Hotel & Catering Review Issue 11 2018

ISSUE 11 2018

UNDERSTANDING GUEST INTERACTION WITH

Hoist Group

Growth Gearing up for

DROPPING INTO THE DEVLIN IN RANELAGH

FÁILTE IRELAND SETS OUT ITS STALL FOR THE TOURISM INDUSTRY

5 STAR ACCOMMODATION FOR STAFF AT ASHFORD CASTLE

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BAR YEAR 2018 OF THE

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AWARDS

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ISSUE 11 2018

Contents IN THIS ISSUE

12 16

Skilling Up Training from Cork Chamber Skillnet has led to improved staff morale at the Kingsley Hotel

18 20

Deal or no deal?

Mairea Doyle Balfe analyses the impact of Brexit on the Irish hospitality sector

Collecting the little wow’s Press Up Group has gone all out to impress with The Devlin in Ranelagh

PAVING THE WAY FOR GROWTH

It’s really important that people work together in a region, that they view the person down the road who’s offering the same as them not as a competitor, but as their collaborator.”

Paul Kelly, CEO, Fáilte Ireland

REGULARS

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News

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Book Shelf

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A Quick Chat

25 28 31

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Interiors A €3m investment has created a home away from home for staff at Ashford Castle

Get inspired Hoist Group Ireland’s Inspiration Day was all about understanding guest interaction

‘Tis the season…

Kick back and indulge in some festive cheer with a nice glass of wine this Christmas

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Editor Denise Maguire Art Director: Áine Duffy Design Assistant: James Moore Anna Wesolowska Creative Director: Jane Matthews Photography: Food on the Edge, Shane O’Neill, Ballynahinch Castle, Irish Guild of Sommeliers, Welbilt, DELI-LITES, Dunnes Stores, Photographicmemory.ie, Minibar Systems, Jenn-Air, Baidu, Percipia, Hodder & Stoughton, Brewer’s Publications, Penguin, Dan Dennison Stock Photography iStock Infographics: www.flaticon.com Production: Nicole Ennis Sales Director: Trish Murphy Managing Director: Gerry Tynan Chairman: Diarmaid Lennon

Published by: Ashville Media, Unit 55 Park West Road, Park West Industrial Estate, Dublin 12, D12 X9F9.

Tel: (01) 432 2200 ISSN: 0332-4400 All rights reserved. Every care has been taken to ensure that the information contained in this magazine is accurate. The publishers cannot, however, accept responsibility for errors or omissions. Reproduction by any means in whole or in part without the permission of the publisher is prohibited. © Ashville Media Group 2018. All discounts, promotions and competitions contained in this magazine are run independently of Hotel & Catering Review. The promoter/advertiser is responsible for honouring the prize.

Editor’s

VIEW W

elcome to issue 11 of Hotel & Catering Review In many respects, 2018 has been an excellent year for the industry. Tourism figures were up across the board; according to recent figures from Fáilte Ireland, over 9.6 million overseas tourists visited our shores, while more than 260,000 people are currently employed by tourism in Ireland. The tourism agency intends to build on that growth in 2019 by creating new things for visitors to see and do around the country, not just in the tourism hotspots. Visitor dispersion and a lengthening of the season are two of the priorities that Fáilte Ireland has outlined in its 2019 plans, which were recently launched by CEO Paul Kelly.

Despite this growth, the increased VAT rate and the threat of a no-deal Brexit have created an air of uncertainty in the industry. Fáilte Ireland has included provisions in its plans to help businesses cope with these challenges and has emphasised the importance of diversification into other markets. We must give visitors an even bigger reason to visit Ireland, an ambition that will be aided by Fáilte Ireland’s expanded budget in 2019 and a focus on creating new visitor experiences around the country. For more on Fáilte Ireland’s plans next year, turn to page 12.

From all the team at Hotel & Catering Review, we hope you enjoy this last issue of the year. We wish all our readers a very Happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year. See you all in 2019!

HOTEL

Email: denise.maguire@ ashvillemediagroup.com

Denise Maguire www.hotelandcateringreview.ie @HC_Review

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Editor: Denise Maguire

@

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“Nature’s purest tasting VODKA” BAR YEAR 2018 OF THE

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News Your monthly round-up…

Celebrate Christmas at Slane Distillery Slane Distillery, the recently-opened whiskey distillery located on the grounds of Slane Castle, will be converted into a Christmas village this December. The courtyard in the centre of the 250-year-old Georgian stables that now houses Slane Distillery will be transformed with the addition of traditional log cabins selling a selection of giftware, local artisan produce and locally produced confectionary. Visitors will also have the chance to sample a range of tasty food offerings available at the food trucks in the Distillery, coupled with a Slane Winter Spiced Apple Punch and a Slane Irish Whiskey cocktail made with local Cockagee Cider.

‘Winter Warmers’ Craft Beers From Boyne Brewhouse Drogheda-based craft brewery, Boyne Brewhouse, has launched a limited edition ‘Winter Warmers’ three bottle Irish craft beer range. Two new beers have been brewed as companions to the brewery’s Imperial Stout, named “Best Beer in Ireland” at the 2018 Alltech Craft Beer Awards. The 330ml bottle ‘Winter Warmers’ collection consists of Imperial Stout 10.8%, Belgian Dubbel 8% and Winter Ale 8%.

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Alltech Beverage Division Ireland (ABDI) has announced the planned opening of a new brewery at the historic site of the old MacArdle Moore Brewery in Dundalk.

