Hotel and Restaurant Times by Hotel & Restaurant Times

SEPTEMBER /DECEMBER/JANUARY OCTOBER ’20 ONLINE ’20 EDITION €3.65

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

Audrey Gaffney Intercontinental

LeaseofofTheir LifeOwn for the ANew League Fairways Hotel

NiallinGibbons Year Review Impact of COVID-19 on Tourism

A Good Year But Not a Great Year

ITICYou Turning a Blind Eye? Are Call to Action Mental Health in the Workplace

Failte IrelandHotel Sandymount COVID-19 Adaptation Fund Leading the Green Revolution

www.hotelandrestauranttimes.ie

“Cleaning is good, Sanitised is better” CALL NOW for more information

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P. 18 Cover: Intercontinental

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Contents

Editorial 4 News

Tourism Ireland - Interview with Niall Gibbons

Bookassist 10 ITIC 18 Fáilte Ireland Adaptation Fund

Intercontinental - A league of their own

Fáilte Ireland Industry News

Audrey Gaffney - Looking Forward

The Hard Rock Hotel

Supporting the Hospitality Sector

Bespoke Hospitality

IFSA

P. 32

Chef Network

Your Guide to Choosing the Right PMS for Your Property

Hayfield Manor

P. 46 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, Chef Network, Tourism Ireland, Fáilte Ireland, Eoghan O’Mara Walsh, Guestline, Bookassist - Claire Sawier & Dr Des O'Mahony, IFSA. Graphic Design: Tara Mccormack Online: Managing Digital

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editorial editorial

New decade, new challenges Unprecedented TImes

editorial

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a new year - a new decade - and a blank page has opened for tourism. Where do you start to try and make sense of everything that is currently happening to Despite everything that happened in 2019, this month sees the industry gaze into the the industry? It is changing beyond recognition and morphing into something akin to crystal ball so that it can plan for revenue, sales, personnel, targets, and much, much a horror movie. The tourism industry has always had a chameleon-like ability to change more. in the face of challenges, whether it be 9/11, the 2008 banking crisis, volcanic ash, SARS, avian flu, storms, taxi strikes... You name it, the sector embraced and worked through it We may also be in the throes of a general election in the next month or so. If that all. happens, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m sure the industry hopes we get a real Minster for Tourism. Deputy Shane Ross has not dressed himself in glory when it comes to his tourism brief. I have never, in Covid blind-sided us all. At the end of December 2019, when the first incidences of my 21 years of operation, come across a minister who doesn't seem to understand, or the virus were emerging from Wuhan, nobody envisaged the impact this was going to appreciate, tourism. bring to Ireland and the world. Talk of a pandemic was mostly ignored. Ireland, after all, was far removed from Wuhan and not considered to be at immediate danger. After the bust, Leo Varadkar and Paschal Donohoe acknowledged tourism as critical in repairing and generating much needed revenue for the country. Over the last few All that has changed. From 2019's halcyon days of tourism figures of millions, we are budgets, the amount of support given to the sector has been piecemeal. The removal now looking at figures in the hundreds of thousands. Latest figures show a drop in the of the 9% VAT, and its subsequent increase to a 13.5 % rate, was short-sighted and region of 84%, year-on-year, for the current period. It is believed that somewhere in the utterly misguided. region of 100,000 jobs have been lost during this crisis. Concern for further job losses is very real. Our industry needs further practical support from government. No amount of spin will change the opinion of the majority of stakeholders within the sector. The IHF has suggested that a number of measures should be considered in the upcoming budget to safeguard the sector. Top of the list is a permanent restoration of Ifthe there change of government, let's hope wethe getrate a minister whoVAT willon work 9% will VAT be ratea for tourism-related businesses. Since was raised, Irishwith enthusiasm for the sector and ensure it is heard at the cabinet table. hotels has become the second highest in Europe. Industry professionals want to see an increase in the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) and additional liquidity There are still issues that the industry must address.ofOne of concern is payterm levels. measures to help fund hotels, including extension the area moratorium on bank Unfortunately, hospitality at the bottom of the league when compared with other loans from 6 months to 12ismonths. industries. The demand for staff was unprecedented in 2019 and brings challenges and concerns for the future of the sector. IHF is calling on the government to extend the Local Authority Rates Waiver for a minimum of 12 months, and to implement an effective tracking, tracing and testing The recent announcement from Minister Heather Humphries, regarding the work regime in order to protect health and restore international travel. permit issue, is welcomed. However, continual negativity about the sector from some operators, combined around pay rateswork andcut conditions, areSadly, making it Catherine Martin, thewith new concerns tourism minister, has her out for her. tourism unattractive tomerged a lot of people. A head in of theother sandportfolios: approachMedia, is not helping. NewSports and has now been with a mishmash Art, Culture, innovative ways of which payingisstaff be undertaken. If this doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the happen, welearned could and the Gaeltacht, verymust disappointing. It seems as though lessons see the the demise a lot of businesses, which incrucial turn could our tourism market. during 2018ofcrash, when tourism proved to theimpact exchequer's recovery, have 2020 be a challenge, but I firmly believe the industry will rise to the challenges with beenwill forgotten. the positive, matter-of-fact attitude it has done in the past. Another dubious decision was the ease by which "wet pubs" became restaurants And Minister Harris: caloriesHACCP on menus. almost overnight. NoForget need about for planning, training, etc. According to rumour, There more pressing issues that your department has to address. some are pubs are simply ordering in food from local takeaways in order to stay open. If a "dry" restaurant began buying drink from the local wholesalers and served it to their customers, they would risk losing their business. Surely all properties serving food should be licensed? But these are unprecedented times. We all have a responsibility to ensure we behave within the guidelines set out by government and the medical experts. The industry, as always, will battle through. Eventually there will be light at the end of the tunnel.

Cyril McAree Cyril McAree editor editor

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news

NEWS All systems Go!

Galway goes with the Flo

Irelandhotels.com has launched the Go Anywhere Gift Card, in alliance with hundreds of hotels and guesthouses throughout the country. The gift card can be purchased from www. Irelandhotels.com in denominations of €50 to €1,000, and can be redeemed at any of the participating businesses across Ireland. The card, which is supported by Fáilte Ireland, can be delivered by email or post in a special gift box.

John Rooney, managing director of Flogas Ireland, is pictured with John Crumlish and Paul Fahy of Galway International Arts Festival. Flogas recently announced a three-year energy sponsorship of the Galway International Arts Festival (GIAF). Flogas is providing green electricity, from Irish renewable sources, to power the Mirror Pavilion, the Festival’s centrepiece, which was created by Irish artist John Gerrard.

Traveller's tales The Irish Travel Agents Association (ITAA) has called on government to provide supports for travel agents who are struggling as a result of the pandemic. The ITAA is calling for assistance in the form of wage subsidies and grants to help repair some of the damage to Irish travel businesses.

History in the making Pandemic sickens industry

Kilkenny Tourism has announced a new campaign that highlights the medieval history of the county. Living History, Loving Kilkenny prompts visitors to explore the county's range of attractions that are associated with its deep-rooted past. Attractions include the Butler Gallery in Kilkenny City (www.butlergallery.ie), CONNECTED Sculpture Trail, and Medieval Kilkenny Tour.

The latest industry survey from the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) reveals the challenges facing hotels and guesthouses as demand continues to plummet as a result of the Covid crisis. The impact on employment and people’s livelihoods is stark for an industry that supported 270,000 direct and indirect jobs at the beginning of the year − 1 in 10 of all Irish jobs. An estimated 100,000 jobs of these have been lost so far this year and a further 100,000 are now at imminent risk in the coming weeks. With the summer season finished, hotels and guesthouses are now reporting a 70% drop in projected revenues for September compared to this time last year. Bookings for September/October have plunged with average room occupancy levels at 24% nationally, compared to 86% for same period last year. This follows a very challenging July and August with average national occupancy at 49%, representing an enormous drop compared the 90% occupancy achieved during these key summer months last year. H&RT SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020

news

Court of appeal

Ray of light

Adare Manor has announced plans to launch a new activity centre, The Padel Club, this autumn. The Club will provide a new wellness and sporting facility for guests, which includes two indoor padel tennis courts, a 17-metre swimming pool, and a simulation room for guests to try their hand at sports such as golf, baseball, hockey, soccer and footgolf, among other facilities.

The Montenotte Hotel in Cork has appointed Ray Kelleher as director of sales and marketing. Ray recently worked as group sales and marketing manager at Trigon Hotels and previously as sales and marketing manager at the Clayton Hotel Cork City. He is currently the chairperson of the Cork City Centre Forum. The Montenotte, an award-winning 4-star boutique hotel in Cork City, is a member of Conde Nast Johansens.

Sharing is caring Tourism Ireland is calling on people around Ireland to get involved in its online campaign #FillYourHeartWithIreland. At a time when international visitors cannot travel here, Tourism Ireland's initiative encourages people to share inspirational content about Ireland on social media, including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter.

Calor gives Samaritans more mileage Calor Gas has chosen Samaritans Ireland as a charity partner. Samaritans, which has a network of 2,300 volunteers in 22 branches across Ireland, provides a crucial listening service for vulnerable people and is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This partnership with Calor will support Samaritans in their efforts to help those in need. Through the new partnership, Samaritans will be able to answer over 4,000 additional calls for help. Pictured is Duncan Osborne, Calor CEO, and Niall Mulligan, Executive Director for Samaritans Ireland www. samaritans.ie

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news

Kilkenny's great outdoors Kilkenny Tourism has joined forces with Kilkenny County Council and Trail Kilkenny to launch a new outdoor tourism initiative. Outdoor Kilkenny is a new brand and website promoting outdoor attractions, including cycling, walking trails, culture, adventure and activity centres.

Pizza the action Cirilloâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on Dublinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Baggot Street has been ranked No. 16 in the Best European Pizzerias by Top 50 Pizza online guide to the best Italian and European Pizzerias. The results are based on a survey following by an anonymous judging visit and were announced online from Milan.

Open for business Clayton Hotel Charlemont is offering work spaces in its spacious environs alongside the Grand Canal, beside the Charlemont Luas stop, in Dublin. During the pandemic, as people have begun working at home, finding a quiet work space amidst the bustle of family life has proven difficult. Clayton Hotel Charlemont's packages provide distraction free work spaces with an array of technology, spacious rooms, Red Bean Roastery barista coffee, a healthy lunch selection, and the use of gym facilities and car parking.

