Hotel & Catering Review - Issue 3 2019

Hotel&Catering ISSUE 3 2019

THE BREXIT EFFECT AND THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS IN IRELAND DISCUSSED AT THE IHF CONFERENCE

Preparing for the end of Windows 7

How to think like a guest Serving up talent at CATEX

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

AWARDS

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Go to hotelandcatering review.ie for the online edition

Contents ISSUE 3 2019

IN THIS ISSUE

13 22

Openings Some of the latest venues to open their doors in Ireland’s hospitality industry

The end is nigh

(FOR WINDOWS 7) Support for Windows 7 is due to end in less than a year but what does that mean for your business? supportIT outlines the steps you should take to prepare for the changes ahead

23 THE BIG BREXIT QUESTION

“Tourism plays a vitally important role as an engine of growth and regional economic balance. However, this could be put at risk if the government does not take decisive action to mitigate the impact of Brexit and address the other serious challenges we now face such as the high cost of doing business in Ireland” Michael Lennon, President, IHF

REGULARS

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News

31

Supply Line

35

Book Shelf

36

A Quick Chat

Serving up talent

Thousands of visitors from the foodservice, hospitality, catering and on- trade sectors attended this year’s CATEX event in the RDS

26 28

The Conrad Dublin has come up with a few creative ways to retain their staff

How to think like a guest

A new ebook describes how a multi-faceted approach will hook guests from the start of their booking journey

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Business matters

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Editor Denise Maguire Art Director: Áine Duffy Design Assistant: 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 3 of Hotel & Catering Review 2019.

We’re all a bit weary of hearing the ‘B’ word being bandied about. If you switch on the radio or the TV, it’s the subject of every topic of conversation; open a paper and it’s the same. At the Irish Hotels Federation’s annual conference, Brexit was on everyone’s lips and for good reason.

Regional tourism businesses risk being hit the hardest if we end up with a hard or even a medium Brexit. The UK market, which we’ve historically relied on, is already dwindling and that decrease in visitors from across the water looks set to continue. Only 3% of hotels surveyed by the IHF noted an increase in visitor numbers from the UK, with 32% seeing no change and 65% seeing a decrease. Couple that uncertainty surrounding Brexit with the high cost of doing business in Ireland and you’ve got an extremely challenging sector, particularly for hotels outside the capital and main tourism hotspots. For more on the IHF conference, turn to page 16.

Are your computers running on Windows 7 and have you considered what you’ll do when Microsoft pulls its support for the platform next year? On page 20, our tech experts run through the steps you’ll need to take to successfully migrate to Windows 10 without disrupting your business. On page 26, Martin Mangan at the Conrad Dublin describes the initiatives that have been implemented at the hotel to engage and retain staff in today’s competitive marketplace. Finally, we take a look at the recent Catex event on page 23 and speak to Oran Colhoun who was named ‘Chef of the Year’.

There’s lots to enjoy in this issue and as usual, if you have any comments or opinions, feel free to drop us a line!

HOTEL

Email: denise.maguire@ ashvillemediagroup.com

Denise Maguire www.hotelandcateringreview.ie @HC_Review

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Editor: Denise Maguire

@

info@hotelandcateringreview.ie

www.facebook.com/hotelandcateringreview

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BAR YEAR 2018 OF THE

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AWARDS

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News News

Your monthly round-up…

Photo: Don MacMonagle

Calorie counting will ‘cable tie the hands of chefs’ Sligo restaurateur, cook and exRAI President Anthony Gray, has expressed his criticism of Minister for Health Simon Harris’ proposed legislation to display calorie counts on menus by the end of the year.

“Counting calories will destroy what we are trying to achieve in Ireland as a world class culinary destination. It will cable tie the hands of chefs in our industry all over Ireland,” he said. He added that he fears for the cumulative effect of recent industry changes.

“This is going to a tough year for the hospitality and tourism sector.