The new Pearse Lyons Brewery will incorporate the relocation of the Station Works Brewery in Newry, which was acquired by the late Dr. Pearse Lyons in 2015 and produces the Foxes Rock range of ales, stouts and lagers. The new facility will be fully operational by early December 2018. The move to Dundalk will see all current Station Works staff relocating to the new facility, with plans for new hires in 2019.

Mark Lyons, President & CEO, Alltech with John O’Brien, Master Brewer, Pearse Lyons Brewery

Pearse Lyons Brewery To Open New Dundalk Facility New GM at Glenlo Abbey Hotel Glenlo Abbey has appointed Galway native Rónán O’Halloran to the role of General Manager. Previous roles include Front Office Manager at Radisson Blu, Athlone, Front Office Manager at the Westbury Dublin and Director of Rooms at InterContinental Dublin.

“I want to draw on my own local background to deliver a pure slice of West of Ireland hospitality to all who come through our gates, whether that be the friendly, genuine Ceád Míle Fáilte on arrival, or the provenance of the food on our menus,” said Rónán.

Hey Donna On Dame Street Hey Donna by Joe Macken has opened a second Dublin location on Dame Street. Just a year on from opening the original Hey Donna in Rathmines, Hey Donna Dame Street will open seven days from midday for lunch, with vegetables taking centre stage on the menu.

Craft beers, iced teas and organic wines make up the drinks offering at the new restaurant.

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Francis Brennan recognised for contribution to Irish Tourism

Jimmy Deenihan and Francis Brennan

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Irish hotelier Francis Brennan was recently announced as the recipient of the “2018 Listowel Food Fair Lifetime Achievement Award”.

Speaking about the award Festival Chairperson, Jimmy Deenihan, said: “Francis Brennan was chosen by our festival judging panel this year because of his outstanding contribution to Irish tourism and the Irish hospitality sector over the past 30 years. Francis has been a great ambassador not only for Kenmare and Kerry, but also for Ireland on a national and international level.”

This year’s Food Fair included a business seminar which focused on the role of technology in food production and innovation.

Speakers included Colette Twomey, MD of Clonakilty Black Pudding; Noel Carr, MD Diomac, Kerry Technology Park; Noelle Watts, Chief Information Officer Ornua; Panal-Cal Flynn, Manager of R&D, Kerry Group; and John O’Connor, MD of Prestige Foods.

Penn Station commuters get flavour of Ireland Hundreds of thousands of New York commuters and visitors to the city recently experienced a new Ireland promotion, which is part of a two-month campaign being rolled out by Tourism Ireland in conjunction with United Airlines. The promotion involved an Ireland ‘takeover’ of the United Airlines city ticket office in Penn Station, which included displays featuring images of Ireland, a three-piece band playing traditional Irish music during rush hour and gifts for commuters (including sheep stress-balls, shamrock keyrings and Tayto crisps).

A calligrapher was also on hand to translate commuters’ names into Irish and write them on a branded United/ Ireland bookmark.

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Increased growth in overseas visitors to September 2018

Commenting on figures published by the CSO for overseas arrivals from January to September 2018, Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland, said: “The figures from the CSO confirm that overseas visitor numbers increased by +7.1% during the January-September period – 542,300 additional overseas arrivals when compared with the first nine months of 2017.”

He added: “Particularly welcome in these figures is the continued strong performance from North America, with an increase of +12.9%. A number of factors are working in our favour, including more airline seats than ever before,

from more gateways across the US and Canada. We’ve also seen excellent results from mainland Europe, up +10% on January-September last year, with particularly strong performances from Germany (+20.9%) and Italy (+11.8%). Tourism Ireland has prioritised North America and mainland Europe as markets which offer a strong return on investment, in terms of holiday visitors and expenditure.

While we welcome the fact that arrivals from Britain are up +1.1%, it is not yet clear if this represents a turnaround in the long-term trend. The impact of Brexit on outbound travel from Britain remains a concern.”

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Let your taste buds do the walking at Trinity City Hotel

Neven Maguire helps launch ‘New Era For Irish Apprenticeships’ Ireland Skills Live, set to take place next March 21-23 at RDS Simmonscourt in Dublin, will see thousands of Irish school students participate in competitions and demonstrations by Irish apprentices and trainees. The event, which is intended to open students’ eyes to new third level options and career paths, was launched by Minister Josepha Madigan, chef Nevin Maguire, Aer Lingus and Sisk. Job opportunities in the culinary arts will be on show at the event. Commenting on the initiative, Neven Maguire said: “Ireland Skills Live will be the highlight of the year for trade and skill in Ireland. I am looking forward to meeting the thousands of Irish school students who will see it all in action at the RDS in March. I started as an apprentice myself and the industry has come a long way since then.”

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Trinity City Hotel has teamed up with Fab Food Trails to offer tourists an innovative new package, priced at €262, which includes overnight accommodation, breakfast and a Fab Food Trail tour. Led by locals, the trails bring visitors to eight independent food outlets that provide expert insight into what’s interesting about food in the capital right now.

Stout Of This World In November, Guinness together with guest brewers and a host of experts from around the world, hosted a Future of Stout Summit, focused on stout innovation and the opportunities that exist when brewing this style of beer. At the summit, Guinness announced that its brewers are set to work on a feasibility study which will investigate the viability of brewing a Guinness fit to be enjoyed in space. The event took place in the Open Gate Brewery and was attended by a team of brewers from the St. James’s Gate Brewery in Dublin and other brewers from around the world including the UK, the Netherlands and Korea.