Are you being served? One company has come up with an innovative way of delivering buffet food in hotels during the Covid-19 crisis. Castle Chafer's new chafing dish allows buffet service to resume in a safe way. The hygienic design eliminates the possibility of cross contamination by removing touch points, thereby eliminating the risk of cross contamination between guests, according to Castle Chafer.

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Tourism Ireland Interview

In conversation with Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland Devasting impact of COVID-19 on tourism As we embarked on 2020, we were certainly conscious that the year ahead would continue to present some challenges – including the ongoing uncertainty around Brexit, economic and geo-political uncertainty, as well as constraints on the availability of aircraft. However, nothing could have prepared us for the biggest crisis the travel and tourism industry has ever faced across the globe – the outbreak and spread of COVID-19. The pandemic has had, and continues to have, unprecedented and shattering consequences for our tourism partners right across the island of Ireland. In 2019, we welcomed around 11.2 million overseas visitors to the island of Ireland, delivering revenue of almost €5.8 billion to the economies north and south, with tourism employing around 325,000 people across the island. Since the middle of March this year, we have had virtually no international visitors. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting impact on international tourism and travel, almost all of Tourism Ireland’s paid-for promotional activity has been cancelled or postponed. Our activity remains on pause for now.

‘Keeping the lights on’ for Ireland around the world As it is unfortunately not possible for people from overseas to travel here right now, we have been running an extensive online campaign, using the hashtag #FillYourHeartWithIreland. Our aim is to bring the best of the island of Ireland onto people’s screens and to help ensure that Ireland stays ‘front-of-mind’ with prospective visitors

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for future holidays. It involves the sharing of inspirational content that speaks to the world at this difficult time and connects people with Ireland. We are sharing this content with our millions of fans and followers on social media – including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter. To date, the campaign has achieved really good engagement with our fans and followers – delivering 143 million impressions (or opportunities to see), 25 million video views, around 3 million engagements on Facebook, 3.3 million engagements on Instagram and almost 100,000 engagements on Twitter. We’re also sharing the content with our database of international travel and lifestyle journalists, who’re all looking for great ‘armchair travel’ ideas right now. We estimate that, so far, the campaign has helped generate positive exposure for Ireland in international media worth approximately €82 million in EAV (equivalent advertising value). In rolling out this campaign, our aim is to maintain our 'share of voice’ in overseas markets during the pandemic, maintaining engagement with our key audiences and keeping the island of Ireland ‘top of mind’ until such time as overseas consumers are in a position to travel here again. This is based on the insight that brands or destinations who maintain some level of brand-building activity during recessions or other downturns re-bound more strongly than those brands or destinations who go silent during the same period. Our communications programme in all our markets remains in place with our important travel trade, media and carrier partners on the ground – to reassure and answer any of their queries. We are running regular trade webinars and working

Tourism Ireland Interview

with those partners to ensure as much business as possible is postponed rather than cancelled.

Navigating a changed international marketplace In the face of the fundamental changes facing our industry, we know that we need a comprehensive understanding of the changed consumer and the new international marketplace. Right now, Tourism Ireland is carrying out an extensive COVID-19 programme of research in our major markets. Initial findings include the fact that the requirement to quarantine on entry to Ireland was, and continues to be, a significant barrier to inbound tourism; Ireland is among the most comfortable destinations to visit; summer 2021 was most commonly seen as the next holiday window; the economic situation remains a concern across markets; and younger holidaymakers, as well as those who have visited before or have family/friends links here, were most comfortable about travelling here. Looking forward to when international tourism to Ireland is back, the research will help us identify when consumers are ready to consider holidaying again and which of our markets offer us the best short-term prospects. We will explore in-depth which segments and demographics are most likely to travel, which products and experiences will most appeal to them and what messaging will most strongly convince them to consider holidaying on the island of Ireland. The insights we gain will ensure that our future promotional plan is as tightly targeted and as powerfully motivational as it possibly can be, in order to drive a strong recovery, as quickly as it is possible to realise it. Tourism Ireland is represented on the Tourism Recovery Taskforce and the Taskforce for Aviation Recovery in Ireland, as well as on the Tourism Recovery Steering Group in Northern Ireland – and we’re feeding our research into them.

Looking to the future Over the years, our industry has seen and endured many shocks and crises – the Gulf War, 9/11, Foot & Mouth disease, volcanic ash, SARS, a world recession. However, this pandemic is without doubt an unprecedented crisis and none of us could have predicted the truly unimaginable consequences that it has brought to our sector this year. We are working hard to navigate our way through what is undoubtedly the most difficult trading environment we’ve ever experienced. There is a myriad of influences on the future of tourism to the island of Ireland and it is extremely difficult to predict the future. However, there are three key demand and supply factors: consumer mindset, access, trade and industry. There is no question that the shape of the Irish tourism industry that emerges from this crisis will be different than it was at the beginning of 2020. Tour operators who have programmed the island of Ireland for many years

“

This is a truly terrible time but I do believe that Irish tourism can, and will, recover from this devastating pandemic.

may be forced to scale back their inventory significantly. It is too soon to say what, if any, of the ‘Ireland experience’ for overseas visitors will be changed. However, we in Tourism Ireland will do everything we can to support our industry partners to get them back to the overseas marketplace – when the time is right.

This is a truly terrible time but I do believe that Irish tourism can, and will, recover from this devastating pandemic. I welcome the fact that Ireland will be part of the EU-wide ‘traffic light’ system for travel, from next month. Once this crisis is past and Ireland is open again to international visitors, Tourism Ireland will be ready on the ground to roll out an extensive recovery kick-start programme – but only when the time is right. We have begun the process of planning for the recovery of overseas tourism. Our focus is on having promotional campaigns which will be ready to go, once there are signs that consumers overseas are getting back on the move and that Ireland is open for business. We will be working flat out to recover as much business as possible.

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Bookassist

Bookassist Offers Google Pay Per Stay to Hotels Google pay-per-stay (PPS) offers hotels all the benefits of advertising directly on Google Hotel Ads, and only pay for the clicks that deliver bookings.

Google Hotel Ads is by far the largest of the Metasearch channels. Commanding over 50% of the market and with double digit growth year on year, it offers unrivalled visibility and exposure for hotels.

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Bookassist

No booking, no fee Google pay-per-stay was launched by Google to hotels across the globe in direct response to the impact of Covid-19. The n o booking, no fee model ensures that hotels only ever pay for the business they get.

Cancellations are not charged for – a big relief for hotels who have experienced a huge surge in cancellations during Covid-19. Given the uncertainty that still exists in many markets Google PPS is welcomed by hoteliers as a risk-free way to capture new bookings and manage cancellations while at the same time minimising overall costs.

Engage directly and save money What many hoteliers fail to realise is that their hotel is already present on Metasearch channels, but they are represented there by OTAs who get all the bookings. By engaging directly with Metasearch, hotels can immediately save money due to the lower direct commission involved. Better still there is no upfront advertising budget required and payment is only made after the guest stay.

Target specific booking windows Metasearch as an advertising platform, is unique in its ability to target specific booking windows. This is something that PPC can’t do. Metasearch enables hotels to increase their visibility for specific date ranges, specific lengths of stay and for specific booking windows. It’s the perfect partner for targeting the domestic market.

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Bookassist

Example of hotel utilising Metasearch with Google Hotel Ads

Example of hotel not utilising Metasearch with Google Hotel Ads

3 12

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Bookassist

Bookassist voted #1 for Metasearch Bookassist is one of a few providers across Europe now offering Google PPS to hotels.

Bookassist, voted the #1 Metasearch management company by H otel Tech Report users manages Metasearch campaigns for over 250 hotels across 15 countries. Head of Metasearch Jacopo Rita says:

“Google PPS is risk-free and should be an easy decision for hotels. They’ll save from day one simply by engaging directly. From there they can transition to our G row and Scale programs where our Metasearch experts will add new channels, improve their ROI and scale their Metasearch business”

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Bookassist

Connected to all major booking engines You don’t have to be a Bookassist booking engine client to use our Metasearch solution. We can connect your hotel to Metasearch platforms through your Channel Manager or CRS.

For hotels that are new to Metasearch Google PPS is the perfect opportunity to get started. In the current climate of continuing market uncertainty and tightened resources, Metasearch offers a lifeline to hotels to gain much needed visibility.

Get started N OW.

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Bookassist

WE WON,

4 TIMES! and it’s thanks to you!

HotelTechAwards 2020 Best Booking Engine, Best Digital Marketing Agency, Best Website CMS, Best Metasearch Management

“We are extremely grateful for the sheer number of clients and partners who came out in force to positively review and recommend Bookassist. We believe that direct business should be at the heart of a hotel’s strategy and clearly our clients agree with our proven approach to winning at direct” Dr Des O’Mahony, Bookassist CEO and Founder

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Bunzl Rafferty Hospitality are delighted to present our collaboration with FieldDay Ireland and launch the Sea Collection; a unique luxury Irish Capsule Collection for the Hotel, Spa and Hospitality industry.

NEW Guest Amenities Collaboration

Take a dip. Dive into the deep blue sea that washes the coastline of this amazing land ... FieldDay was born in 2002 when Alix, a girl from County Down was inspired to capture and bottle the scents of the Irish countryside. Their home fragrance collections pay homage to the wildflowers and flora found in the great outdoors. The essence of FieldDay is relaxing and refreshing. Picture a breezy day at the shore with waves splashing on the rocks. FieldDays’ Sea fragrance is fresh and exhilarating with citrus notes of lemon and bergamot. The collection comprises of a choice of 30ml Doypacks or 480ml Square Dispenser bottles: • Conditioning Shampoo: Cleansing gentle formula leaves hair clean and smelling great. Extracts of watercress • Body Wash: Clean up with our gentle body wash. Guarana extract • Body Lotion: Be kind to your skin. With Vitamin E and Shea Butter • Conditioner: Gentle formula to leave hair smooth and less likely to tangle. Green walnut extract • 25g Vegetable Soap Bar: We’ve set the bar high with our finely milled all-vegetable soap. With jojoba oil.

