casually enjoy some tea, coffee and mince pies.

11.00am: Private Screening of THE STAR Tickets from €10 Adult and €8 Children for IFSA Members and €15 Adult & €10 for Children for non-members. Contact louise. mcloughlin@ifsa.eu.com to book your tickets today. Places are limited at this extremely popular annual event so be sure to book early!

Galgorm Group

Our Christmas catering supplies range is suitable for any restaurant, hotel, bar or cafe looking to add some festive cheer during the holiday period. Available in a wide range of colours and styles to suit your decor, including the classic Christmas favourites including gold, silver, red, and green, as well as some modern finishes. With Christmas crackers available in quantities of up to 100 per box, we are confident we can make your businesses festive season a special one. These wholesale Christmas cracker pack sizes makes for amazing wholesale value!

Hosting a gathering for family & friends? Our range is more than suitable for any occasion at home with amazing value Christmas products. www.galgormgroup.com

IFSA news Castle Chafer is committed to high-performance not only in hospitality performance but in customer satisfaction and Green Hospitality. We have won awards such as The Green Hospitality Award and Food & Hospitality Product of The Show with our waterless chafing dish to this end.

Our Technical Director Jim Kearney spent time travelling for business and was often disappointed with hot buffet service as he knew the food was cooked perfectly but the buffet was not able to hot hold the food to the standard required. When he moved into the Hospitality Sector he decided that this was the area he wished to focus on. Firstly, we identified low serving temperature and water as the main issues with poor buffet performance. To this end he invented a highly insulated food pan coupled with a gas burner which hot holds food 15 – 20 °C hotter than standard chafers. He achieved this by eliminating water which ensures the food is served at its best, cuts running costs by 75% and carbon emissions by 84%.

At the Recent Food Expo in CityWest Hotel we were delighted with the positive feedback we got for our Oak Chafer which provides a rustic feel to all food offerings as an option separate from the classic chafer design.

We are currently offering demonstrations of the system to Hospitality venues countrywide and free 3 - day trials to show how seamless the system fits in with hot buffet service across many food offerings. For more information please contact Shane Kelly Email: quality@cbl-equipment.ie Tel: 05591 86675

Shoes for Crews

“Love good food?

Love Plassey Food!”

Plassey Food is a 100% Irish, family owned food distribution company, delivering in Munster, Leinster and Connaught, offering a wide range of fresh, frozen and ambient products from our carefully chosen network of producers – both locally, regional, national and international.

One-Stop Shop With 3,598 products we present ourselves as a “One-Stop Shop” to the foodservice industry.

Meeting the needs of our customers Our fleet of multi-temperature trucks guarantees an professional and efficient service to meet the needs of chefs in hotels, restaurants, bars, catering businesses, health care & government institutions and education facilities but also butchers, retailers and take-away’s.

Service is what makes us different Our ultimate goal is to provide our customers, with a quality experience, meeting or exceeding their expectations, with each and every order placed. Our service is what makes us different.

Sourcing Products If you are looking for a particular product then please contact Plassey Food, call our Telesales staff on (069) 63500 or contact your regional sales representative listed at the bottom of this page and we will assist you in your search to find the required product.

Plassey Food & Distribution Company Ltd. Rathkeale Industrial Estate, Rathkeale, Co. Limerick, V94 X2K0 P: (069) 63500 F: (069) 63503 E: sales@plasseyfood.ie W: www.plasseyfood.ie

Rosie & Jim are specialists in Gluten-Free breaded and

battered chicken products.

We use premium grade fresh chicken fillet and the cleanest ingredients possible to achieve a range of products that ooze quality and have a very natural ‘homemade’ appeal.

A family owned business founded more than 20 years ago, Rosie & Jim are BRC grade A approved and produce a wide range of gluten-free chicken from Garlic Kiev, Breaded Fillets, to Goujons, Chunks and Whole Fillet Burgers.

Rosie & Jim products have been the market leader in Butcher Shops and Farm Shops for many years. With the ever-increasing demand for glutenfree, our products are now increasingly popular within the Foodservice sector where we offer an excellent quality, competitively priced gluten-free alternative.