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Foodservice market set to reach €8.2bn

Bord Bia has released findings from its 2018 Irish Foodservice Market Insights Report, showing that Ireland’s foodservice market is set to grow by 6.1% this year to reach a value of €8.2 billion.

According to the report, consumer demand for convenience and sustainable practices are disrupting the foodservice industry and that with more operators using food as a tool to compete, new channels such as forecourt food experiences are continuing to emerge.

The report also highlights the fact that city centres have now reached close to saturation point when it comes to quick serve restaurants and cafés and that a tightening labour market has led to shortages in finding and keeping qualified staff.

Bord Bia Report New Demands of the Irish Consumer •

Convenience is key with consumers looking to source food ‘anytime, anywhere’. A continued emphasis on convenient options such as takeaway and delivery will drive growth and spread to other segments that traditionally don’t cater for this, including full service restaurants, pubs and even hotels.

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Three meals per day is no longer “the norm” as day-stages blur and traditional ways of dining are disappearing. On the go dining will continue to grow and snacking and late-night occasions will grow in importance as consumers look to source food at any time.

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Consumers are looking for more experiences when eating out.

Restaurants and foodservice providers are increasingly seen as “entertainment”, with consumers willing to spend on something that is unique and different. Occasions will increasingly be divided into those that are convenience driven and those in which consumers demand “something unique.”

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Third party delivery is possibly the biggest disruptor as technology provides app-enabled ordering which is increasingly growing into segments that haven’t traditionally delivered such as full-service restaurants and even pubs. Delivery-only kitchens are starting to appear in other countries and will likely be an area of focus for delivery companies in Ireland.

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The changing palate of the Irish consumer has seen an increased demand for ‘fresh and locally sourced’, not only to meet the needs of ‘health and wellness’ but also for sustainable business practices.

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Luxury. Relaxed.

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Winner of Ireland’s 5 Star Hotel Spa Experience

The Europe Hotel & Resort, Fossa, Killarney, Co. Kerry.

Tel. 064 6671300 Email. reservations@theeurope.com

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A Hidden Gem on the Shores of Caragh Lake

Winner of Ireland’s Country House & Guest House Experience

Ard na Sidhe Country House, Caragh Lake, Killorglin, Co. Kerry.

Tel. 066 9769105 Email. reservations@ardnasidhe.com

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Michele Reid has been appointed Group Manager for Mount Charles’ healthy eating franchise, Freshly Chopped N.I. She will oversee the opening of Mount Charles’ Freshly Chopped restaurants across Northern Ireland and Donegal, along with staff training and development. Michele has been an employee with Mount Charles for over 17 years and has worked her way up the ranks from trained chef to her new management role.

New Appointment At Mount Charles Bushmills Collaborates With The Bearded Candle Makers Bushmills Irish Whiskey has presented the latest instalment of the #BlackBushStories event series, ‘Black Bush Alight’. The collaborative events showcase the stories of Irish talent who have gone against the grain to become champions in their chosen field. The creative force behind the Bearded Candle Makers, Irish-born Michael Morris, partnered with Bushmills Irish Whiskey to create a limited-edition winter candle and to host a hands-on workshop at Drury Buildings in Dublin across two nights in November. The evenings offered whiskey enthusiasts the opportunity to understand the art of documenting scent and create their very own keepsake candle. An educational tasting session on some of the best-loved Bushmills whiskeys kicked off the night and specially-created Black Bush winter drinks were also served throughout the evening.

Ballygarry House wins two awards for Wedding Venue of the year Ballygarry House Hotel had reason to celebrate recently, winning the Munster Wedding Venue of the Year at the 2018 National Hospitality Awards (NHA) and the Best Wedding Venue of the Year at the Connect Kerry Hospitality Awards. Nádúr Spa was also announced the winner of Best Hotel Spa of the Year. Padraig McGillicuddy, proprietor said: “This award is a testament to the dedication of each and every member of our team at Ballygarry House. As Ballygarry House celebrates 60 years in business, we look forward to continuing to offer a seamless experience to all our guests and customers.”

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Cover Story

Fáilte Ireland’s plans for 2019 focus on increased visitor dispersion, regional growth and dealing with the challenges of an increased VAT rate in a post-Brexit Ireland

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Cover Story

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018 was a phenomenal year for Irish tourism. Over 9.6 million overseas tourists visited our shores, a figure which contributed to the additional 20,000 jobs created in the industry this year.

Today, 260,000 people are employed by tourism in Ireland.

The relevance of the tourism industry to Ireland and, more specifically, to certain parts of the country, can’t be underestimated; growth in revenue and jobs is generated in several parts of the country where other industries just don’t exist.

In 2019, Fáilte Ireland is aiming to build on this growth while providing the industry with the myriad of supports it will undoubtedly need to cope with the challenges that Brexit and the increased VAT rate will bring. Growth of 5% is being predicted by the tourism agency but in order to achieve that, it will need to be planned in a sustainable way for visitors, industry, communities and the environment. ‘Regionality’ and ‘seasonality’ underpin the organisation’s plans for 2019, which were recently launched by Fáilte Ireland’s CEO Paul Kelly and the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Shane Ross. An increased dispersion of visitors throughout the country and a lengthening of the season are two of its main objectives. “We have a budget increase of about €17 million this year. Half of that goes into the wide range of capital projects that we’re currently working on. We have about 49 large capital grant projects around the country that will create new things for people to see and do in Ireland. In addition, we have about 47 small grant schemes that we’re supporting around the country, all developed with regionality and seasonality in mind,” said Paul Kelly, CEO at Fáilte Ireland.