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From concept to development, we worked together researching earth-friendly innovations in terms of formula and packaging; resulting in a collection that has positive environmental impacts. With eco-conscious travellers in mind, sustainability and awareness of our planet being a necessity rather than an option. Sustainability at Bunzl Rafferty is at the core of everything we do. Our goal is to drive a sustainable change, through innovation and collaboration; giving our business and customers the opportunity to make planet-friendly choices.

Vegan friendly & Cruelty free No parabens & Dermatologically tested Fully recyclable Lower carbon footprint. Each doypack uses 68% less carbon emissions than a regular 30ml bottle

Please visit for further information and to view the full home fragrance collection

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Industry

Time for support not sympathy It can come as no surprise to readers that Ireland’s tourism and hospitality industry has been hit harder than any other economic sector during this dreadful pandemic. If tourism is thought of as the free, unfettered movement of people then the impact of Covid-19 simply couldn’t be more destructive.

Dalton Philips, CEO of daa that operate both Dublin and Cork airports, stated just this month in an ITIC webinar interview that daa is currently losing a whopping €1 million every day. Such losses are by definition unsustainable.

The closure by Government decree of tourism and hospitality businesses for long periods, the reduction in capacity due to social distancing rules, and the effective restriction to the country of international tourists has caused massive carnage to Ireland’s largest indigenous industry and biggest regional employer. Dublin’s Level 3 lockdown is yet another hammer blow. 2020 has truly been an annus horribilis and, with a hard Brexit looking ever more likely, many in the industry are facing a very bleak outlook.

Regional Ireland, as always, risks feeling most of the pain if Government does not change course. It is reported that Aer Lingus, now owned by international conglomerate IAG, is considering moving their transatlantic aircraft out of Shannon while Ryanair are looking to end their bases at both Cork and Shannon. Such moves are a direct consequence of the draconian and disproportionate travel restrictions that are currently in play. And who can blame an airline for transferring their expensive assets to countries that allow them to be utilised? Should this happen the consequence will be shattering to the South West. €1.2 billion has been already lost to Cork and Kerry this year due to the lack of international tourism and a loss of air connectivity to the Western seaboard will imperil current and future foreign direct investment.

The Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation – now headed by Tánaiste Leo Varadkar, himself a former Minister for Tourism - has projected that there will be 200,000 job losses within the tourism industry over the next 12 months. That represents nearly 8 in every 10 tourism jobs. A staggering figure and it seems beyond belief that Government would preside over this without deploying every pro-tourism policy in their toolkit. And it need not be like this. With 75% of the Irish tourism economy dependent on international visitation, getting aviation recommenced in a safe manner must be the number one economic priority for Government. This can be done, as has been rolled out successfully in other European countries, by introducing a comprehensive pre-travel Covid-19 testing policy to replace the flawed and ineffective quarantine rule and green list.

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Something has to give and if it is the aviation infrastructure of a small island on the Western coast of Europe then we are heading into a long and selfinduced economic depression.

Covid-19 from the outset has been a public health issue but saving lives and saving livelihoods cannot be seen as mutually exclusive. Any return to stability for Ireland’s tourism and hospitality businesses will be long and arduous. And Government, who by its decisions effectively closed the sector down, is obliged to support those same businesses in the path to recovery. A reduced Vat rate, business continuity grants, and a more generous wage subsidy scheme must all be on the table in the upcoming Budget. And the current quarantine rule for international arrivals is akin to a “closed” sign above Ireland for inbound tourism and must be overhauled if Ireland’s proud tourism industry is to survive this existential crisis. Support, not sympathy, is needed from Government.

Support Ireland’s Tourism & Hospitality Industry

Irish Tour Conf ism Indus ed try Call t eration’s o Act ion

Scale of crisis Covid-19 has had shattering financial consequences on Ireland’s tourism and hospitality industry which has been the country’s hardest hit economic sector and is set to have one of the slowest recoveries. The closure of tourism and hospitality businesses for long periods, the reduction in capacity due to social distancing rules, and the effective restriction to the country of international tourists has caused massive damage to Ireland’s largest indigenous industry and biggest regional employer. The Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation has projected that tourism revenue will fall by €5 billion this year and there will be up to 200,000 industry job losses. However, it need not be like this. 50% of these jobs can be saved with the right Government intervention and the industry can resume a growth path out to 2025 as outlined in ITIC’s Revival Plan.

Securing an industry’s future Irish tourism can, and will, recover from this existential crisis. However, if Ireland’s world-class tourism and hospitality industry is to be secured, Government needs to take 5 key decisions urgently to enable businesses to begin the process of recovery, create employment, provide regional economic balance, and enable productive enterprise and innovation.

Call to Action: 5 key policies needed to secure Irish tourism

1 2 3 4 5

Comprehensive Covid-19 rapid testing regime to replace quarantine rule and green list and enable international travel to recommence safely.

Revision of the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme, so that it is in line with terms of the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme.

Business Continuity Grants for tourism and hospitality industry of €500 million to provide Enterprise and Brexit supports.

VAT to be reduced to 9% for all tourism and hospitality businesses, and waiving of commercial rates to April 2021.

Doubling of international marketing funds and tourism budgets.

#TourismMatters

C O N TAC T Irish Tourism Industry Confederation Ground Floor, Unit 5 Sandyford Office Park Dublin 18, D18 N7V7, Ireland

Sign the ITIC petition to support Tourism’s Call to Action. See www.itic.ie.

T: +353 (0) 1 293 4950 F: +353 (0) 1 293 4991 E: info@itic.ie www.itic.ie

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COVID-19 For the Re-opening of Tourism & Hospitality Businesses

Fáilte Ireland’s COVID-19 Adaptation Fund will help tourism businesses offset some of the costs they have incurred in adapting their premises or operations in line with Fáilte Ireland’s Guidelines for Re-opening. Applications for Fáilte Ireland’s COVID-19 Adaptation Fund are now open until the 31st October. To find out more and to check if your business is eligible to apply, visit www.failteireland.ie

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Fáilte Ireland Industry News

Fáilte Ireland’s €26 million COVID-19 Adaptation Fund is open for applications As part of the Government’s July Stimulus Package, the Minister for Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht, Catherine Martin T.D., secured a €26 million Adaptation Fund for the re-opening of tourism and hospitality businesses. The deadline for applications has been extended until October 31st. Fáilte Ireland’s Head of Product Development, Mary Stack, outlines what kind of costs the Fund covers and how to apply.

Mary Stack, Head of of Product Development at Fáilte Ireland pictured at Clontarf Castle, Dublin What costs will the COVID-19 Adaptation Fund cover? Many tourism and hospitality businesses have incurred costs while adapting their premises or operations to reopen safely in line with Fáilte Ireland’s Guidelines for ReOpening. Fáilte Ireland’s new COVID-19 Adaptation Fund has been designed to contribute to these costs. Following an independent assessment of the potential costs, we developed a sliding scale to ensure a proportionate grant amount was allocated to different types of businesses. Grants of between €500 and €15,000 are available to make either the structural adaptations required for fixed, visitor-facing premises, such as protective screens and the development of outdoor areas, or to cover the cost of items such as sanitiser or Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for some specific businesses that provide a visitor experience but do not have significant visitor-facing premises such as activity providers. We expect up to 12,000 tourism and hospitality businesses will be eligible to receive financial support, making it our largest funding programme to date in terms of the number of businesses that will directly benefit.

How to apply:

To qualify for Fáilte Irelands COVID-19 Adaptation Fund, eligible businesses must: • be open at the time of application, (an exception will be made where a Government-mandated closure has been ordered for businesses that were already open); • comply fully with Fáilte Irelands Guidelines for Re-opening and; • have completed the Fáilte Ireland COVID-19 Safety Charter. For more information on Fáilte Ireland’s COVID-19 Adaptation Fund and to check if your business is eligible to apply, visit www.failteireland.ie.

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Interncontinental

A league of their own A new refurbishment has made Dublin's InterContinental Hotel a beacon of light for Irish hospitality during the dark days of 2020

Most business owners can do little during the chaos of the Covid-19 crisis, other than troubleshoot and hope for the best. Only historians will be able to make sense of 2020 in the long term. But when the pandemic arrived in March, the InterContinental Hotel did what it has always done: it put its customers first. Management worked with people who had booked the hotel - from couples who had reserved a room for two or three nights, to companies that had booked a large corporate event - to refund deposits or shift reservations to another time. When the Dublin Horse Show didn't take place in July, for example, most of the InterContinental's repeat clients moved their deposits to 2021. "This hotel has been here since 2001," noted a buoyant Nicky Logue, general manager of the 5 star property. "People know

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we'll get through this and out the other side. It's just a matter of when." When H&R Times recently visited the property, we noticed green shoots of recovery. Since the hotel reopened on 29 June, following the easing of government restrictions, business has progressively improved. Initially, the hotel received a boost from local business. Ground floor operations such as food, beverage, and restaurant have been doing well, largely on account of new renovations (more on that in a bit). "We got a bit of a bounce in July and August," agrees Logue, a stalwart of the Irish hospitality industry who held his first job as a general manager while a student at Shannon College of Hotel Management. "We had a bit of an advantage because we're a bit outside the city. We marketed ourselves in terms of being an urban resort. Because of our size, there's no issues with social distancing. We have big spacious rooms and a large restaurant." When lockdown began back in March, it came as a shock to the InterContinental, as it did for every other Irish hotel.

“It was important to create a modern feel and look but also to maintain the cosiness and warmth – and to give it its own identity.” Creating interiors that are aesthetically pleasing, was imperative.