With a commitment to delivering on the toughest safety standards without compromising comfort and style, the new SHOES FOR CREWS features footwear innovations that consumers are more likely to find from performance athletic brands, including: TripGuard, a slightly curved toe with special traction to make moving back and forth from slick to carpeted surfaces easier and safer; SpillGuard, a protective lining impervious to hot liquids – placed over the forefront of the shoes at the location where liquids are most likely spill onto a worker’s feet that protects against the penetration of hot liquids; FlexTread, deep grooves carved into the traction patterns of the outsoles to allow the shoe to flex and move with the foot’s natural movement; Zone Traction, a system which features environment-specific tread patterns placed in strategic locations on the outsole to deliver traction optimized for varying surfaces; Hoverlite, a foam compound engineered with Dow Chemical that is measurably lighter than typical outsoles or cup soles to create ultra-lightweight shoes that decrease the amount of pressure on a worker’s feet; Clog Resistant Technology, a newly designed wide-channel, large-lug outsole that makes it difficult for large particulate matter – such as flour, cornmeal, sweets, etc. to get stuck in the outsole.

Our European launch includes 38 brand new styles for both men and women, showcasing the newest innovative elements and on-trend styling to serve workers in a variety of industries particularly the Hotel & Hospitality industry.

See below a selection of our male & female dress shoes.

• • • • •

Gluten Free, Egg Free as standard Produced in Ireland Made from EU grown chicken Made from fresh fillet – never frozen Made from 100% Whole breast

Rosie and Jimmy McLoughlin have a passion for wholesome quality food and their pursuit of excellence in every aspect of their business is at the center of the company’s success and of their products increasing popularity.

We look forward to the next 20 years with great optimism!

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45

Mani Interiors

Mani ID

by Caroline Leddy

MANI Interior Design, an exciting business venture in Belfast, was created in 2014 by the kindred spirits of Nicola McAree and Martina Shields.

However, the business concept was first established a few years earlier, when the two designers met at Ulster University while embarking on further education as mature students.

Both seeking a new challenge, Nicola had previously studied Silversmithing and Jewellery, while Martina had studied Fashion and Textile Design. With two creative minds, they immediately started collaborating, with the intention of starting a business together after graduation.

MANI ID offers a unique style

As interior designers, Nicola and Martina strive for innovation as they believe all their clients’ businesses are different, and they deliver a holistic and tailored design service, every time.

“We would hate several projects to look the same.

We really want each client to get a result that is unique to them, and not a style that is perceived to suit them, or one that is similar to that of their competitors”, says Martina.

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Nicola further explains how “all our designs are client focused, and our aim is always to deliver a functional and user-friendly space that fits our client’s brand”.

MANI ID’s motto is “Concept First, Then Design”, and the designers begin any project by communicating with the client, staff and customers to find opportunity to improve the flow and functionality of the space. Although this process can take a long time, Nicola explains that it is worth doing well, saying, “once we are satisfied that the space is functional, we can get to work on the design elements such as colour, lighting, products and materials”.

Two Birds

Encompassing their love of graphics, industrial landscapes and the idea of using traditional craft techniques with new digital methods, Nicola and Martina created the Two Birds brand – a range of wallcoverings suitable for commercial and residential projects.

“Our inspiration for the range came from looking out into the world, or more specifically our studio window, from which we can view a number of impressive Belfast landmarks. The Titanic building, Harland & Wolff and Belfast City Hospital are just some of the landmarks that got the Two Birds makeover”, explains Martina.

Approaching the Two Birds project from an interior design perspective, playing around with colour and scale, the designers wanted to create something unique. “For example, we loved the idea that we could take the Harland & Wolff cranes, and interpret them to create something that isn’t totally obvious. Although

Mani Interiors

once you see it, it’s there. On a recent office project, we used it in a staff breakout area, and it became quite a talking point”, says Martina.

The Harland & Wolff headquarters has begun a new chapter in history with the recent opening of Belfast’s newest luxury hotel, Titanic Hotel Belfast – and the Two Birds creators are thrilled that one of their wallpaper designs has been selected for the hotel. Nicola expresses her delight in saying, “the fact that it is such an iconic building, steeped in history, makes it even more special.

Being Belfast girls, and having our business based in the city, we are very proud to have some of our work showcased in our home town”.

Bailies Coffee Roasters

Presented with an exciting but challenging project at Bailies Coffee Roasters in Belfast, MANI ID’s design brief was to work with an old, disused warehouse, and to design an interior that would evoke the senses and provide a space to craft world class coffee experiences.

As explained by Russell Bailie, owner and Managing Director of Bailies Coffee Roasters, “more than just another design job, the project was about creating connections and sensory experiences with coffee”.