REGIONAL GROWTH The organisation is working on approximately nine visitor experience development plans around Ireland. “This is where we work with local stakeholders to create long-term plans to develop the tourism offering in their perhaps lesser-known area. These plans aim to increase dwell time and revenue, while complementing the environment and culture of the region.

We’ll be expanding that to 18 plans next year. Business tourism is also a priority in 2019. It tends to happen outside the peak months so we’ll be aiming to extend out that season.”

NEW INITIATIVES A new ‘Month of Food’ programme will be held in autumn 2019. This will, says Paul, help to lengthen the season and build our international reputation as a food destination. “Our food programme will offer immersive food tourism experiences, showcasing the quality of Irish produce and driving increased visitor numbers and revenue, particularly in the off-season.” With festivals bringing over 200,000 overseas visitors to Ireland each year, plans are in place to build on that growth. “We have plans to create a new Halloween festival in Ireland’s Ancient East to complement the Bram Stoker festival that happens in Dublin. We want to develop an international ownership of Halloween and showcase Ireland as the authentic birthplace of Halloween.”

STAFF SHORTAGES Although 2018 was a great year for Irish tourism, on the ground issues such as staff shortages contributed to a challenging environment for many in the industry. A new Hospitality and Tourism Careers Oversight Group is set to be established by Fáilte Ireland, tasked with addressing labour supply and skills developments issues. Members of the Group, which will design and implement a tourism career promotion campaign, will include industry representative bodies, education providers and state agencies.

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Cover Story

BREXIT The industry must avoid getting paralysed by the uncertainty around Brexit, says Paul. “We have to act on what we know – the UK market is going to be more challenging. Sterling has gotten weaker and we can confidently predict that it’s unlikely to get stronger any time soon. That means employing certain strategies such as diversification into other markets. Every time we work with businesses to increase their market diversification, they end up with a business that’s less risky and less reliant on either the domestic or GB market. Their revenue also improves through managing that risk better. In light of Brexit, market diversification must be accelerated.”

INCREASED VAT RATE Although Fáilte Ireland actively campaigned for the retention of the 9% VAT rate, it also put in place contingency measures in the event of an increase. The increased VAT rate will, says Paul, be a challenge for those businesses in growing and emerging areas of tourism. “For businesses trying to decide if it’s worth keeping their doors open for an extra two weeks this year, that revenue hit from the VAT increase may make them decide against it. With the extra money we’ve got in our budget, we’re really focusing on supporting those businesses. We’re trying to do as much as we can to bring more visitors into those areas so that people can still operate at those margins of growth.

SPREADING THE BENEFIT When it comes to spreading the benefit of tourism, Fáilte Ireland is making progress but there’s a long way to go. “Despite the progress we’ve made in recent years, about 70% of bed nights are still spent in about five counties.

There’s still plenty of opportunity to grow those other 21 counties and there’s no doubt we’re seeing success. All you have to do is go to north Mayo, Sligo or Donegal and talk to businesses who are seeing a huge influx of visitors, thanks to the Wild Atlantic Way.”

OFFERING VALUE FOR MONEY Our value for money ratings are, says Paul, at risk. “This is very concerning to us. With the VAT increase and other cost inflation pressures, it’s challenging for the industry to continue to offer value for money, but keeping service levels high and managing price in line with any currency fluctuations is also key. It’s also important to remember relationships with tour operators; offer them good value for money and keeping Ireland on their itinerary is crucial. For industry members, it may mean taking a little bit less pricing today in order to secure tomorrow. We’re not saying anyone shouldn’t be making a healthy profit but it is important that we don’t kill the goose that’s laying the golden eggs.

WEATHERING THE CHANGES Engaging with Fáilte Ireland’s cost and revenue training management programme will equip businesses with the tools they need to grow their business in 2019. Collaboration is also key when it comes to attracting new business. “It’s really important that people work together in a region, that they view the person down the road who’s offering the same as them not as a competitor, but as their collaborator. The opportunities that are out there in the world are so much bigger than what we have in the domestic market. Collaboration will grow the visitors coming into your area and that rising tide will lift all boats.” Looking beyond your already established markets to increase revenue is also important, says Paul. “We’ll advise what market is suitable for your location. If you do that as a local collaborative group, it will have much more impact.” Although the GB and NI markets will be more challenging in 2019, they’re too big and important to walk away from. “Whatever you’ve done in the past to retain that business, be aware that it’s not going to be enough from 2019 onwards. We have to give those visitors an even more compelling reason to spend their money here.”

2019 PLANS

The Main Points Visitor Experience Development Plans in the regions Working with local stakeholders, tourism businesses and communities, shared longterm tourism plans will be developed to drive visitor numbers to lesser known areas and attractions such as the Inishowen Penisula on the Wild Atlantic Way or attractions that bring to life specific themes, such as the ‘Castles & Conquests’ theme in Ireland’s Ancient East.

New festivals and events to drive growth in the off peak season With festivals motivating over 200,000 overseas visitors to come to Ireland and contributing €108 million to the economy, a series of new festivals will be developed to drive growth in the off-peak seasons, including a major new Halloween festival to take place in Ireland’s Ancient East. A new ‘Month of Food’ programme will also be developed, showcasing the quality of Irish produce and driving increased visitor numbers and revenue, particularly in the off season.