Interncontinental

It’s a case, she says, of combining a businessoriented hotel with the right degree of charm and a sense of belonging so that it becomes more than just a functional edifice. It was designed from an operational point of view, catering for various crowd sizes and customer types; ensuring all spaces worked efficiently for both customers and staff. The Fairways re-vamp was a €12 million project that was instigated by successful businessman and former hotelier Pat O’Callaghan, who purchased the property in "When we closed, it was a difficult period," says Logue. "We were dealing "People were surprised when we said we were refurbishing," admits 2015, promising to breathe new life into the with staff who were laid off, dealing with their concerns, making sure Logue. "It was previously refurbished just over four years ago. We're old hotel in his home region. This 113-room paperwork was done to ensure they were looked after. When we closed fortunate to have owners who want to make it look really good." four-star establishment is his coming we had around 300 on our books. The majority ofgood thoseon went on short “The greater influence was more local,” says Audrey. “It was more in the sense of ‘Dundalk’ than a sense of Irishness; wasinvestment more aboutingiving Dundalk term leave." that commitment and the hotel is currently The rather refurbishment has not been theitonly the property. part of the iNua hotel group. Ireland’s leading something to be proud of. When iNua came on board, their expertise made Covid-proofing the hotel - placing screens, dispensers around the it clear hotelteam group has a number of during other lockdown. Thethe kind hotel, of high expectations thatcheap. many But Irishitclients the hotel would have. A core sales regional and security continued to work etc - has not come has allof been implemented to 5” prestigious properties in itsfor management reception remained open too, to cater apartment owners who live on star standards. portfolio, thethe Muckross Hotel 2016, workedFor the completion of the project, there was what Audrey describes wherever the property. The GM,including who joined hotel inPark November & Spa in Killarney, the Hillgrove Hotel in possible,Management local suppliersalso andneeded tradesmen were used. staff so they were familiar five days a week. to train returning Monaghan and the Kilkenny Hibernian Hotel. with new safety requirements. "It's been a steep learning curve," says InterContinental used downtime toinvolved finish itsinfl revitalisation. Every The hospitality the GM.sector "But so faran the guests very safecally and targeted secure. We know Did the factthis that iNua were uence isn’t area theyfeel have specifi but it hasthat become bedroom onthe thedesign property hasbuilding been refurbished. ground floor - lobby, our feedback through guestItsurveys. staff very secureafter as the of the and décorThe in giving a good fifrom t for Audrey Gaffney Associates. is, as sheOur says, all feel about looking lounge, restaurant, bar, reading well." it a particularly Irish room, slant? meeting and event facilities - hasclient and this is something, they have become particularly good at. “The design is also been upgraded. The result, on account of Millimetre Design and the other contractors involved, looks fantastic. Concurrently, room occupancy has slowly improved. Instead of

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Interncontinental

dumping their rates, management opted for better value packages. One such deal involved â&#x201A;Ź350 for two people sharing for a night's stay, which included dinner, bed and breakfast, and parking. The offer allowed guests to upgrade to a suite. The hotel's food offering is in high demand. On site, you can find breakfast and all-day dining in the form of fish and chips, salad, steak and other such treats. The full restaurant dining experience is currently open Thursday through Sunday. When H&R Times visits, the ground floor is buzzing with (socially distant) activity. That's not to negate the strangeness of the position that the InterContinental finds itself in. Little to nothing is going on in the RDS next door. The neighbouring Aviva Stadium, meanwhile, is devoid of visitors. InterContinental would also have hosted people going to concerts at 3Arena. All that business is non-existent due to Covid. Logue's sales team are not resting on their laurels. "They secured a lot of big business from May onwards in 2021," he points out. "There's an appetite for our clients to come back. We're talking to our operators all the time. We work with one key operator in the U.S. who brings us a lot of business. We're having regular zoom calls and talking to some of their agents in the States. You want to make sure people don't forget about us. When it improves, which I have no doubt it will. They will remember our relationship. We won't be left wanting."

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In the meantime, the government should step up to the plate and cater for the needs of the industry, he suggests. Commercial rates reliefs have helped, but the 13.5% VAT rate, introduced in Budget 2019, should be rescinded in the current climate. "Government are hopefully realising how badly the industry is faring," says Logue. "I hope government will engage with the industry and the different sectors so they get an understanding of how bad things are. When you look at the occupancies in Dublin over the coming months, it's very concerning. I think once that message has got across, in terms of how to protect jobs, radical things need to happen." One good start, he reiterates, would be to make that VAT reduction closer in comparison to Northern Ireland's 5%, as part of the upcoming Budget 2021. He adds: "There's crisis-fighting going on at the moment. When we look back in time, I think things could have been done differently. I hope lessons will be learned from all this." The hotel team believe they will see a further boost to business in October, at around half-term time, with a further uplift at Christmas. Christmas, however, is likely to be devoid of the usual large office parties due to government restrictions. That said, Nicky Logue is resolute that the standard of the InterContinental - in terms of reputation, relationship with its customers, and now its sparkling new refurbishment - will carry it through these dark times. "The owners are in this for the long haul. They believe in investing in the property and having the best team, level of service and food. We're still delivering to a five standard."

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Fáilte Ireland Industry News

Fáilte Ireland: supporting the tourism and hospitality sector There are a number of schemes and supports available to help tourism and hospitality businesses as we move through the COVID-19 pandemic. To access support and the most up to date information, visit www.failteireland.ie.

Dooley’s Hotel, Waterford

COVID-19 Safety Charter

Yeats Country Inn, Sligo

To qualify for Fáilte Ireland’s COVID-19 Adaptation Fund, businesses will be required to complete the Fáilte Ireland COVID-19 Safety Charter. The Charter is designed to boost public confidence in the safety of tourism businesses and over 2,500 businesses have already completed it. To achieve the COVID-19 Safety Charter, businesses must agree to follow Fáilte Ireland’s ‘Guidelines for Re-opening’ and undertake essential COVID-19 safety and hygiene control training.

Find out more and sign up now at www.failteireland.ie.

Stay and Spend The Stay and Spend Scheme has been created by the Government to drive sales in the tourism and hospitality sector during the off-season. The scheme will provide a maximum of €125 in income tax credits to tax-payers who spend up to €625 in tourism accommodation and ‘dine-in’ food and beverage providers from 1st October 2020 to 30th April 2021, including over the Christmas period. Registration for eligible businesses to participate in the scheme is now open through Revenue’s Online Service, ROS, accessed via the Revenue website, www.revenue.ie. Once businesses register, they will receive a Stay and Spend Starter Kit from Fáilte Ireland – this contains promotional material to help you to let customers know they’re taking part.

Find out more at www.failteireland.ie. 26

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Fáilte Ireland Industry News

Restart Grant Plus for B&Bs

The Restart Grant Plus for B&Bs is being administered by Fáilte Ireland on behalf of the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation. Through the scheme, grants of €4,000 will be available to B&Bs that do not pay rates to their Local Authority to assist with the costs of re-opening and operating. B&Bs in the counties of Kildare, Laois and Offaly will receive an increased grant amount of €4,800 due to the public health measures introduced in August by the Government to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in those three counties. Applications for B&Bs under the National Quality Assurance Framework (NQAF) are open until the 28th October. Further details on the application process for B&Bs which are not approved under the National Quality Assurance Framework (NQAF) will be announced shortly.

Find out more and apply now at www.failteireland.ie.

Fáilte Ireland’s online COVID-19 Business Supports Hub Fáilte Ireland is continuing to develop the supports required to meet the immediate needs of tourism and hospitality businesses as they move through the COVID-19 crisis. Developed in consultation with industry experts, these supports focus on recovery and include support on financial plans, capacity management, demand creation and marketing, as well as upskilling.

These supports are hosted on a dedicated online COVID-19 Business Supports Hub on www.failteireland.ie.

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Audrey Gaffney Design

Audrey Gaffney Associates

looks forward to cementing their position with Re-defining Interior Architecture in Ireland’s Hospitality Sector

Audrey Gaffney Associates have remained busy over the last few crazy months – a testament, perhaps, to how they’ve been growing and evolving the services they offer over the previous number of years. Designing interior spaces of hotels, spa’s, restaurants, bars and pubs is an art in itself where you have public spaces that have to have a certain ‘soul’ yet need to function in such a way as to improve the bottom line for the owners while staying true to their brand. In achieving that, Audrey Gaffney Associates take into account multiple factors and manage them all together in one unique service that adds up to more than the sum of their parts. “The Railway Bar” acquired by the Mercantile Group, located in Navan town (formally now known as “Smyths Flathouse”) is a case in point. Here was a pub in the middle of a busy urban centre where the new owners wanted to maximise the appeal and turnover but where they didn’t want to lose the traditional ‘soul’ of the bar. “It was seen locally as a bit dated” says Audrey. “It did have a lounge, but the lounge wasn’t been fully utilised and therefore not generating much revenue over recent years. Before we begin working on the design we dealt with essential requirements such as fire regulations, DAC and relicensing. While waiting for approval on these, we began to examine the operational needs of the business and how customers interacted with the spaces and see how these

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Audrey Gaffney Design could be improved for all users while generating increased revenue for the business. These necessities helped inform our aesthetic design concepts.” The property did have a lot of traditional detail, and the challenge was to keep that heritage while still appealing a younger and broader clientele. “There was a lot of ornate ceiling detailing that we wanted to keep,” says Audrey, “ There was an original snug which we hoped to save which we believed added to the personality of the bar even though the structure wasn’t sound and there were differences in floor heights creating trip hazards. Toilets were small, so we had to do a lot there in terms of restructuring to ensure compatibility with modern building requirements and to make the space work better. We removed an old chimney breast which wasn’t in use. This gave us a more generous useable space. We retained some of the original features of the bar and achieved a seamless connection between these and the new details by introducing a lot of heritage finishes which complimented the original features. The treatment and colouring of the lighting was of critical importance to the whole space and how it would work from day to night. The whole idea was to have that old-world feel which appealed to a wide audience, from 18 to 80-year-olds “ In McGeough’s Restaurant & Bar in Dundalk, offered another kind of challenge. “Eight years previously when we worked with them the emphasis was very much on the bar. But the business had moved towards food service so they wanted to update the interiors and give it a more restaurant feel. However, Andrew the owner who knows all his customers well, did not want to alienate the lone diner who liked to sit at the bar and enjoy their meal with a drink and a chat, so it wasn’t a case of ripping out the bar and the space becoming a formal restaurant. He wanted to keep the friendly, welcoming atmosphere and still give it a restaurant feel.”