Bringing the crafting of a luxury coffee to life, Nicola describes how herself and Martina embarked on the Bailies project. “As we walked through the building learning about all these different processes – selecting, grading, roasting, blending and cupping – we decided that the interior should transform, just like the little green coffee bean. The idea was that as the customer walks through the space, observing all the processes, that the space should transform too, from light to dark, just like the bean itself.”

Illustrating the result, Nicola outlines how “you arrive in the reception area which is very fresh and light – quite unadorned, with lots of white, natural light, pale wood and pale green. You end in the cupping room, where the clients select their own unique coffee blend. The space is darker – lots of dark wood, black, subdued light and darker green. It is very rich, very intimate – luxurious”.

The MANI ID owners display a talent and passion for their vocation, and it is evident in every single interior design project. Russell Bailie’s satisfaction reflects their dedication to impress in saying, “Nicola and Martina immersed themselves in every aspect of the coffee journey and design element. The façade of timber and stone naturally leads into a relaxed space with bespoke finishes, and a space that allows the barristas to produce amazing coffee.

We’re simply delighted”.

Diversity

The MANI ID makeover has been given to a diverse range of projects from retail, hospitality and office spaces, to centres of education and healthcare. Embracing every new

challenge, Martina and Nicola joke that “we have no style! Of course we do – just not a house style”.

They are aware that their clients know their businesses better than they ever will, and as Nicola explains, “our job is not to impose our own style on our clients. The client’s business – their clientele, market position and branding – is so intrinsic to the final design that it really is important not to regurgitate the same style over and over again”.

Nicola and Martina pride themselves on offering a holistic approach that is always client centred, saying “it is not enough that it looks pretty; it needs to fit with the client’s brand, and work for their customers”.

The designers often find themselves designing bespoke artwork, graphics and wallpaper for projects – something that their clients appreciate. “Very often we will design the logo, menus and business cards too. The interior is an extension of the brand and all the elements work cohesively. There cannot be a disconnection between the interior space and the branding; it is all part of the same thing”, says Nicola.

The future design for MANI ID

Nicola and Martina want to continue doing interesting projects that they can be proud of – like a fantastic new project for a local charity, which is going to be a one of a kind space, designed for the older generation.

Developing the Two Birds brand, to incorporate more collections and products, is also on the horizon at MANI ID. The brand will be delivered to a bigger audience as Tektura have taken up Nicola and Martina’s wallpaper range for their digital print wallpaper.

The future design at MANI ID certainly is bright – with Nicola saying “we would love the opportunity to design a hotel in the next year or so, and we are working on it. Hotels fascinate me. They are wonderful places – glamorous and mysterious”!

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Food fads

Food, Fads and Fashion

by Marilyn Bright

Ankle-cracking platforms, hot pants and footballer shoulder pads come and go, but when it comes to the foodie catwalk wannabee Blumenthals, Arzaks and Nomaphiles join in the rush to put the latest twist on dining tables, often with mixed success from the diners’ point of view.

Nearly a decade since slate started appearing on tables that weren’t in a billiard hall, dining folk are still scraping and screeching their food from rustic roofing material. Kilner jars for restaurant food were a novelty once, but became tedious when packed with salad or pate that had to be chiselled out of a stylishly thin jar. Ditto for skinny shot glasses too narrow to take a spoon.

Whatever about the transience of foams, brush stroke smears and gel pearls, a game changer occasionally appears with real impact that goes beyond presentation. Nouvelle cuisine did just that with its pared down style, lighter flourless sauces and ban on frying. Although initially derided for teeny weenie portions and criminally underage veg of early practitioners in smart restaurants, the nouvelle cuisine movement did away with the heaped plates, stodgy gravies and boiled-to-rags vegetables that had been the diners’ lot since Edwardian times.

Guides Gault Millau defined the ten commandments of nouvelle cuisine which included shorter menus, freshest possible ingredients with minimal cooking times and lighter sauces made by reductions finished with butter or cream and served under the food, not poured over it.. These precepts changed the face of dining and included the return to regional cooking using fresh local produce. On-trend chefs like Raymond Blanc featured his on-site restaurant garden, setting a trend which continues to grow. Irish chefs like Denis Vaughan at Liscannor’s Anchor Inn and William O’Callaghan at Longueville House harvest the day’s fruit and vegetables just outside the kitchen doors.

At Dunbrody House, Kevin Dundon’s hens provide eggs for lucky guests, a feature that has been a great attraction at some of the excellent rural guesthouses.