We have already seen closures following the increase in VAT and the reality of Brexit and sterling fluctuations is taking hold on border counties, with tourism numbers

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dropping.” With these pressures already impacting the industry, it’s outrageous that the government is forcing the idea of calories on our menus, he said. “This is being done with no industry consultation whatsoever. No consideration is being given to the additional cost this will undoubtedly add to every restaurant – both financially and in time. Also, how can restaurants like my own, who respond to seasonal availability of fresh ingredients, continue to change their menu regularly and feature special dishes with once-off elements like freshly caught seafood? How can chefs be spontaneous and continue in the art of cooking? It’s like telling an artist to only use certain colours – it’s basically cooking by numbers.”

PC SCOOPS CONCIERGE AWARD Padraig Casey (PC), Head Concierge at The Killarney Park Hotel, won the prestigious ‘Jimmy Connor Award’ for Concierge of The Year 2019 at the recent Les Clefs d’Ors Ireland Awards. “The Killarney Park Hotel is proud to have four members wearing the world renowned ‘Golden Keys’ and we are delighted to see PC’s hard work and dedication being rewarded by his peers,” said General Manager of the hotel, Niamh O’Shea.

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News

Hillsborough Castle and Gardens UNVEILS NEW SPACES

Hillsborough Castle and Gardens, County Down, shared its newly re-purposed events spaces to over 100 guests at a preview event recently. The showcase follows a five year £20 million investment by independent charity Historic Royal Palaces to transform this historic site into a major visitor attraction. Local dishes served at the event included Rustic Pork & Pheasant Terrine with Hillsborough Pear Chutney and Rhubarb & Custard Eclairs.

Dingle Skellig refurb nears completion Work on the redevelopment of the Dingle Skellig Hotel is due for completion in May 2019. The project includes 32 additional guest rooms and suites as Graham Fitzgerald, General Manager and Stephen well as the upgrade and redesign of The O’Sullivan, Project Manager Blaskets Bar and Bistro to include new dining spaces and the landscaping of the guest parking and public exterior areas. The new design has been created by Meitheal Design Partners Cork and makes the most of the hotel’s beautiful views across Dingle Bay. The new bedroom addition includes 16 Deluxe King Suites, six Deluxe Executive Suites and five Deluxe Family Suites along with five rooftop interior designed guest rooms which will also feature private balconies.

APPOINTMENT Lough Eske Castle recently welcomed new chefs, Armagh born brothers Richard McKee and his brother Andrew, to their kitchens. Richard, who assumes the role of Head Chef is highly skilled, having spent years training as a chef in college in Newry and then taking up roles in the likes of Castle Leslie, Lough Erne Resort and Redcastle Hotel. He credits his travels around Asia and Australia as inspiration for his dishes.

Andrew McKee, who is a year younger than his brother, will assume the role of Sous Chef. Andrew has worked in the Nuremore Hotel, Lough Erne Resort and the Redcastle Hotel. He came second in the British Young Chef of the Year in 2014 and made it to the semi-finals of the National Chef of the Year 2016.

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News

PARK HOTEL AIMS FOR FOUR STARS The Flynn family has invested half a million euro in the refurbishment of the Park Hotel in Dungarvan, Co Waterford. The lobby, bedrooms and leisure centre have already undergone significant renovation, while improvements to the Garden Restaurant and ballroom are expected to complete mid-2019. The aim of the refurb is to see the venue become a four-star hotel. New appointments have also been made; Larry Bowe is now Deputy General Manager, Padraic Scully is Executive Head Chef, Clodagh Hennebry has been promoted to Front Office Manager and Roisin Jordon now heads up the Food and Beverage Department.

APPOINTMENT Kathleen Linehan has joined Trigon Hotels as Strategic Director Of Human Resources. She previously held the role of HR/ER Manager with The Gleneagle Hotel Group and before that, ALPS Electric (Irl) Ltd. Kathleen has also a strong involvement with accessible tourism, having been the first in the world to achieve an ENAT Quality label for her previous group and most recently a Failte Ireland Innovation Award.

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Online business tools for chefs Failte Ireland has commissioned Chef Network to deliver a series of online business tools to help chefs become more commercially efficient without compromising on food quality. Launched at Catex, ‘The Chef Action Plan’ was created by input from chefs across Ireland who have developed a practical guide in the areas of purchasing, controlling food costs, managing employees and eliminating waste. The guide will be released on www. chefnetworks.ie in stages over the next four months, beginning with the release of Purchase Smarter followed by the next three stages – Control Food Costs in March, Manage Labour in April and Eliminate Waste in May. Chefs who are signed up at chefnetwork.ie will be notified as each step goes live and chefs must be signed into the site to access the full toolkit. Chef Network membership is free to all professional and student chefs.