Tourism careers A New Hospitality and Tourism Careers Oversight Group will be established to address labour supply and skills developments issues which are currently affecting growth for tourism businesses.

Increased marketing and sales New investment by Fáilte Ireland in domestic and Northern Ireland marketing and business tourism overseas.

Paul Kelly, CEO, Fáilte Ireland

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Business Matters

Skilling

UP Training from Cork Chamber Skillnet has led to improved staff morale and customer service at the Kingsley Hotel

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Business Matters

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he importance of continuous training in the hospitality sector can’t be underestimated. Effective training programmes develop talent among staff and help ensure an excellent, consistent experience for guests. Selecting the right programme from the plethora of training courses out there can, however, be a big ask. Skillnet Ireland, the national agency that facilitates workforce learning in Ireland, develops bespoke training and development programmes for individual businesses. The organisation has over 60 learning networks in a variety of sectors and regions across the country. Funding comes from the National Training Fund and participating businesses.

When Catriona Sheehan, R&D Manager for the Fota Collection, decided to invest in staff training for the Kingsley Hotel in Cork, she approached Skillnet Ireland. Aoife Dunne in Cork Chamber Skillnet worked with Catriona to maximise value from her training budget across specific areas including IT, digital and design and core professional skills and management. “Skillnet is actually my first port of call when I’m considering training. Their willingness to research and develop programmes around our organisation is excellent,” said Catriona. Improving emotional intelligence in staff was another area she was interested in. “We wanted to investigate that whole area for our managers so we went back to Skillnet who then facilitated an initial meeting with a trainer called Pat Lyons. Pat is an excellent trainer and the sessions that followed were very worthwhile.”

People management, leadership and Microsoft Office were additional areas of interest for Catriona. “Being able to approach Skillnet and say, we need training around these key areas, was hugely beneficial. We’ve just identified a need for training in time management and I know they also provide that. It has been an excellent resource for us.” Being able to measure the impact of training from Skillnet is another big plus for Catriona and the team at the Kingsley Hotel. “My company needs to know how impactful Skillnet training has been on the organisation. That’s a very important aspect. To allow for that, Skillnet has come up with initiatives that help to measure that impact. For example, trainers give out their contact details and are quite happy to be contacted afterwards for follow-up information.”

Catriona says there’s a correlation between effective training programmes and staff retention. “They also lead to higher staff morale and I find they help when it comes to attracting staff, not just retaining them. Companies that develop a good reputation for training attract good staff. It’s a competitive advantage when we’re recruiting and it’s also instilling a culture of learning and development.”

Staff training – where do you start?

Catriona Sheehan gives her tips on how to implement an effective staff training programme

Budget A training budget is an excellent start. Make sure you have a budget from your finance department and that your strategy is aligned to the organisation’s goals and their KPI’s.

Identify training needs Having in place a strong performance management process or platform to identify training needs is important. Customer service feedback also helps build training plans and strategies.

A culture of training Do you find it difficult to instil a culture of training within the business? Are staff open to training and development programmes? I find that staff are more open now to training and learning and that’s partly down to an improving economic climate which is giving us the confidence to move forward.

Generational, technological and cultural change has meant that we are now measured by our approach to structured training in terms of being an employer of choice.

Reaping the benefits Learning and development is key to a number of KPI’s in our business. In our company, training has led to an improvement in staff morale and customer service. Continuous professional development of our employees is really important. We want to ensure that our staff are skilful and knowledgeable and this in turn will have a positive impact on the industry as a whole.

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Finance

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Finance

While headlines focus on Britain’s ‘orderly withdrawal’, it remains business as usual in Ireland, albeit with a nervous anticipation about the impact Brexit will have, writes Mairea Doyle Balfe UK visitors down The UK remains Ireland’s largest single geographic source market. At its peak in 2006, almost 4.1 million UK tourists visited Ireland. With the impact of the economic downturn, this dipped to 2.77 million in 2012, but subsequently recovered to 3.9 million in 2016.

However since the Brexit vote, UK visitors have declined to 3.7 million in 2017. This decline in UK visitors is further compounded by the fact that outbound travel from the UK was actually up for the year.

According to the UK Office for National Statistics, outbound travel increased in 2017 by 3%. Whilst this shows a slowing in growth for their outbound travel sector (2015-2016 grew by over 7%), it highlights the fact that Ireland is losing market share.

Figures for 2018 show stabilisation, with the latest CSO statistics showing a very modest increase of 1% in UK tourists from January to October 2018. However, this is in comparison to inbound tourism from all other areas growing by 11% over the same period this year.

Shifting focus to other markets The consistent growth in the other source markets has lessened the impact of the decline from the UK. The North American market in particular has grown from a previous peak of approximately 1.1 million visitors in 2007 to 2.1 million in 2017. January to October 2018 figures show that the North American market is up 32% from 2016.

While demand from the UK has declined and Brexit may mean that there will be no significant growth in UK visitors for a number of years, other source markets are expected to continue to grow.

Ireland has lost UK visitors but we have significantly gained in other markets and this is what has alleviated some pressure on hotel and tourism businesses. However, it is regional Ireland that has borne the brunt of the impact as demand in Dublin remains strongest.

Sterling devaluation Border counties, which rely more heavily on the Northern Ireland market, have felt the reduction in both day and overnight visitors more acutely. This is further compounded by the weakness of the British pound which is making the Republic more expensive.