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“

we may have to go backward to go forward

”

Food fads

Provenance on menus is a huge trend, signalling the restaurant’s commitment to quality and details of producers are of great interest to diners. Informative menus flagging Irish and locally sourced produce are always part of judging criteria for industry awards and assessments. While nutritional / allergen information has become fairly standard, the jury is still out in regard to calorie count, with many diners saying they prefer not to know when they’re out for a treat, especially in a high-end restaurant.

Another return to the past was William’s dessert trolley -- a hit with customers, but less popular with the environmental health officer.

Desserts are still the old favourites of creme brulee, apple tart and trifle, but plated in the kitchen.

Concerns for health and fitness have put salads on mainstream menus. It is a rare establishment that doesn’t include some version of the ubiquitous Caesar salad or beetroot-goats cheese-designer greens combo.

Superfood salads are there too, featuring lots of trendy seeds, and the old crescent dish of lettuce leaf, tomato and half a boiled e.g. fades into memories of long gone high teas.

Whether family style or sharing platters for two, casual dining is now the norm, with more frequent dining out and choice for customers. It may be cutting edge one night with raw heritage beetroot, sweet potato and pine-scented smoke or sushi and kim-chi the next but there’s always something new to keep the customer coming back.

Retro food and family serving continues on the rise with whole roast chickens with stuffing and carved to order joints of beef and lamb. At The Herbert Park Hotel, chef Kevin Ramen accompanies the Sunday roasts with dauphinoise potatoes and a finish of fresh fruit crumble and trifle.

In the kitchen a growing panoply of toys is having an impact on what goes out on plates. From powerful processors and spiralisers to sorbetieres and electronic sauciers that heat and stir automatically, they’ve increased the range of food that can be produced in downsized kitchens. Hottest appliance of recent times is the slow-cook waterbath. As “sous vide” ( in vacuum), the system was developed in France and taken up by the Roux brothers in the 1980’s, who found that much prep could be done in advance, with shelf life extended.

Today’s waterbath with digitised controls and temperatures held precisely to fractions of seconds and decimal points of degrees celsius, has become one of the most desired appliances. In the view of many, it is also the most misused. Low temperature slow-cooking of meat retains pink colour while breaking down fibrous tissue, a method suited to less than prime cuts of meat.

Georgina O’Sullivan of The Ballymore Inn has experienced the cutting edge use of waterbathing in the lab-kitchens of San Sebastian, where the method is used only for cheaper cuts from beasts that may be as old as eight years. “It’s not suitable for prime cuts, “ Georgina observes, “ as texture is broken down and flavour is affected in a way that removes eating quality from expensive cuts.”

Sadly, too many chefs have taken up this latest bit of kit without recognising its implications on the eating quality of many foods. Fillet steaks and tender lamb cooked in this way retain the pink colour and can be conveniently done in advance, ready for a quick browning on a grill before serving. This boon for the kitchen has a downside for the customer who is served a textureless, flavourless piece of meat.

Aspiring Blumenthals have also taken to waterbathing random items like strawberries and egg yolks ( which take on a dirty tan colour). Fish, which cooks normally in minutes, can also be given the slow bath treatment, producing a texture which falls to mush under the fork.

At Longueville House, William O’Callaghan believes “ we may have to go backward to go forward”. Sunday lunches see as many as five legs of home grown lamb spit-roasted over a beechwood fire in the country house sitting room. In winter it might be local venison, flamed in the farm’s apple brandy. Pigs for the house’s pork and hams feed on beechmast and pressed apple pulp from the cider and brandy production.

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training

Wide Open Gaps in Hospitality Training -Frank Corr looks at a critical industry issue

On 5th October 2016, Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills, Richard Bruton, in the Dáil, ‘to support the creation of a national hospitality and training agency, to provide new apprenticeships and training’ As usual, the Kerry TD knew what he was about and was responding to the disaffection of many of his constituency hoteliers with the training regime for the tourism sector. In essence they wanted CERT restored.

Minister Bruton replied that his Department had no plans for ‘CERT 2’, but sought instead ‘to deliver the required education and training through the mainstream higher and further education and training sectors, in line with provision for all other sectors’.

A year on, some progress has been made towards the provision of state-supported hospitality training, but the pace has been snail-like and dotted with false-starts and delays.

The much-vaunted Commis Chefs Apprenticeship Programme was two years in gestation and while its structure is now complete, its planned commencement in September has again been delayed with some education providers only beginning formal classes in October. Their plans have in turn been thwarted by a low up-take of the 114 apprenticeship places on offer. Employers, whose organisations have campaigned loudly for the scheme are finding that their members are not committing to the programme with the enthusiasm which they might have expected.