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News

METROPOLE AND GREENES WIN BIG AT BUSINESS AWARDS The Metropole Hotel was named the Best Cork Hotel at the Cork Business of the Year Awards, while Greenes Restaurant scooped the Best Cork Restaurant accolade. The event, which recognises the outstanding contribution of businesses across various sectors in Cork city, took place at the Clayton Hotel Silver Springs in February.

Roger Russell, General Manager at the Metropole, said: “We had a fantastic 2018 at the Metropole Hotel and that is thanks to our valued customers and our loyal and hardworking team. One of the highlights of 2018 was the launch of The MET, the hotel’s new bar, restaurant and tea room which was included in the recent refurbishment.”

Richard Evans of Greenes, together with adjoining sister venues Hotel Isaacs and Cask, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to receive this award which acknowledges the exceptional standards we are committed to providing at Greenes. Warmest congratulations to all of the team.”

NI’s HOSPITALITY HOTSPOTS REVEALED Northern Ireland’s top hospitality businesses for 2019 have been revealed at a ceremony in Titanic Belfast, hosted by industry body Hospitality Ulster. This year’s list features 34 new premises including Belfast-based Asian fusion eatery, Yugo, the newly opened Grand Central Hotel, Belfast, Ocho Tapas located in Portrush and The Guildhall Taphouse in Derry. Favourites such as OX, Belfast, Sally’s of Omagh and Dorman’s Bar in Magherafelt are amongst those that have remained on the list for a second year.

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Partner PROFILE

TRANSFORM GUEST EXPERIENCE FOREVER MYTAXI HOSPITALITY OFFERS YOUR GUESTS SAFE, RELIABLE TRANSPORT, AT NO COST TO THE HOTEL

T

echnology can play a pivotal role in enhancing guest experience, from using digital POS systems and reservation tools to offering contactless payments and WiFi. There are a number of ways to embrace technology in daily operations and while most require some initial investment, there are some at no cost to you at all.

Sometimes it’s the little things that can make a big difference.

In the hotel and catering industry, finding the time to focus on the little things can of course be a challenge, which is why simplicity is best. mytaxi | Hospitality is Ireland’s leading taxi partner, helping hotels and guesthouses across the country arrange safe, reliable transport for their customers at ease. With average wait times as low as four minutes, customers and staff can book taxis through mytaxi’s user-friendly system without any hassle, giving you back time to focus on what’s important to your business.

The best part is, it’s completely free to use.

HOW IT WORKS

There are two booking options – the Web Booker and Taxi Butler. The Web Booker is an online booking tool, whereby you can book a taxi through a desktop computer, laptop

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or tablet. This option includes the ability to pre-book in advance and set detailed preferences, like choosing a large vehicle size or sending a short message to the driver.

Taxi Butler is a simple booking device that is preloaded with your premises’ address. It has its own sim card, so you don’t even need WiFi. All you need to do is push the button and a taxi is ordered direct to the premises instantly. The device will display the driver’s details and an ETA.

ECONOMICAL

The service is completely free to use, so you’re not tied down to a contract or subject to

any set up costs. mytaxi can send a Taxi Butler device to any of its operating locations nationwide. All you need to do is plug it in and go! The Web Booker is simply a link that can be set up in minutes by a member of the mytaxi team.

No need to download any complicated software. mytaxi is happy to provide a quick run through on how it works with hotels directly.

The company can even supply some POS so your guests know you are offering a transportation service.

Commenting on the growth of the hospitality service, Niall Carson, Head of Sales at mytaxi Ireland, said: “In

the last 12 months we have seen hundreds of hotels of all sizes around the country signing up to the free service.

Often the last experience a customer has with the hotel is their departing journey, so it’s important that it’s a seamless encounter. Customers are no longer willing to accept standing in the doorway for 15 minutes waiting on a taxi; fast, reliable transport is a great way to compliment the frontof-house service.”