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Audrey Gaffney Design

“The building itself was very long and narrow, so customers did not want to sit at the back where it was quite dark. They preferred to sit near the windows at the front, therefore the space was not been used efficiently or fully. The space very disjointed, it felt dark and uninviting especially at the back. We looked at the operational needs of the business and how we could improve these such as how the food came from the kitchen to the diners table, while also creating more useable attractive spaces to generate additional revenue which is critical to the growth of our client’s business. We worked with them on getting the right balance between function and aesthetics. We created a space that is bright, fresh and airy during the day, intimate and comfortable at night, and fully functional at all times.” The property re-opened on the 10th of September. “They’ve been very successful since, she says, with the new decor and layout attracting Christmas bookings in that first week of opening. The re-vamping and change of focus by the business, with a ‘wartime’ spirit of the staff all working together meant they met the challenges and restrictions of Covid headon with little or no delay in the reopening process” When working earlier in the year on Cabra Castle in Kingscourt, Co Cavan, Audrey’s team were working to a tight timescale of just five weeks of shutdown time. “You’re acutely aware that there’s no way of extending your project time. There were weddings booked in for the day after we were due to finish, so everything had to be planned out perfectly,” she says. “It’s vital to be in constant communication with all contactors to ensure we meet our deadlines while maintaining high standards.” Having already worked on the Corscadden-owned property ten years previously, they were coming back to familiar ground, working with people and a building they knew very well by this point.

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Audrey Gaffney Design “We had first worked with Cabra Castle on their ballroom and the reception rooms in 2009 so were very aware of the challenges of working with this particular conservation building. Also, Cabra Castle is a well-established and loved brand which we had to stay true to. Our aim was to create spaces that would function efficiently and safely while also increasing revenue for the owners, in this medieval-style castle and successful wedding venue. So, we relocated the bar and created an elegant walkway that leads the bridal couple into the main function room.” “When you’re designing rooms which hosts weddings as well as other large functions, you need to take into account how you can maximise the use and flexibility of this space. It needs to be multi-functional so to host a variety of services such as pre-party set-up, seating area for older age groups, and play areas for younger kids etc. It’s about managing customer needs and exceeding their expectations. This along with the food service and spirit of Cabra Castle has led to its continued success.” The Heritage Hotel in Co Laois was another ‘old friend’ that Audrey and her team went back to recently: “We had initially worked on the hotel when the FBD Group acquired it at the end of 2018. We had then revamped their bar, function room and a pre-drinks area, but the restaurant needed a complete overhaul to bring it up to the standards of the other more recently refurbished areas and represent this premium brand. We redesigned and rebranded the restaurant to ensure that it could function with walk-in’s as well as for the hotel guest.” “They had a cocktail bar area which couldn’t be fully utilised as it was where breakfast was also served! Yet

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Audrey Gaffney Design there were other large underutilised areas. The existing restaurant was divided into four rooms, and there was very little natural light.” She says, it was a case of working out how to best use each space so they can operate separately, offering different dining experiences while also seamlessly interconnect for larger functions while complying with the existing fire certificate . “We created different dining areas, enclosed service spaces, so the experience for the guest is more social and atmospheric while functional for the staff. Also, we created areas with flexibility which can serve as private dining rooms but can also be opened up into the main restaurant on busier nights. We installed additional openings between rooms to allow natural light to pass through and enhance the artificial lighting, creating a more enjoyable atmosphere. The style and finished we chose is in keeping with the successful FBD Hotel brands and they work completed previously”. While working on these projects, upskilling and bringing in more and varied expertise into Audrey Gaffney Associates, they too along with their clients have been evolving and transforming. At the end of October, they will have a renaissance of their own in a re-branding operation which will be a truer reflection of their unique and growing offering. Watch this space!

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TIFCO Audrey Gaffney

Top of the Charts The Hard Rock hotel is a headline act amongst Dublin hotels Music venues may be quiet around the capital, but at the new Hard Rock Hotel Dublin you can soak up the music you love from the moment you arrive. Step across the threshold of this fantastic new property, located next to Temple Bar, and prepare to be blown away by its music and memorabilia. From the walls of the lobby to the coolly atmospheric restaurant & bar; all adorned with priceless memorabilia such as a jacket worn by Phil Lynott, the Thin Lizzy legend. There is a guitar signed by the late Dolores O'Riordan, lead singer of the Cranberries, and original handwritten lyrics by U2. Beyond the Irish memorabilia - which includes tributes to The Dubliners on one bedroom floor - H&R Times was impressed to see clothing items from music legends Kurt Cobain and David Bowie. Hotels often struggle to find a theme or offering that differentiates them from the competition. The Hard Rock Hotel Dublin, on the other hand, stands out from the crowd. "Music, memorabilia, the Sound of your Stay programme; these are things that you can't get elsewhere," notes Sinead Derham, the general manager. The property is owned by Tifco an Irish hotel“Itgroup that also “The greater influence was more local,”- says Audrey. was more in the sense run Clontarf Castle, Crown Plaza and Travelodge hotels - but it of ‘Dundalk’ rather than a sense of Irishness; it was more about giving Dundalk has Hard Rock Hotels International as a support act. The brand something to be of. When iNua came on board, their expertise - which hasproud a number of luxurious, lifestyle hotels across the made it clear the kind of high expectations that manycasino Irish clients of the hotel would have.” world, including a guitar shaped property in Florida. Rock Dublin all thethere rightwas design notes. Housed in a wherever For theHard completion of thehits project, what Audrey describes protected structure, on the corner of Exchange Street Upper possible, local suppliers and tradesmen were used. and Lord Edward Street, the design - courtesy of Douglas Wallace & Consarc is stylish and tasteful with an upscale The hospitality isn’twere an area theyby have boutiquesector feel. We smitten thespecifi ceilingcally art targeted (Lasvit of but it has become which Gaff features Irish greatsItincluding a goodPrague) fit for Audrey ney Associates. is, as she Rory says, Gallagher all about looking after the andthis Luke artworkthey by practitioners as Neill Powell. client and is Kelly something, have becomesuch particularly good at. “The design is The building is imbued with music. "There are curated playlists for breakfast, lunch, and dinnertime. It's all mood-orientated," 34

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TIFCO

says Derham, who was previously GM of Hilton Dublin Kilmainham (another Tifco property). "When a guest arrives, they can select their genre of music & when they go up to the room, it’s playing on the infotainment system”. The Sound of Your Stay, as this amenity is known, is accompanied by additional quirks. Guests are offered a Fender guitar, plectrum, amp and headphones, so they can rock out in the privacy of their rooms. Lessons on the TV cater for budding guitar Gods. You can also avail of a Crosley record player and a selection of vinyl’s, ranging from Irish to international artists. "We have our own Vibe Manager, which is something you can only find in the Hard Rock," says Derham. "He manages the mood, the music, lighting. He's a combination of someone who manages the atmosphere and a guest relations manager." There are 120 bedrooms on site, each furnished with wood, stone, and luxury fabrics from Ulster Carpets. Kalisher, a U.S. company, commissioned the artwork found in the bedrooms, which includes pieces by Irish artists. VDA group provided the integrated room management and interactive television systems for the rooms. Visitors can balance power chords on their Fender guitars with meditative yoga lessons on the television; Rock Om, another Hard Rock offering. High-rollers can check into the Rock Star Suite on the fifth floor, which features a four-poster bed, a kitchenette, and a large roof terrace that will be able to host a party of 20 people (once Covid restrictions ease). Guests and locals will love Zampas Bar & Restaurant, which 36

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TIFCO

features a Peruvian all-day menu courtesy of the head chef, Sgtuart Heeney.

is drumming up local business. A recent radio campaign targeted the 'staycation' market with a smorgasbord of package offers for guests.

"We hope to establish Zampas as a standalone restaurant, which is not dependant on the hotel and has a separate street entrance," remarks the GM. "With the current times it's well set up for social distancing: the dining booths are spacious and thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s generous space between tablesâ&#x20AC;?

When life does return to normal, Hard Rock Dublin, is perfectly pitched for people visiting Dublin for concerts and conferences. Live music will also be a big part of the venue's appeal: live acts, bands and DJ's, will perform on site. There's even a Rock Shop on site, offering branded clothing, merchandise and accessories.

The property, as part of the global Hard Rock brand, has access to a worldwide sales team. At the moment, with no international travel due to the pandemic, Stephanie Hayes, director of Sales and Marketing,

There's much to sing about here. Despite the hard times that hospitality is going through, the Hard Rock, Dublin, is guaranteed plenty of encores over the years to come.

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TIFCO

VDA

electrics at customisable set times.

Get yourself connected Hard Rock Hotel, Dublin, is fully connected for guests, courtesy of VDA. Using VDA's advanced guestroom management system, known as Micromaster, guests can control room temperature, dim lights, and control Do Not Disturb and Make Up My Room directions.

VDA also installed the interactive TV systems in the Hard Rock's rooms. Guests can stream content from their smart devices to the TV. Guests can also select, lighting, temperature, "do not disturb" and "make up my room" directions, using the TV remote control.

When a guest inserts their keycard into a slot, this informs the hotel that a guest is in their room, thus ensuring the guest is not disturbed during room service. It also allows the hotel to select room lighting and temperature scenarios dependent on the time of day. Micromaster not only manages room access and peripherals within bedrooms, and delivers in-room information back to the hotelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s management, but it can be used to manage hotel staff and guest services. Housekeeping and reception staff are issued with key cards that permit supervisors to monitor where they are within the hotel. Thus, if a guest requests a towel, the housekeeper nearest to their room may be contacted. Micromaster also oversees security. If a door has been left ajar for a certain period of time, for example, the tech sends an alarm to the reception desk to prompt a check. It also assists in the reduction of energy consumption waste, thereby avoiding excessive heating or cooling, turning on or off lighting and

IS PROUD TO BE THE SUPPLIER OF THE GRMS AND THE INTERACTIVE TV SYSTEM AT THE NEW HARD ROCK HOTEL DUBLIN.

room management system

VDA smart device collection is built according to the specification required from both the European and British standards,permitting the guest to interact with an automated system through a functional and ergonomic object, as well as it being aesthetically pleasing.

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PowerTV ONAIR is an interactive multi-platform TV system, providing Hotel guests with Information and Entertainment in an innovative way, through their in-room TV.