For example, some hotels are seeing Northern Ireland visitors attending weddings in the South and taking a taxi back home rather than staying the night as they previously would have done. The border counties in the Republic are the “back garden” for many Northern Ireland visitors but as the euro becomes more expensive, the spend by these neighbours becomes less. This may be further impacted by the increase in the VAT rate which will put increased upward pressure on rooms and food prices.

While sterling has somewhat stabilised over the past year, it remains close to 15% below 2016 levels with many commentators forecasting further weakness. This keeps the euro more expensive compared to sterling for non-European visitors. US holidaymakers, for example, are looking to Scotland rather than Ireland as a destination. Both are viewed as similar destinations but Scotland now offers better relative value.

Planning ahead The need for future planning and preparation is now more important than ever – remaining competitive will be central to sustainability and growth for tourism businesses.

Brexit should act as a catalyst for tourism businesses to carry out a robust assessment of their sales and marketing strategy to identify potential risks and opportunities.

It is important for hotels to look at their geographic source markets to understand who their customers are.

If there is an over-reliance on UK/NI business, it is important to look at the other source markets which have grown and are continuing to grow. If there is an opportunity to diversify and target new markets, they should create a market entry strategy. Sensitivity analysis on changes to EBITDAR due to Brexit will allow hotels to plan for the future. By preparing for the worst, tourism businesses will emerge stronger as they review all aspects of their operations, effectively futureproofing their business.

Mairea Doyle Balfe is a Director in Crowe’s Hotel Tourism and Leisure department, with over 20 years’ experience in the hotel and hospitality industry

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In Focus

Press Up Group has gone all out to impress with The Devlin in Ranelagh

Collecting the little

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In Focus

T

he Dublin suburb of Ranelagh got its very first hotel recently.

For an area that’s bursting with restaurants and bars and is, thanks to its hipster charm and cool shops, considered one of the most desirable places to live in the city, it’s no small wonder that The Devlin is the first hotel to pitch up in the village. It’s also the first new build from the Press Up Entertainment Group which now has more than 30 restaurant, cafe, bar and hotel businesses.

A sister hotel to The Dean on Harcourt Street, the four-storey over-basement building that houses The Devlin includes three floors of food and beverage offerings. A cinema is located in the basement, a cocktail bar and coffee spot on the ground floor keeps the lobby area busy while a rooftop bar and terrace allows for impressive views from the Dublin Mountains to the sea.

Wanderers-in are encouraged to take a seat in the lobby, sip coffee and avail of the free WiFi all day if they so wish. The hotel aims to take up a central role in Ranelagh village and become a social hub for not just guests but villagers alike. A pop-up shop from Industry & Co is also situated in the lobby area, along with the Americana Bar, serving up cocktails and drinks.

The Devlin has 40 rooms, or ‘pods’ as they’re described.

When I speak with General Manager Kevin Hurley, he tells me the hotel has only been opened a couple of weeks but already has had its first full night. ‘Small but perfectly formed’ is how he describes the hotel’s pods. “We’ve been keeping an eye on international hotel design and I think you’ll see a lot more hotels with a smaller bedroom footprint coming online. There’s a shift as to how people use bedrooms; 50 or 60 years ago it was about making the room as big and as comfortable as possible so people didn’t necessarily have to leave it. Now, people want to use their bedroom as a dropping-off point to explore the city. Our rooms are small

but perfectly formed.

They have everything that you need and nothing that you don’t.”

‘Everything that you need’ includes custommade mattresses, big fluffy pillows and a good power shower.

Mod cons include a Smeg fridge, Dyson hairdryer, Nespresso machine, a Marshall lamp and bathroom products from Grafton Barbers. “The rooms are very well appointed. We’ve been very smart about the space and how best to utilise it.”

Food is served at The Devlin in Layla’s rooftop restaurant and also in the cocktail bar on the ground floor. “The executive head chef in Layla’s was a butcher so we’ve used his experience to create an exciting, innovative menu with the focus very much on New York-style food.” Downstairs in the cocktail bar, a team of bartenders headed up by Patrick Moore are putting their drinks menu to the test.

“We’ll be launching a full cocktail menu in January but right now, we’re trialling cocktails on a rolling basis and seeing what the customer likes and doesn’t like. Our signature cocktail, a very simple drink that we’re calling ‘Pineapple’, consists of Tanqueray gin, white port and carbonated pineapple soda.” In 2014, Kevin opened the Liquor Rooms in Dublin and also held the role of global brand ambassador at Teeling Whiskey before joining The Devlin. “I clocked in a lot of nights in hotel bedrooms myself, over 400 in three years! I also got to see the inside of a lot of hotels and cocktail bars so I’ve been using that experience here. I think we’ve had our vintage cocktail phase in Ireland, it’s something that has been prevalent for the last number of years. At The Devlin, we’re taking a more modern approach and creating cleaner, lighter drinks. We’re also using culinary technology when it comes to creating drinks. Our aim is to have one of the best cocktail bars in the country.”

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In Focus

Establishing The Devlin as a community hub, as a place to see the latest indie film or a spot to while away the hours on your laptop is a clever move by Press Up. “We have 40 bedrooms here and three floors of food and beverage. We’re not going to fill it with bedroom guests so we’re aiming to be a social space for the people of Ranelagh and south Dublin. If you want to come in, order a coffee and spend six hours on your laptop, by all means go ahead. It all adds to the vibe and atmosphere within the lobby area.”

Art pieces throughout the hotel have been curated by artist James Earley. Like The Dean, unique pieces of Irish art will cover the walls at The Devlin. There will be over 150 pieces throughout the hotel, with a focus on female artists in all of the hotel’s shared spaces. “We’re all about collecting the little wows and trying to impress our guests at every opportunity.