Adrian Cummins, ceo of the Restaurants Association of Ireland, thinks that the lethargy may be prompted by the false starts and the involvement of several agencies.

Reports from the industry indicate however that employers are wary about some of the conditions of the apprenticeship, such as paying

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the Minimum Wage (rather than a training wage), paying for off-the-job training, having their workplace audited and providing a mentor for the apprentice.

The new Apprenticeship Scheme has its origins in the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs which published a report on the hospitality sector in 2015. A key recommendation of that report was the need to set up a National Oversight and Advisory Group comprising all the key hospitality stakeholders and this was duly established in 2016 under the chairmanship of Sólas, the new national training authority.

Membership of the Hospitality Skills Oversight Group includes the Restaurants Association of Ireland, Irish Hotel Federation, Irish Hospitality Institute, Licensed Vintners Association, Vintners Federation of Ireland, Fáilte Ireland, Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Department of Education and Skills, Department of Social Protection, Higher Education Authority, Skillnets, SOLAS, ETBs, IoTs, DIT and Quality and Qualifications Ireland. The role of the Group is ‘to monitor progress on the implementation of the recommendations of the EGFSN and to provide a forum for on-going collaboration in addressing the skills needs of the sector and to identify and progress actions to overcome barriers on its implementation’ This group set about auditing culinary arts courses and college facilities and providing some 220 free places on hospitality courses. Its headline project however was the creation of apprenticeships, initially for commis chefs, with a promise of a scheme for chefs de partie to follow. These would involve a buy-in by employers in terms of work placements, with Education Training Boards providing the training courses. Kerry ETB won the commission to manage the initial programme.

Skillnets , the agency for the promotion of enterprise-led training approved a new Restaurant and Hospitality Skillnet in December 2016, which is promoted by the Restaurants Association of Ireland. On-the-job training courses are being delivered in technical skills, including culinary and barista skills; professional skills, including kitchen management, supervisory development and marketing.

In June 2016, the Department of Social Protection supported a Chef Start Programme in collaboration with the catering company KSG and the ‘Taste for Success’ Skillnet. Nine participants who completed the 8 week programme secured employment.

Meanwhile the ETBs have launched a number of one year courses

training called ‘Traineeships’ and have so far enrolled more than 100 participants. According to the Irish Hotels Federation, up to 1,300 chefs are trained annually at Institutes of Education.

Even if all of these training places are filled however, they would be no more than a ‘drop in the ocean’ in terms of meeting the claimed deficit of 6,000 chefs in the industry.

While some activity is evident in the publicly-funded training of chefs, almost nothing is available for other hotel personnel including waiters, accommodation assistants, bar staff, receptionists and porters.

To fill this void, some of the large hotel groups and caterers like The Guinness Storehouse have established their own inhouse training programmes, often hiring in specialist trainers to conduct workshops and classes. Dalata, Ireland’s biggest hotelier, has a policy of growing its own talent and seeks to fill vacancies at operational through to general management level from among its existing staff. The company has a range of programmes which focus on a blended approach with on the job, structured learning and a strong mentoring ethos to ensure the participants have the skills, knowledge and attitude required for the future. ‘Platform’ is for operational staff and it allows them to combine hotel work with third level education. ‘Ascend’ is an 18 month fast-track programme which offers graduates experience in sales, HR and Operations, ‘Elevate’ is for department heads and assistant managers, ‘Altitude’ is a year-long management development programme targeting future general managers and ‘Pinnacle’ is a final preparation for the general manager role. Dalata also offers specialist management programmes in leisure centre management, sales, revenue management and a programme leading to an appointment as head chef.

Stephen McNally, deputy chief executive of Dalata is a strong advocate of training and career development and says that virtually all newly-appointed Dalata general managers now come through the in-house system.

A clear picture which emerges within the hospitality sector is that the higher up the ladder an employee climbs, the more training is available. While basic courses, even in cookery, are hard to find, the IT curricula are awash with diploma and degree courses in everything from culinary arts to marketing and financial management.

GMIT in conjunction with the Irish Hotels Federation has

applied to the Apprenticeship Council to develop a new Apprenticeship in Food and Beverage Management which would again involve a partnership between employer and apprentice. A decision on this is likely to be taken within the next month and the apprenticeship coming on stream in 2018.

This would be the first management apprenticeship in the industry but Cáit Noone of GMIT says that such apprenticeships are commonplace and effective in many European countries.