For more information contact Cormac Doyle: t: + 353 (0) 86 384 1015 e: c.doyle@mytaxi.com w: hospitality.mytaxi.ie

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News

GLOVERS ALLEY TURNS 1

The team at Glovers Alley by Andy McFadden had cause for celebration recently as the restaurant marked its first birthday. Located at number 128 St Stephen’s Green, the fine dining restaurant first opened its doors for business on February 1 2018, following an investment of €1.3 million.

GREEN LIGHT FOR £4M HOTEL AT LISBURN SQUARE Following planning approval, work is set to begin on the Beannchor Group’s new £4 million hotel at Lisburn Square. It’s anticipated that ‘The Haslem’ will open in autumn 2019 and when complete, will create 75 new jobs. The 52-bedroom property will be the first hotel in Lisburn city centre.

Library at Luttrellstown Castle Resort

BOOST YOUR BUSINESS According to ARC Studios, there are several factors which can affect the experience you have when walking into a room for the first time. These include smell, ambience, noise, light and of course your own mood. To photograph a room and capture a mood, a number of elements need to be taken into consideration: · Knowing the optimum time of day to shoot in order to get the best direction of the light plays a part in creating the desired mood. · Choosing the angle that represents the amenities of the room without feeling like an outsider. · Bringing the exterior into the room by including the view through the window is another way of incorporating an integral part of the architect’s original vision .

As a commercial photographer these are the skills used at ARC Studios to produce the highest standard of visual advertising in the marketplace.

Check out the company’s portfolio on line at arcstudios.ie or contact the office on 044 933 0000 to book your shoot.

Irish whiskey industry growing at rapid pace Cork-based Clonakilty Distillery has become the 23rd operational Irish whiskey distillery on the island of Ireland. Alongside Irish whiskey distillation, it has also opened its doors to a distillery visitor experience, expected to attract up to 35,000 visitors annually. The distillery also boasts a gin school and ‘The Whale’s Tail’ bistro. Head of the Irish Whiskey Association, William Lavelle, congratulated the Clonakilty Distillery team led by CEO Michael Scully. He said: “Last year we saw 923,000 tourists visit Irish whiskey distillery visitor centres across the country. We expect this number to grow again in 2019. Clonakilty Distillery will play a strong role in driving this growth, educating Irish and overseas visitors on the heritage and innovation of today’s booming Irish whiskey industry.”

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News

HOTELIERS IN THE REAL CAPITAL STEP UP

A buoyant tourism sector in Cork could be hampered by Brexit and the delayed construction of the Cork Events Centre A recent survey of Cork hoteliers, carried out by the Cork branch of the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF), has shown that more than €11.5 million was spent on renovations and improvements to hotels in the region in 2018, with more than 80% investing in capital expenditure. Local hoteliers also spent a further €7.5 million promoting Cork as a destination nationally and internationally, which was an increase of €2.5 million from 2017.

On average, room rates increased by 15% although the rate range remains broad across the region. The average room rate now ranges from €40 to €215 per night, for a B&B in low season to a 5-star city hotel in peak season. The average rate for hotels surveyed was €109.

The survey also revealed that more than 350 jobs are currently available in the hotel sector in Cork. Of these, 170 are full-time and 193 are part-time positions. However, 94% of hoteliers surveyed said they find recruitment a challenge and are struggling to find suitable staff. Neil Grant, chair of the IHF Cork branch said the IHF is taking a number of measures to address this, including a campaign to encourage students to consider a career in the hospitality sector after school and a local partnership with CIT to promote the industry. An apprentice initiative with the college to upskill local hotel staff has also been set up.

More than 1,500 new bedrooms are due to come on the market in Cork city alone in the coming years, providing a 50% increase on the number of existing rooms currently available. Planning permission has already been granted for these pipeline projects and some are currently under construction. In addition to this, the recently sold Moore’s Hotel and AOH Hall sites are likely to be developed for

mixed hotel/office use. “Whilst this is great news for the city, as it could attract more than 3000 extra people a day, our survey found that hotels (city and county) are currently only averaging a 74% occupancy rate. Therefore, our members are concerned that the increase in bedroom provision could over-saturate the market if the Cork Events Centre does not get underway soon.”