The more times we do that, the better we’re doing our job.”

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25/10/2018 15:45 15:19

Interiors

Ashford Castle Staff Accommodation

A €3m investment has created a home away from home for staff at Ashford Castle

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Interiors

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ince Carnation Hotels purchased the property five years ago, staff numbers at Ashford Castle have grown from 215 to 430. This almost doubling of the workforce meant that new staff accommodation was a must but there was another reason to develop new staff premises. “Attracting and retaining great talent is one of our biggest challenges. We decided we wanted to create accommodation that made staff feel at home, a space where people could have a great night’s sleep and a great shower and a place where they could prepare their own meals in a modern, comfortable environment. One staff member told us that they might work in a 5 star hotel but they’re living in 6 star accommodation,” said Niall Rochford, General Manager at Ashford Castle.

The €3 million accommodation includes single, double, executive and twin rooms, all en-suite. Each area has its own kitchen and all apartments have excellent broadband, flat screen smart TVs, free WiFi, mini personal fridges, laundry facilities, an area for parking and comfortable public areas. A large communal area, an outdoor gym and a space for barbeques adds to the offering that Ashford Castle has developed for its staff. “The premises is also very close to Cong village and twice a week, a bus is available to bring staff into Galway city. We want to ensure that our staff have excellent living conditions as well as a great work environment. Trying to attract people to a remote area like Cong is difficult but we’re finding that when they see the high end facilities that we have created here, they’re very enthusiastic.”

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06/12/2018 11:03

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Technology

Hoist Group Ireland’s Inspiration Day was all about understanding guest interaction, from pre-stay all the way to checkout

Get Inspir 28

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Technology

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oist Group, a company that develops and supplies systems, products and services for both independent hotels and hotel chains, recently held an ‘Inspiration Day’ in Dublin. The aim of the event was to explore smart strategies for hotels when it comes to optimising technology and revenue. ‘Follow the Guest’ was very much the order of the day, with speakers looking at guest engagement from pre-stay and in-house to the post-stay experience. “We followed that journey across the digital touchpoints so we were looking at the guest’s hotel research before they make their booking, what their booking process is like and if they’re booking directly on the hotel website or through an OTA,” said Anselm Molloy, MD at Hoist Group Ireland.

Checking their phone for a WiFi connection is usually the first thing a guest will do, said Anselm. “Everyone wants WiFi and if you have a family checking in, they could be travelling with five or six devices. The common theme that consistently comes up for hotels is around internal technical infrastructure; have they implemented a robust enough backbone to cater for what those demands are going to be? That’s something that the Hoist Group is very much focused on across Europe.” Having a 100MB fibre broadband connection is only the start of the process when it comes to providing WiFi to guests. “Now, you need a reliable architecture to fairly distribute and manage that capacity among guests that want to use it. If you don’t have that infrastructure in place, no matter how much connection you’ve got, it can become a little patchy for guests. That’s really where our expertise lies; making sure we manage the bandwidth that the hotel has and distributing it properly among guests.”

Discussion during the expert speaker panel turned to yield management and revenue strategy. How do hotels capture bookings directly versus OPA distribution and what should that mix actually be? “I think there was a general agreement on the day that while the OTA’s have probably gotten a bad name in terms of commission, they do have a very important role to play in terms of distribution.

We’ve found that different hotel types tend to use different channels. Maybe the 5 star hotels aren’t as dependent on something like booking.com which is much more prevalent among the 3 and 4 star market.” Anselm stresses that it’s essential to understand how customer relationship management influences what the customer does once you have them as a guest. “The important thing is to ensure you capture the correct information and use it properly going forward.”

ired

What a hotelier should look for when choosing a technology partner was another issue that cropped up. Cloud versus local and how readily available local support actually is were hot topics throughout the day. “The interesting bit for us was what the hotel expects when it comes to engagement in the various stages of their buying process. Hotels are looking for more feedback from us as part of that process on best practice, what our learning experiences are from other hotels etc. Although we knew this was happening and we see it happening in practice, it had never been crystallised for us like that before.”

Future trends such as mobile key and AI were also discussed. “We’ve done a couple of pilot projects in relation to mobile key. They’ve been very successful.

We have some new build sites coming on stream in Dublin next year which have all gone for this new type of technology. It’s about trying to automate the guest’s experience as much as possible.”

When it comes to embracing technology and harnessing the advantages that this technology can bring, Irish hoteliers are leading the charge. “I would say the vast majority of Irish hotels are very switched onto the benefits of technology. In my own experience, I believe the Irish hotelier is far more advanced in their requirements for technology than the hotel industry in the UK and across Europe. When I talk to my Hoist counterparts across Europe, my Irish customers are constantly demanding things that are not yet prevalent in Europe.”

Anselm believes there’s a constant need for hotels to examine their technology investment, budget properly for it and make sure they’re picking the relevant technology for their particular type of hotel.

About 400 sites across Ireland are currently using the HotSoft PMS product, the hotel management system for booking, checking and reporting. The TV and WiFi fusion product has also proved popular with hoteliers across the country. “We see our role as advising hotels in making the right choices. I regularly speak to hoteliers about appropriate technology as opposed to something that’s completely brand new. For some new technologies, it’s really only in the last couple of years that it has become robust and stable enough to implement in a large hotel. It’s not about pushing the latest trend because not all of the latest trends survive. A lot of the technology that Hoist supplies is focused on the personalisation of the guest experience.”