While a yawning training deficit within the sector is evident, considerable energy is being devoted to persuade young people to choose hospitality as a career. In conjunction with Fáilte Ireland and the Irish Hospitality Institute, the Irish Hotels Federation has developed a National Tourism Careers Programme which includes an engagement with 800 second level schools, youth reach centres and career guidance teachers throughout the country and a National Tourism and Hospitality Career Roadshow in which local hotels participate. The initiative includes ‘Tourism Insight’, an interactive on-line programme for students and teachers which was created by the Institute of Technology, Tralee and ‘Get A Life’, a print and digital publication, which is distributed to second level students throughout the country. Its content is devoted to explaining up to 40 career opportunities which exist in hotels in areas such as food and beverage, catering, accommodation services, reception, leisure centre and spa management, sales and marketing, human resources, IT and finance. The National Tourism Careers Programme is supported by a student work experience programme (which gives young people a taste of what it is like to work in a hotel), by hoteliers and industry professionals giving talks in schools and by a series of regional careers events. IHF members also actively promote the Federation’s ‘Quality Employer Programme’ which seeks to establish and maintain world class best practice among members across the full spectrum of human resource management.

As unemployment continues to fall and new rewarding careers emerge in IT, finance, pharma and electronics, the hospitality sector, which requires at least 6,000 new recruits every year, must become competitive if it is to meet its personnel requirements. As matters stand, it offers few clear career paths to senior positions, many of its jobs attract the minimum wage or just slightly better, wide gaps exist in its training regime and many positions are low-skill. The IHF withdrawal from the Joint Labour Committee system has also incurred the ire of the trade unions .

Ultimately however the hospitality sector needs trained staff if it is to prosper in an expanding industry. Ideally operators would like to see this training undertaken by a state agency along the lines of the former CERT. But if current government policy and market conditions continue to prevail, companies will have little choice but to follow the Dalata example of growing their own talent.

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Georgina Campbell

Delicious Diversity From five star hotels to food trucks, representatives of the best in Irish hospitality recently gathered for the 2018 Georgina Campbell Awards.

The Georgina Campbell Awards are the longest-running of their kind in Ireland for good reason. Unlike most other award schemes, they are not commercially driven. The awards are not affiliated with trade associations or marketing groups, and no charge is incurred on establishments for their involvement. It’s also entirely independent, so there are no vested interests. In this ceremony, quality talks.

Over the year, Campbell and her team of assessors comb the country’s hotels, country houses, guesthouses, restaurants, pubs, cafés and speciality food shops seeking the best food and hospitality experiences for readers of The Georgina Campbell Guide and followers of the website, www.irelandguide.com. The assessment process is anonymous, so proprietors cannot prepare for the visits.

“What we seek is not perfection but real food and hospitality with real heart, and we’re continuing to find it in clusters of excellence all over the country,” says Campbell.

The 2018 awards reveal a wide geographical spread across Ireland. “We’ve had some especially good experiences in Northern Ireland again this year, and in areas like The Burren and the North-West, including Derry, where communities work together to promote quality and bring different elements of hospitality together,” added Campbell.

Amongst the businesses, bestowed awards at this year’s ceremony, was Viewmount House Restaurant in Longford.

James and Beryl Kearney, alongside head chef Gary O’Hanlon,

received the Georgina Campbell Hospitality Hero Award in recognition of a special contribution to Irish food and hospitality.

Since opening in 2008, Viewmount has been a must-visit destination for food lovers across Co Longford. O’Hanlon sources fresh fish from his home county of Donegal. The Kearney’s have spent two decades restoring the restaurant’s country house and gardens.

Hotel Of The Year 2018 was handed to The Twelve Hotel, in Barna, Co Galway. Maintained by proprietor Fergus O’Halloran, the hotel’s philosophy - “True to The Region, True to The Season” - is seen in its enthusiasm towards serving the best local and artisan foods and craft beers. This local and tourist venue is renowned for its fine wining and dining experience at West At The Twelve’s. There is casual food at Pins Bar Bakery Bistro; an Italian spread awaits at the property’s Pizza Dozzina artisan shop.

Restaurant Of The Year 2018 was given to Dax Restaurant in Dublin 2. Dax has been in business, in an intimate Georgian basement on Pembroke Street, since 2004. The venue is renowned for modern Irish cooking, using the finest seasonal Irish produce, as well as its charitable focus. Since 2013, Olivier has supported the Dublin Simon Community, financially and in a volunteer capacity, to help with Dublin’s homeless crisis. Dax was given a new lease of life in 2017, when restaurateur Olivier Meisonnave was reunited with chef Graham Neville. The pair previously worked together in the late Thornton’s restaurant.