He added that many hoteliers have applied to extend their bedroom capacity or build new hotels on the basis that the Events Centre would attract a significant increase in business and leisure tourism to Cork. “It is therefore imperative to our industry and to the local economy that it comes to fruition and we need absolute confirmation on its delivery as soon as possible. If a big convention of 3,000 people was brought to Cork in November, it would justify the development of the additional bedrooms and would sustain growth of the sector, but if it doesn’t, it will be detrimental to the industry,” he said.

Looking ahead into 2019, almost 80% of hotels surveyed said they believe Brexit will affect their business while almost 100% said they are concerned about the increase in VAT, staff shortages, the recruitment legislation and the additional capacity of rooms coming onto the market, without the confirmed promise of the Events Centre. Other concerns include the increasing cost of insurance, rising staff costs and the expected economic downturn in Europe.

“Since 2012, Ireland is 22% more expensive for visitors from the UK on exchange rate alone and this could change again depending on the outcome of Brexit. This would have a significant effect on UK visitor numbers, our second biggest market,” he said.

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News

Openings Some of the latest venues to open their doors in Ireland’s hospitality industry

Elephant & Castle Monkstown Elephant & Castle Rathmines opened just before Christmas and now Monkstown is the latest location for the restaurant made famous for its chicken wings. The new 90 seater venue is set across two floors, with the top floor available for private hire. Menu highlights naturally include spicy wings, along with omelettes, buttermilk pancakes, caesar salads, ribs and burgers. According to the restaurant, the Monkstown branch will offer customers the same friendly laid back service, with black and white images from Elephant & Castles’ native New York City decking the walls.

Handsome Burger Galway Handsome Burger has opened its first casual eatery on Dominick Street in Galway city. The eatery began as a street food stall, set up by Rory McCormack and Cathal O’Connor and has since grown into a team of 16. The Handsome Burger uses Athenry butchers Brady’s and Heterich’s in Galway city for its pork. Fries are hand cut and cooked in Donegal Rapeseed Oil which makes for a fluffy interior and crispy outer layer. Bestsellers include The Handsome Burger, a 6oz Brady’s Beef patty served with sticky onions, pickled cucumber and a signature Handsome Sauce.

The Dublin Liberties Distillery Dublin After two years of construction, The Dublin Liberties Distillery was officially opened by An Tánaiste Simon Coveney recently. Production of the Distillery’s whiskey portfolio, which includes The Dubliner Irish Whiskey and The Dublin Liberties Irish Whiskey, will now commence under the supervision of Master Distiller, Darryl McNally.

The venue offers an up-close view of modern Irish whiskey making, from the working distillery through to the cocktail bar, for the all-important tastings.

Soma, Dublin Airport Dublin Operated by Kylemore Services Group (KSG), SoMa restaurant is the latest addition to Terminal 1 at Dublin Airport. The restaurant takes its inspiration from the South of Market and Mission District in San Francisco and menu highlights include all-Irish premium burgers and a signature special of Mexican fish tacos. There’s a strong focus on sustainability at the new airport restaurant; no single use plastic items are available to diners. There’s also a 10-cent surcharge for takeaway disposable cups and containers, all of which will be compostable and biodegradable.

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Partner PROFILE

Giving Irish tourism a

Helping hand Brexit preparation plans, innovative new investments and online education tools from Fáilte Ireland are helping to boost tourism across the country.

SHORT BREAK ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN

Stepping up preparations for BREXIT During the recent IHF conference in Killarney, Fáilte Ireland urged tourism businesses to step up their preparations for the challenge of Brexit. Speaking at the conference, CEO Paul Kelly said that hotels and other tourism businesses need to focus on efforts to diversify into newer markets ahead of Brexit. Fáilte Ireland has an investment fund of €5 million for Brexit business supports and is calling on the tourism industry to avail of the supports available to ensure that they are both ‘product-ready’ and ‘industry-ready’ ahead of the UK withdrawal from the EU. The Brexit Response Team is available to discuss and can be contacted by telephone on 1800 242 473 or by email: getbrexitready@failteireland.ie

The first of Fáilte Ireland’s 2019 marketing campaigns kicked off recently as the Spring advertising campaign for Ireland’s Ancient East got underway. The national TV and radio campaign highlights Ireland’s Ancient East as the ideal place to take a short break by showcasing the variety of experiences and attractions across the region. Only four years since the brand was launched, Ireland’s Ancient East has made a significant impact on tourism across the east of the country, developing increased visitor numbers and spending, season extension and job creation. Last year, 2.8 million overseas tourists visited Ireland’s Ancient East and spent €1.6 billion, supporting 44,000 jobs.