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Industry

Supporting the Hospitality Sector Don’t just clean it – sanitise it ! 03 Sanitise Solutions was established with the hospitality sector in mind and given the current complexities within the industry is well positioned to help during this Covid crisis. O3 Sanitise Solutions Ltd is spear headed by Fran Boxall who has over 30 years’ experience working with in the business environment. Prior to the Coronavirus Pandemic Fran observed that Ozone generators were being used with great effect to sanitise & deodorise hotel rooms in the USA & UK for many years. As a result of researching the industry, he and his team found that no one had really used this type of equipment to sanitise key areas of hotels and restaurants within the hospitality sector here in Ireland. O3 Sanitise Solutions are tested and fully certified medical grade portable devices that produce ozone gas. Ozone gas purifies the air and surfaces quickly, ensuring that all surfaces are sanitised and safe for both customers and staff. Ozone is a bi-product of oxygen (O2) the air we breathe, which when you pass a small electrical charge through oxygen it creates ozone (O3) – very like a lightning strike creates ozone. As ozone is an unstable gas it naturally wants to dissolve back into oxygen. Ozone is nature’s way of disinfecting. The World Health Organisation recognises ozone as one of the strongest oxidants and disinfectants known to man ranking ahead of hydrogen peroxide and bleach and as the most efficient disinfectant against all types of microorganisms. Ozone has been proven to destroy SARS, Norovirus, Salmonella, Legionella & MRSA and many others. The real beauty of ozone is that it works on all surfaces and soft furnishings, from floors and carpets to walls and wall fixtures to ceilings and air conditioning systems within rooms. It is also completely safe to use with electrical equipment such as Tv’s, remote controls etc. Not only does it sanitise but also removes odours such as stale food smells and smoking and can also halt mould and mildew problems. Together with the destruction of dust mites, bed bugs, fly’s, cockroaches and insects, It will even repel rodents.

As there are no harsh chemicals or liquids required for the operation of our unit, it is very cost effective to operate and is part of our “Green Technology Initiative” therefore safeguarding the environment. A standard bedroom & en-suite can be sanitised within 20 minutes. One of the first things that a guest will identify when entering into a hotel room is the level of cleanliness and hygiene. As each room is sanitised between guests, ozone removes the smell and microbial discharge of the previous guests, recreating a fresh, deeply deodorised and above all decontaminated room, ready to host the new guests. Sanitising with ozone contributes to the health and safety in workplaces HACCP L.155/2007 Louis Pasteur is quoted as saying “The air that we breathe contains most of our diseases. When in contact with ozone, microbes are burned, and toxins destroyed” O3 Sanitise Solutions look forward to helping everyone in the hospitality industry re-open and run their businesses safely, enhancing the levels of health and safety to both their guests and staff members alike. We believe that being able to advertise that hotel rooms are sanitised between guests in this way is a massive positive for all hoteliers, therefore increasing customer confidence in a hotel’s commitment to sanitising and thus increasing occupancy. Also, in a growing campaign with all hotels & guesthouses, O3 sanitise Solutions also provides the non-contact Xenon Fever Defence temperature screening solution, which uses facial recognition to read a person’s core body temperature in under a second, ideally for guests and /or staff. Once the non-invasive screening takes place either a green for go or red for alert light is visible along with audible directions and warnings. These messages can be customisable. As each unit is fully GDPR compliant, each log of entrants can easily be viewed for record or verification purposes. In the event that someone should present with an above normal temperature, not only will the warning voice command sound and red light flash – but a message will be sent to the administrator/reception notifying them of this occurrence so that the necessary action can be taken. Call our hot line now (01) 4903237 for your free evaluation by our trained personnel who are only too happy to recommend a suitable solution for your business. O3 Sanitise Solutions has partnered with a leading finance company in an effort to ensure a cost-effective, 100% tax deductible option for all clients with easy monthly payments.

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Bespoke Hospitality

Damian Caldwell

We are a new name in hospitality supplies with a specialist approach, offering a range of Bespoke Products and providing a professional service. Our strong relationship with long established manufacturers, allow us to offer Bespoke Products at very competitive prices. The Bespoke team have many yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; experience in Hospitality, in both Hotels, Restaurants, Cruise Liners and Hotel Supply business. The Director, successfully completed a Higher Diploma in Hotel & Business Management and a further 15 years of Hotel industry experience, at General Manager level in 4* Deluxe Hotels. He continued his hospitality experience, having serving 5 years, in the position of Sales Executive & more recently a further 11 years as National Sales Manager, for a National Hospitality Supply Company. Other members of the team have had similar Hospitality experiences. We would like to use all this experience in creating a hospitality supply business, that prides itself with professional best practice.

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Bespoke Hospitality We are also approved partner agents in the Island of Ireland for ADA Cosmetics. (previously know, as Pacific Direct).

eBrochure: https://www.flipsnack.com/bespokehospitality/autumn-v-1.html Website: www.bespokehospitality.ie

ADA Cosmetics International has become the market leader of hotel cosmetics in Europe during its 40-year corporate history and one of the leading companies worldwide. Its rise to a global player is in no small part thanks to a management that pursues clear goals and shapes the future with visionary force. Major milestones have been the takeover of the British company Pacific Direct and Scanamenities from Denmark in 2015. Luxury Brands include: Elemis, The White Company, Asprey, Chopard, Penhaligon’s, Perfumer H Lifestyle Brands include: Eco-Boutique, Be Different, Natural Remedies, FAIR CosmEthics, Absolute Nordic Skincare, Naturals, Hydro Basics and Spirit of Travel Hand Cleansing Gels. To manufacture cosmetics of consistently good quality at any time is a true challenge. ADA Cosmetics International is aware of its responsibility to man and nature. Based on this understanding, we develop products that promote well-being. At the same time, we pursue ecologically sustainable practices along the entire value-added chain. Some of our products include Brands with Fair Trade Certified Ingredients, Recycled Packaging, Paraben & Silicone Free, 97% Biodegradable Liquids, Nordic Swan Ecolabel certification and Bottles made of 100% PCR (post-consumer recycled) plastic.

       

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“                      ”                

      

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IFSA news IFSA news

Join Our Community

By joining IFSA you will be part of a group of over 200 like-minded foodservice suppliers working together with the common goal of uniting to stimulate and drive our market forward.

CFSP Ireland Programme Certified Foodservice Professional • Opportunity to connect with over 4,000 Chefs via CHEF NETWORK Programme • News & Industry Updates Our Membership benefits are wide ranging and include:

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Representation to other Trade Bodies & Government

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Discounted participation at CATEX and other events

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THE PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATION THAT IS SPECIFIC TO THE Input into industry development - Irish Foodservice Technicians Guild FOOD SERVICE INDUSTRY

The IFSA’s - a CFSP is the industry specific professional qualification for the foodservice industry. This is a CPD certified training programme, What Does Membership offerIndustry for your Foodservice Business? NEW delivered in partnership with CESA, the UK Catering Equipment Suppliers Association, relevant to all personnel within your Awards foodservice business. Programme - Dates: 26th March (full day) and 27th March (1/2 day)

A first of its kind in Ireland, The IFSA’S are aimed at showcasing the wealth of innovation and technology which our members continually bring to market each year. Categories have been chosen to take into account innovation across all product sectors from catering equipment, disposables, tableware, services, and of course actual food and beverage products. For 2020 the theme of the inaugural IFSA’s will be – “Innovation for a sustainable future”- a timely focus highlighting the Industry’s response to the very real environmental crisis which we are all facing as suppliers. An independent judging panel with a wealth of knowledge specific to our Industry with review all entries: • MAURICE BERGIN (CHAIR) - Managing Director Green Hospitality • BRIAN WALSH - Packaging Technologist, Repak • KEITH WARREN - Director CESA Catering Equipment Suppliers Association UK • TONY McGUIGAN - Head of Procurement and F&B Projects, Dalata Hotel Group PLC • GUILLAUME OATES - GFD Associates Independent Foodservice Design Consultants Winners will be announced at Food and Bev live 2020 in City West on February 4th 2020. See full criteria at www.ifsa.eu.com

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See the full range of benefits

Venue: Clayton Hotel, Dublin Airport Costs: IFSA members €625 / non IFSA members €905

The programme content and benefits are relevant to manufacturers, consultants, distributors and operators. CFSP is an internationally recognised and promoted course that is delivered locally with content relevant to the national market. To successfully achieve the CFSP designation and the benefits that accrue, candidates must also complete an evaluation of experience which covers industry experience and activity within the market. This accrues points to become silver gold or platinum status and accreditees can develop their profile with CFSP throughout their career. KEY PURPOSE: » Help train and develop staff » Raise industry recognition and respect » Help you to carry out your job more effectively » Increase confidence with customers » Provide personal satisfaction and achievement

To Book: Download Booking Form from www.ifsa.eu.com or contact louise.mcloughlin@ifsa.eu.com

Closing Date for Entries – 8th January 2020

Bottene Pasta FOOD & BEV LIVE 2020 - ORGANISED BY THE INDUSTRY FOR THE INDUSTRY Makers from Cuisinequip

Food & Bev Live will be kick-starting the 2020 foodservice season next February 4th & 5th in Citywest, Dublin. The 2 Day event attracts thousands of visitors and brings together National skills finals incorporating the Irish Cocktail Championships, National Coffee Championships and the Chef Ireland Culinary Competitions along with live demonstrations, new launches and unique Cuisinequip, sister company to Valentine Equipment Ltd, areproduct delighted networking opportunities. to be in partnership with Italian family run business, Bottene, who have been making fresh pasta making machines since 1805. From the original This will also seethe theBigolaro, introduction ofaround 3 new Industry features: handyear pasta machine, making 0.5kg of fresh “Bigoli”, inaugural National Pizzamachines, Championships in association to• theThe current rangeIrish of pasta making which can produce with the Associazione Italiane (API) will chefs from across anything from 3 toPizzerie 50 kgs of fresh pasta per see hour, Cuisinequip canIreland offer battle it out to be crowned National Pizza Champion the perfect pasta maker for any sized commercial kitchen. With a variety The IFSA’s – a brand new foodservice awards theoftheme of•dies that provide the ability to produce up to 70scheme differentwith types fresh “ for atoSustainable Future” pasta,Innovation enabling you create a unique menu for your restaurant, it’s no • TheBottene first ever Irish Tea Master’s Cup, organised by the European Tea Society and wonder are already the pasta maker of choice for restaurants Food &Sprezzatura Bev Live. The competition will beand partSugo of the European Tea such hosted as Café at Rojano, Dublin, Café Murano Glasgow. Pavilion whichand willeasy be promoting speciality Bottene’s practical to use range of pastateas makers allow the chef The scopetheir of the event is much more than just the eventfresh itself, with that media coverage from to select own ingredients to make a high-quality pasta, October March the opportunities forrecipes, businesses getas involved areper extensive. From can eventoaccommodate allergen free at asto little 15 pence sponsorship to competing to award entries, the very best of Ireland's foodservice portion. Most exhibiting, Bottene pasta makers are delivered complete with four industry beready well represented. standardwill dies, to make spaghetti, fettuccini, rigatoni and lasagne, which will provide a great base for your menu, but with an extensive die choice and additional for ravioli and bespoke pasta dies, you can For information onoptions exhibiting contact margaret@eventhaus.ie or add flexibility and individuality to your menu with(0)1 ease.8460021. stuart.caffrey@eventhaus.ie or call +353

Registration for visitors is now open at www.foodandbev.ie 42 36

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Murco Catering Equipment The Oncology Haematology department at University Hospital Waterford moved into the 4th floor in new Dunmore Wing on Monday 9th December. Murco Catering Equipment specialise in the fabrication of high end units for kitchens, pantries, sluice rooms that can be utilised in healthcare and in commercial kitchen settings. All units are built completely with seamless stainless steel tops with no weld joints so are perfect for hygiene in facilities such as hospitals and nursing homes where cleanliness is paramount.