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Gearin Growth g up for

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Supply Line

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2013 Taylor’s LBV Fortified wines are wines to which extra alcohol is added during their production. In the case of port, spirit is added during fermentation to kill the yeast, stop the wine fermenting and retain some of the natural sweetness before the wine is aged.

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The rich and concentrated black fruit flavour is supported by firm, well integrated tannins.

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Supply Line

2009 Ochoa Reserva Rioja is located in northern Spain, 80 miles to the south of Bilbao. Rioja’s traditional ageing classifications have played a key role in the region’s success on the Irish market. Globally, Ireland is the 11th most important market for Rioja wines. Irish consumers love the aged Reserva style; it accounts for 32.4% of all Rioja wine sales here. The Ochoa Reserva, distributed in Ireland by Comans Beverages, boasts warm spicey aromas with ripe black fruit flavours, lovely soft rounded tannins and goes particularly well with any sort of white meat.

Maison Louis Latour Valmoissine Pinot Noir Domaine de Valmoissine is located on the site of the ancient monastery and university of Valmoissine. It is complex on the nose with aromas of undergrowth and raspberry. Ample in the mouth, notes of cassis, licorice and mocha are released. Lovely smooth tannins make this a perfectly balanced glass of wine.

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Bellavista Alma Cuvée Brut As an alternative to prosecco there are less well known Italian alternatives, including Franciacorta a DOCG in Lombardy where they use French grapes to make sparkling wine using the traditional method (second fermentation in bottle).

Bella Vista was established in 1967 by the Moretti family. This wine is made from 80% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Nero. It has aromas of white flowers and on the palate, has a soft subtle red apple flavour with a gentle mousse. BellaVista wines are distributed in Ireland

by Liberty Wines.

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Raise a TOAST! Despite an overall fall in alcohol consumption, wine has become increasingly popular Wine importers and distributors based in Ireland make a significant contribution to the economy, employing over 1,100 people directly and supporting thousands of other jobs in restaurants, pubs, independent off-licences, supermarkets and hotels that sell wine. That’s according to the Irish Wine Association’s (IWA) annual ‘Wine Market Report’, which also gives an insight into wine consumption habits among Irish consumers. Since 2001 the average per adult alcohol consumption in Ireland has declined by 23.3%, according to Revenue Commissioner data. Despite this overall trend, there was a 0.47% increase in wine consumption in 2017, highlighting the growing popularity of wine among Irish consumers. In 2017, sales of wine increased marginally from 9 million cases (9 litres) to 9.1 million cases.

Although beer remains Ireland’s most popular alcohol beverage, wine comes in a firm second favourite. The market share for wine increased marginally from 27.6% in 2016 to 27.7% in 2017.

The wine report also found that white wine is the most popular wine variant in Ireland, with a 50% share of the market.

Red wine consumption fell by 2%, going from a 47% share to 45%.

Meanwhile, rosé consumption increased in 2017 for the first time in many years, from 3% in 2016 to 5%.

According to the IWA, Irish consumers are choosing new world wines over old. The top two countries from which we source our wine are Chile, which has 27% of the market share followed by Australia with 16.7%.

CATERING REVIEW | ISSUE 11 2018

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Bookshelf

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Author: Steven Rinella Publisher: Penguin Random House RRP: €31 Available: bookdepository.com From the host of the television series and podcast MeatEater, this definitive guide to cooking wild game, including fish and fowl, features more than 100 new recipes. Rinella offers techniques and strategies for butchering and cooking all big game, from whitetail deer to moose and wild hogs and recipes for everything from shanks to tongue.

There’s also a section on how to make the most of available waterfowl including mallards, wood ducks, wild geese and diving ducks. A section on best practice for cleaning and cooking virtually all varieties of freshwater fish, including trout, bass, catfish, walleye, suckers, northern pike, eels, carp and salmon is also included.

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A Quick Chat

Quick Chatwith Graeme Dodrill Graeme Dodrill, head chef at Peploe’s restaurant, talks about taking inspiration from nature and why Peploe’s has the best room in Dublin The beginning

I have 21 years‘ cooking experience, mostly in Dublin, where I’ve worked in fine dining establishments including Chapter One, L‘Ecrivain and One Pico. I spent some time working in the 5 star hotels sector in Dubai and this year, I came back to Dublin and took over Peploe’s as Head Chef.

The menu

Highlights include our Irish beef from Rick Higgins family-run butcher in Co. Dublin and our fresh fish and shellfish delivered straight from the boats. A dessert favourite is our Paris Brest with choux bun, praline cream, crispy biscuits and cocoa sorbet.

Ingredients

I am obsessed with Irish produce and cooking with seasonal or new ingredients that enables me to learn more about my craft.

Wines

We have a wonderful selection of 164 fine wines from Europe, including 24 by the glass. We actually source our fine wines directly from smaller producers – not many restaurants can say that.

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Inspiration Nature, the seasons, good chefs and restaurants worldwide.

The team

You are only as strong as the weakest link in your team. I’m very lucky to have a strong team with a wealth of experience and ability that we have built up over time.

The restaurant

In my opinion, Peploe‘s has the best room in Dublin. We recently carried out extensive refurbishments; new features include outdoor seating and heated lamps so our guests can enjoy dining outside. We also have a new-look bar where people can enjoy a drink and lighter bites.

CATERING REVIEW | ISSUE 10 2018

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07/12/2018 09:04

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