David McCann, Executive Head Chef at Dromoland Castle, Co Clare, has found himself in season, having been awarded Georgina

Pictured are Gary O’Hanlon, Head Chef; James & Beryl Kearney, Proprietors Viewmount House, Longford - Hospitality Hero. Photograbh by Paul Sherwood 52

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Georgina Campbell Campbell’s Chef Of The year 2018. McCann has been in charge of fine dining at Dromoland, one of Ireland’s best-loved castle hotels, since 1995.

To top off a great awards outing for the venue, Tony Frisby, who runs McCann’s front-of-house team at The Earl of Thomond Restaurant in Dromoland, won Host of The Year 2018 at the awards.

Pub Of The Year 2018 was given to Bar One in Castlebar, Co Mayo. The pub has a long legacy in the region. Mary and Michael Cadden opened The Asgard, a famous Westport bar and restaurant, in the 1970’s. Mark Cadden, Mary and Michael’s son, now operates Bar One, a smart, modern, and very busy gastropub.

Campbell says there is much to celebrate about Irish hospitality in 2017, particularly marketing efforts to drive visitors to rural areas.

“Top food professionals, associations and agencies, including Fáilte Ireland, are showing vision and leadership in working towards the development of Ireland as a world class ‘food tourism’ destination,” she said.

“American visitors have been very much in evidence this year, and energetic marketing of the Wild Atlantic Way, and Ireland’s Ancient East, seems to be working well. Greenways and Blueways - notably the recently opened Waterford Greenway between Dungarvan and Waterford city - are introducing visitors to new areas.”

Despite the popularity of casual dining, the food and hospitality writer suggests that fine dining has not waned. Drinks show the biggest

Pictured are James Kearney; Gary O’Hanlon; Beryl Kearney, Viewmount House, Longford - Hospitality Hero award 2018, for services to Irish food and hospitality. Photograph by Paul Sherwood trend, she suggests, with new craft breweries and independent distilleries opening on an almost weekly basis.

However, not everything smells of roses. At the Georgina Campbell Irish Breakfast Awards, held in association with Fáilte Ireland in April, the writer came to the conclusion that “there are too many underperforming four and five star properties, whereas good three stars deserve to be held in higher regard.”

Rising hotel prices are also a concern, “especially in cities, and particularly when prices are hiked for events - something we would like to see ended.”

Campbell encourages customers to book hotel rooms directly, saving on fees otherwise paid to online booking agencies. The Georgina Campbell Guide and website provides descriptions of over 1,500 recommended food and hospitality businesses over a wide range of categories throughout Ireland.

For more information: http://www.ireland-guide.com

Other winners at the 2018 event include: The Bay Tree Bistro, Waterford, Co Waterford

“Just Ask” Restaurant of The Year Award

Hooked, Galway, Co Galway

Seafood Restaurant of the Year Award

Quinlan & Cooke Boutique Townhouse and Seafood Restaurant, Caherciveen, Co Kerry

Outstanding Guest Experience

Green Man Wines, Dublin 6

Wine Award of the Year

Bullitt Hotel, Belfast

Newcomer of the Year

Amber Springs Hotel & Health Spa, Gorey, Co Wexford

Family Friendly Destination

The Boathouse Bistro, Dromquinna Manor, Kenmare, Co Kerry

Atmospheric Restaurant of the Year

Cakeface Patisserie, Kilkenny, Co Kilkenny

Cafe of the Year

Virginia Park Lodge, Virginia, Co Cavan

Country House of the Year

The Old Bank House, Kinsale, Co Cork

Guesthouse of the Year

Muldowney’s B&B, Arranmore Island, Co Donegal

B&B of the Year

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Maximising Potential

Taking what we have and Maximising It Tourism is essentially all about taking what we have to offer and maximising it. This is how it works – everyone knows that but the trick to having a successful and sustainable tourism industry is to have everyone on the same page about it; having all the public bodies singing from the same hymn sheet and showcasing our country as best we collectively can.

The Wild Atlantic Way was a brilliant example of that. Here was an asset that has been in existence since time immemorial and which was subsequently identified and packaged. It was an idea that everyone could understand and row in with immediately. The follow-up Ancient East project has not been as coherent a product but its curious apparent anomalies (such as encountering signs flagging the Ancient East while you’re still very much in the modern-day West) are more symptomatic of a fundamental flaw in the DNA of this Republic.