IFSA news

Outside…the new inside!

Portable Kitchens: New Foodservice Solutions

This pandemic has forced an urgent strategic rethink on how we produce and distribute food safely to our customers. It’s time to gear up and make the most of your outdoor space. Gear up with a Trailblazer system & go out with a vengeance! Trailblazer BBQ, made in Ireland, sold worldwide. Our industry leading range of outdoor cooking equipment brings a rapid return on investment along with a unique theatre, mobility & power that’s needed to drive your business forward in this new ‘inside-out’ normal. • Adjustable cooking heights giving instant temperature control • Immense cooking capacities bringing huge profiting power • Authentic charcoal grilling bringing sheer theatre & excitement • Stainless steel worktops & drop-down tables • All year-round outdoor catering • A range of BBQ/Grills, smokers, servery’s & systems.

As the UK & Ireland’s leading provider of modular production kitchen facilities and food transportation systems, we are ideally placed to offer innovative solutions to current restrictions placed on catering operations across all market sectors. Access our New Foodservice Solutions PDF here

Website:https://portablekitchens.ie/ Email: info@portablekitchens.ie

Tork Clean Care for Foodservice

… & there’s more We have now developed a quality range of subtle, innovative hand sanitation systems for the long haul. Trailblazer Hygiene is specifically designed for restaurants & kitchens seeking an effective yet attractive solution to hand & surface sanitation throughout both front & back of house areas. Have a look and see what you think…

Don't Make A Scene,

Make A Statement!

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Free standing sanitation stations Wall mounted hand & surface sanitation stations Mobile sanitation stations Portable handwash systems

There are few businesses where hygiene has such a direct impact on the bottom line as restaurants and cafes. Keeping up with good hygiene in foodservice is key in all areas of your business, including the kitchen, dining area, restrooms, as well as when making deliveries. Good hygiene routines will help you ensure food safety and provide the best and safest experience possible for both your guests and staff. The Tork Clean Care program provides a wide range of expertise and cleaning solutions for the foodservice industry that helps you set up processes and train your staff. With tips and content on how to keep up with good personal hygiene and surface cleaning – making sure that both your guests and employees are well taken care of. For more info, visit https://www.tork.co.uk/hygiene/ good-hygiene/tork-clean-care/foodservice H&RT SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020

Chef Network

KITCHEN CULTURE Meet the chefs & teams of Ireland’s professional kitchens, with Chef Network The Chef Network community brings together chefs at all levels from all sectors across Ireland. In a Hotel & Restaurant Times regular column we meet some members and hear from them what inspires and motivates them, their career challenges and opportunities, and how they believe we can improve the industry.

In this edition, we meet

Wade Murphy, Chef Owner of 1826 Adare in Co. Limerick

Why did you become a Chef? It’s all I ever wanted to be, even from a very young age. My Granny Cullen was a cook in Gorey, where I grew up, and I loved spending time with her around food, watching her cook good wholesome food. She would cook for Gorey Rugby Club and the local Christian Brothers. She was a very proud ICA member and I suppose she gave me a grá for good ingredients and cooking. Even before I did my Leaving Cert, I knew I wanted to work in this industry. I had spent summers working in some really good hotels in Gorey and Courtown, like The Courtown Hotel and Marlfield House, as a kitchen porter and then commis chef. I just loved the whole buzz of a kitchen and the hospitality industry. I loved handling fresh ingredients, going into the herb garden and picking herbs for service, getting whole wild fish and prepping them, getting joints of meat and butchering them down, not wasting a scrap. So, in answer to that question I never wanted to do anything other than be a chef. What was your path to where you are today? The earlier part I already touched on in the first question. So after I did my Leaving Cert, which I did quite well in, I was one of those annoying feckers who liked to mess in school but put the head in the books when I was home, I went to Cathal Brugha St. but left after 2nd year as I missed the actual buzz of working. I wanted to work high-end and with that in mind I moved to London. I spent 9 tough but educational years working in various wellknown fine dining restaurants up to 2- and 3-star Michelin. After that I came back to Ireland to be part of the opening team of the Four Seasons hotel in Dublin. It was, in my opinion at that time, the highest standard hotel Ireland had ever seen. I really enjoyed that experience and at that stage had made my way up to sous chef in this very demanding hotel. In 2005 I transferred with the company to the Four Seasons in Chicago. It was the GM of Dublin, Mr John Brennan, who sorted this transfer for me. I wanted to learn more people management skills, so I felt there was no better place than America to do this. The Chicago property was one of the busiest in the group in the US and I spent 2 years there. America was a good experience, but it wasn’t for me. I was fed up with all the GM foods and having had the experience of great Irish produce from a young age I missed Irish produce and the quality of it. So, in 2007 I took my first Head Chef position and opened Lisloughrey Lodge (Now the Lodge at Ashford) in Cong, County Mayo. In 2011, I moved to the Lodge at Doonbeg as Executive Chef and then in 2013, along with my wife Elaine, we moved to her home area and achieved a lifelong ambition and opened our own restaurant 1826 Adare. 7 years later we are still going!

What’s the most important ingredient in your success to date? It’s difficult to pick out just one ingredient. My success, if that’s what you want to call it, has been a bit like a recipe of several ingredients. Obviously, my early days and my introduction to good quality ingredients and a respect for those ingredients. My own eagerness and thirst for knowledge (I always tell young chefs to act like a sponge and soak everything up) and probably the last and most important ingredient is people. Whether that has been family, friends, colleagues, fellow chefs, head chefs, managers, owners, team members, food heroes and so on. People have influenced my career so much and this article is not long enough for me to mention them all and I’m afraid if I mention any, I’d leave some important people out. One I have to mention though is my wife Elaine. I thought I knew a lot until I opened a restaurant with my wife. It was the first time we ever worked together. Her knowledge of the business and service side of things is second to none and 1826 Adare would not have been the success it is if it was just me at the helm. So, to sum that up my recipe is "1-part love of ingredients, 1-part thirst for knowledge, 2-parts people and a handful of hard work thrown in at the end”. Tell us about the team you work with The “Team” are an integral part of what and who we are. Every member, both past and present, have had an impact on all things 1826. We work alongside a very small crew. We have been very lucky that people have stayed with us for long periods of time since we opened 7 years ago. We had a very low turnover in the first 4 or 5 years and then people moved on to either travel, go back home or go work in more highend restaurants or hotels. We look at ourselves as a family restaurant with a family attitude. All this helps to build a positive environment. Everyone mucks in to help everyone. We learn alongside each other on a daily basis. This in turn helps keep the team and ourselves, interested and motivated. We look at the kitchen as a training kitchen for people to gain experience in a place that does everything from scratch in order to move on and further their careers, if they want to. It’s all about giving people experience. I don’t mind if somebody looks to work in the restaurant that has little or no experience, people can’t have experience without gaining it somewhere. The same with the front of house. Elaine spends a lot of time training staff to a very high standard. We have been really lucky to have great team members over the years and from all walks of life, all different characters and all have contributed in different ways to the success of the restaurant. I always say a chef, or a restaurant is only ever as good as their team!

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The Team are an integral part of what and who we are

Supported by Ready Chef 44

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Chef Network Have you seen a negative side of the industry in your experience? I’d be lying if I said I’ve never saw any negative side to the industry. The hours, the pay, the atmosphere, the heat and so on. A lot of this has changed for the better but there is still a bit of a way to go. I worked in the melting pot that was London in the 90’s. Some of the things I saw there only made me more determined that if I ever opened my own place this will never happen there. It is a very tough industry to work in and it’s not for everyone. There are a lot of people making strides to improve the industry and we as an industry need to get behind these changes and bring on the improvements.

The Chef Network Kitchen Charter aims to create a positive and nurturing work environment in kitchens, which point(s) on the charter do you feel are most important and how do you implement these in your own kitchen/ business? Wow that’s a very difficult question and it would be difficult to narrow it down to just one or two of the points. Each point on the Kitchen Charter is important in its own way. We always try to build a positive and encouraging environment in the kitchen and the promotion of learning and development is important. We all try to learn together in 1826 and that is what keeps us going and is a vital part in the success of the restaurant. I love learning every day and it is a really important part of one’s personal development. One of the things I have thought a lot about over these last few weeks, since we’ve been closed is our Work-Life Balance. I have told myself that once we are back open, I will not work the crazy hours I have been doing up to now and that time with my young son is more important to me than doing 70 hours a week in my kitchen. I try to look at the silver linings in all situations and with the coronavirus I see now the time I have gotten to spend with my family as time I would never have had if the restaurant was open. So, to make a long answer short I now think that the Work-Life Balance point is the most important. That could all change once we get back open again though haha! What’s the most important lesson you have learned about being a leader in the kitchen? Don’t ask somebody to do a job you are not willing to do yourself! It’s very simple really and that one line really needs no more explanation.