There’s a pragmatic explanation for such things, just as there is one for explaining the presence of the Galway hurling team in the Leinster championship.

Perhaps a name like “Ireland’s Ancient Past” might have been better in hindsight.

Statistics over the last few years have illustrated that with tourism, we have a golden goose of an industry that still manages to produce those valuable eggs no matter what we do. The Government, through its convoluted ever-changing half-ministries halflooking-after our tourism industry, consistently ignores its status as the biggest indigenous industry in the country, plundering its budget and refusing to reinstate it even in the latest giveaway budget.

The treatment of our biggest national indigenous industry borders on wanton financial treason.

The pitiful amount of financial assistance it gets compared to so many other industries of lesser importance has been well documented time and again like a joke that has long worn thin.

Capital investment in the tourism industry has become has long become a notional dream, rather like that of the Irish volunteers during the War of Independence almost one hundred years ago, who spent giddy nights dreaming of a supply of arms that they knew in their heart of hearts would never arrive.

This is not a new problem but a consistent one and it can be highlighted by a number of examples.

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One of the most salient and relevant would be the recent announcement of the international Center Parcs group that it was going to open a centre in Longford – due for completion in 2019.

It’s great news for the tourism industry in Ireland but it’s also a great fluke result that didn’t happen as a result of a government deliberately planning for the future of its citizens. It was a foreign-based private company that saw a glaring gap in the market and chose to place millions of euros on its success.

The lack of joined-up thinking and planning around this event alone is manifest in the lack of a cohesive well-funded plan to take advantage of the boon that Center Parcs Longford Forest will surely bring to an area short on major planned attractions.

I did try getting onto Longford County Council to see if they have any contingency plans but apart from speaking to someone who only introduced herself as “Mary” from the County Executive’s office, the simple question posed was deferred to an email address. An acknowledgment of my interest was received but no answer.

One can hardly blame them. What can they say, after all? That there is a government interested who’ll move heaven and earth and large sums of cash to capitalise on this forthcoming event? In the absence of a direct response, one can assume that that is not the case.

Just a few kilometres over the border in Co Westmeath, Tourism Officer Úna Doris points out that their tourism strategy 2006-2020 “highlights the importance of working collaboratively with other counties, agencies and stakeholders” and that that they are “involved in a number of projects and activities of this nature.

“The ‘Longford Forest’ Center Parcs development provides us with many opportunities for tourism,” she adds, “and we are currently exploring how best to tap into this market.”

County councils like that of Westmeath and Longford want the best for their counties and are surely exploring all the ways that they can improve the economic outlook and tourism offer of their corners of the country. Compared to their equivalent public bodies in other countries (such as the world’s No. 1 tourism destination France) however, they don’t have the clout to do so. Moreover, the required effort from central government is something that they have long learned to live without.

The important point is that a private foreign company like Center Parcs has seen fit to invest a sum of €233 million in a small town in the centre of Ireland while our government makes a meal of announcing an investment of exactly half that amount in the latest budget to help promote the entire country of Ireland.

Part of the reason why there is such a glaring dearth of capital investment in the tourism infrastructure is the lack of joined-up thinking around ideas of great potential. If the Boardwalk in Dublin city centre had been extended to link Heuston Station with O’Connell Bridge, for example, would it not have stood a better chance of resisting a takeover by drug dealers and anti-social types? Maybe it could even have served as a series of stops for water buses. Should the marketing of the OPW sites not be the responsibility of Fáilte Ireland instead of the OPW/Heritage Ireland?

Maybe if the OPW was charged with marketing the canals, there would have been greater progress on making the Royal and Grand Canals fully navigable for boating tourism.

One can only speculate in the absence of a more cohesive structure that would surely turn Ireland’s tourism industry into a world-beating one. Until that thinking gets joined up, we won’t see that happen.

The only place to do business in 2018 From the team that delivers CATEX

CATEX was the show that gave you a great start to 2017 with 82% of exhibitors satisfied with the level of business generated. Why not continue that upward curve of business growth and exhibit at next year’s Food & Bev Live, the place where your industry will be doing business next February.

For Further information on how to book your stand, please contact: Niamh Kenny - E: niamh.kenny@eventhaus.ie Margaret Andreucetti - E: margaret@eventhaus.ie Richard Byrne - E: richard.byrne@eventhaus.ie T: +353 (0) 1 846 0020 Or visit: foodandbev.ie