BEING A CHEF….

What I love most is…. Getting to go, every day, to a job that I love What makes me most proud is…Seeing somebody on your team go on to have a great career of their own. It means you’ve done your job as a mentor. The most rewarding thing I’ve done is…. Opening our own restaurant. It was always a dream of mine and to be able to do that alongside my wife, Elaine, and achieve what we have achieved in 7 short years is without doubt the most rewarding thing I’ve done to date.

I have learned that… Life is too short; you have to grab the bull by the horns and go and achieve your dreams. Nothing will land in your lap without putting in the hard work. The key skills or traits to have in this job are…Patience, thirst for knowledge and a willingness to work hard. We can create a better workplace by…Looking after one another and paying it forward. My advice to chefs starting out is…Act like a sponge and soak up every bit of information and knowledge you can. It will stand to you in the future or further into your career. My advice to chefs trying to progress their career is…Keep pushing and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. My advice to any chef opening their own place/setting up a business is… Make sure you know the financial side of owning your own business or like in my case be married to the brains of the business. Try not to be in debt up to your eyes before you even open your doors. Be smart and know the capabilities of both your property and the team. My greatest mentor has been…Tough one but I would have to say my former GM at the Four Seasons Dublin, Mr John Brennan. What that man has forgotten about this industry is more than the entirety of what I know. Behind him would be Terry White my old Exec Chef in Dublin and Kevin Hickey, my Exec Chef in Chicago. My biggest inspiration is… My son Rían. I used to work for myself and now I no longer do, I work to provide him with the best future I can. He already loves being in the restaurant and hanging out with all the team. They all call him Bossbaby My favourite place to eat... Wow that’s so unfair, I have so many. In Ireland it is the Greenhouse, Campagne, The Tannery, Guilbauds, The Pigs Ear, Kai, The Oak Room and with that I’m sure I’ve forgotten some. My really happy place is a restaurant in Cape Town called Chefs Warehouse & Canteen owned by a remarkable Irish chef Liam Tomlin and his wife Jan My favourite dish on our menu… Has to be the 12 Hour Treacle Braised Beef Short-rib. It’s a dish I was originally shown by Paul Flynn a few years back and I’ve tweaked it to become basically an 1826 signature dish. It takes a lot of work and you have to start 2 days before you can actually serve it. How to keep or attract staff… Build an environment that people want to be a part of and actually don’t want to leave! In saying that people do have to move on and especially if they are young. We need to realise and accept that people should not and do not have to stay with you forever

As you rebuild, will you do things differently? The industry has faced on of its toughest tests yet. But chefs are constantly adapting and innovating, and now we need to do this more than ever. As kitchens re-open and businesses rebuild, can we take this as an opportunity to do things better? Chef Network is here to support you. Check out resources like the Kitchen Workplace Charter and the Achieving Efficiency series on www.chefnetwork.ie to help build a positive Kitchen Culture and a more efficient business, and learn from a community of 4,000 chefs who have your back.

Chefs and Employers, have you seen our Kitchen Workplace Charter? Working together towards a better industry

Join CHEF NETWORK free today at www.chefnetwork.ie to connect, communicate and collaborate with your chef community Supported by Ready Chef H&RT SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020

Guestline

Your Guide to Choosing the Right PMS for Your Property Budget season is fast approaching, meaning it is imperative that hotels make their budget work harder for them. With the challenges presented by Covid-19, now more than ever will be the time to review your hotel technology solutions to create an agile environment that sets a higher bar of technological excellence moving into the future. Gone are the days of unnecessary firefighting, there are tools and processes that can help relieve some frustrations and stresses whilst also boosting your bottom line. Here Clio O’Gara, Ireland Country Manager for Guestline and an experienced hospitality expert, discusses the challenges facing hoteliers and the importance of investing in good affordable technology.

Q. What do you think has changed most within the hotel industry?

Without a doubt, it has to be the guest profile. Most hotels previously benefited from overseas visitors, complimented by domestic business. Now we are limited to the independent Irish leisure guest who has diverse requirements and needs that need to be met, whether they are travelling alone, with young or teenage children or perhaps with an elderly relative. They do say be careful what you wish for and these are the type of guests that hoteliers dreamed of since the arrival of OTA’s – the type that books direct, has one to one contact with your reservations team and hotels have the ability to engage and WOW these guests with incredible customer service and the little touches etc. opening up the door to repeat business. But they are also the type of guests who require that extra love and attention, they want personalisation, quick turnaround times, empathy, management of their specific requirements etc. Gone are the tours and groups. Now, hoteliers could have up to or 100+ individual guest rooms per night all requiring lots of communication and information before arrival, during their stay and post departure and managing this with a reduced team is very demanding, putting renewed pressures on the team.

Q. What is the future of processes within hotels?

Since Covid-19 hit, over the last 8 months, hoteliers have become more involved in their business

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than ever before. They are now on the floor supporting their teams, understanding their guest needs and are perhaps finding some of their processes and procedures heavy and time consuming. They are examining and dissecting front and back office processes and are for the first time perhaps witnessing the frustrations that their staff have been dealing with for some time. And, most importantly, they are also tight on labour and are now understanding the need for automated systems to kick in to identify that each market segment needs a different response. But hoteliers need to open their minds to adopting new technology and come to terms with how it can actually improve your overall business model right through the customer journey. For example, automation doesn’t remove the ‘personal’ if it is built properly, it’s faster, more efficient and by recording your guest’s history, can add simple birthday and anniversary touches, offer increased upselling opportunities and ensures the guest remains informed. There is also time and money savings to be had by introducing an integrated payment solution, such as Guestline’s GuestPay, that offers best value by processing all payments together in one place. Throughout lockdown we, as an industry, believed that the guest would want a contactless experience, however, experience over the summer has told us the opposite. The more processes a hotelier can leave in the capable hands of its PMS, the More Guest Time this brings. Guests want face to face reassurance on arrival and more interaction during their stay, because they want to explore the locality more and enjoy the hotel’s amenities.

Guestline

Q What can hoteliers do now that will future proof their business ahead of high season 2021 and beyond?

Hoteliers need to really understand their business. They need to pull it apart, investigate new processes and procedures and explore evolved technology that can assist them with this. Timing is also key. If technology is incorporated into budgets ahead of 2020, Winter will be key to implement whilst you have the time, leaving you fighting fit ahead of the competition and more time to go after the very desirable business you’d love to attract next summer. As yourself questions such as ‘How easy is your direct booking processes?’, ‘How well are you handling your payment processes?’ etc. It’s about being smarter, more adaptable, choosing better and more effective integrations and core products that can really drive the business forward. Independent products can be somewhat redundant by themselves; they need the right integrations (CRM, Channel Manager, Tills etc) to really drive the guest journey. A two-way integration to your PMS is imperative to ensure you are maximising the yield from each product. My one piece of advice would be to go and look at what you are currently spending on products that are frustrating you, bring these to the table and analyse what you could do with that money going forward. It’s about being clever and re-spending the money you’ve already got on a platform, integration and products that work seamlessly together.

Q With heightened anxiety around budgeting season this year, do you have any advice for hoteliers?

If your technology stack is outdated or simply does not meet your expectations, the cost of ignoring could be more critical to the longterm bottom line of the business. During this time of reflecting and with the world rebuilding itself, there is no better time to do a deal with more value on offer than ever before. Technology partners will try harder to bring to the table the best solutions for your business with lots of care and attention to your hotel’s needs. Traditionally a PMS platform would have been paid upfront but these days there are plenty of monthly payment plans on offer so do your homework and investigate, every technology partner will have a payment option suitable to your business needs. It’s time to discover what you want so you can talk about how you will pay for it, more affordably than ever before and we bet, you already have the budget, it’s just being wasted, frustrating you elsewhere. To help, Guestline has devised a useful checklist to assist you and your team in reviewing what technology platform would be the best fit for your needs and budget. Access your free ‘Guide to choosing the right PMS for your property’ here

www.Guestline.com H&RT SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020

Hayfield Manor

HAYFIELD MANOR JOINS THE PRESTIGIOUS AMERICAN EXPRESS FINE HOTELS & RESORTS PROGRAMME

Hayfield Manor joins the prestigious American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts Programme Hayfield Manor, a member of Ireland’s Blue Book, has been accepted as member of the exclusive travel programme American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts. Acceptance into the Fine Hotels & Resorts Programme is notoriously difficult as the programme is kept to a limited elite and features the finest hand-picked luxury properties across the globe. Hayfield Manor is the only Irish property to be accepted into the programme for 2021 and is one of only 20 hotels worldwide that have been added in demand destinations for 2021. Hayfield Manor joins a small collection of other Irish iconic hotels already in the programme such as Dromoland & Ashford. Hayfield Manor was accepted based on an extensive secret inspection during which the hotel excelled on the meticulous assessment of the hotel’s services and accommodation. Ettienne Van Vrede, CEO of Hayfield Family Collection said ‘This is excellent news and very timely news for Hayfield Manor. We have applied to be part of this collection for a number of years and we are delighted to finally be selected to join the Fine Hotels & Resorts Programme for 2021; a year where we will need every possible source of new business to help us to rebuild following this pandemic. Hayfield Manor will be the only hotel in Cork in the programme and it is testament to our tourism offering in Cork that American Express have identified our beautiful destination as a new demand location for their customers based on cardholder

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spend. We are so proud and appreciative of our exceptional team for achieving this accolade and for consistently delivering exceptional personal service to all our guests. It has been a very sad and difficult time for our industry over the last few months and this wonderful news could never have come at a more welcome time for us. We will start promoting the hotel for bookings from the extensive American Express global customer base from August 2020 and we anticipate welcoming many new international guests in future years that Fine Hotels & Resorts will bring to our treasured destination of Cork.’

About Ireland’s Blue Book

Ireland's Blue Book is a collection of Irish Country House Hotels, Manor Houses, Castles and Restaurants. Located throughout the island of Ireland these charming and stylish hideaways are the perfect choice for your romantic escape or weekend retreat. Activities vary from golf, fishing, spas and cookery schools or just relaxing in warm and comfortable surroundings. Also included in the collection are five of Ireland’s finest Michelin star restaurants.

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