Tour guides take centre stage at the abbey Tour guides were put through their paces at the Abbey Theatre recently as part of a Fáilte Ireland initiative. ‘Theatre Skills for Business’ was created to develop world-class visitor experiences with guides, from attractions such as Loftus Hall in Wexford and Cork’s Fota House, being trained on how to craft a compelling story, engage their audience and deliver an interactive tour that brings local history and culture to life.

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Partner PROFILE

Online business tools for chefs launched

€2M investment in RACEHORSE EXPERIENCE announced The Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Brendan Griffin TD, recently announced funding of almost €2 million for the Irish Racehorse Experience in Kildare, funded under the Fáilte Ireland Grants Scheme for Large Tourism Projects and which will deliver a new indoor attraction at the Irish National Stud and Gardens celebrating Ireland’s horse racing industry and heritage.

Fáilte Ireland has worked closely with the Irish National Stud and Gardens since the project’s conception. The Irish Racehorse Experience, costing an estimated €3.2 million, is due to open in Spring 2020.

The first in a series of online business tools, the Chef Action Plan was recently launched at Catex by Fáilte Ireland and the Chef Network. The Chef Action Plan is designed to help chefs become more commercially efficient without compromising on food quality and was created by input from chefs across Ireland who have developed a practical guide in the areas of purchasing, controlling food costs, managing employees and eliminating waste. The Chef Action Plan features easy-to-use, downloadable business tools to help chefs streamline their operations, leading to benefits such as the ability to source the best local and seasonal ingredients and is available at www.chefnetwork.ie

FUNDING FOR PROJECTS UNDER RURAL REGENERATION FUND Fáilte Ireland welcomed the announcement of government funding for tourism projects by the Minister for Rural & Community Development, Michael Ring TD, under his Department’s Rural Regeneration and Development Fund. The funding recognises the importance and value of tourism to rural regeneration and development and of the 66 projects announced, 25 were tourism related and supported by an allocation of just over €37.5 million. This funding is expected to greatly enhance attractions throughout rural Ireland and boost visitor numbers to the regions and support local job creation.

HOTEL

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Find out more at: www.failteireland.ie

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Cover Story

T U O B A EXIT R B D E E N WE

…

K L A TO T

Brexit, the recent VAT increase and insurance were on everybody’s lips at the Irish Hotel Federation’s annual conference

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“The ‘Get Brexit Ready’ campaign was all about getting hotels to look at revenue management, segmentation and tactical marketing and trying to combine resources to work together in regional areas across the country”

W

hat do you get when you fill a room with hoteliers from across the country? Lots of unavoidable talk about the ‘B’ word and the disruption it may cause to the sector. The potentially negative consequences that a hard or indeed a medium Brexit would have on the Irish hospitality industry was the subject of many debates that were held over the two-day conference. According to the IHF, business sentiment amongst Irish hotels and guesthouses has deteriorated sharply since 2018.

Only 40% of hoteliers now have a positive outlook for their business over the next 12 months; this compares with 79% who reported a positive outlook at the start of 2018.

Michael Lennon, President of the IHF, believes hoteliers are as Brexit-ready as they’re going to be. “Both ourselves and Failte Ireland have been busy over the past 12 months implementing initiatives to help hotels prepare for whatever outcome we’re faced with. The ‘Get Brexit Ready’ campaign was all about getting hotels to look at revenue management, segmentation and tactical marketing and trying to combine resources to work together in regional areas across the country. We want to show potential tourists the uniqueness of the Irish product, whether it’s Ireland’s Ancient East or the Hidden Heartlands.”

The IHF says the primary concern is that regional tourism businesses will be hardest hit, especially those operating in areas that are heavily reliant on seasonal and UK markets. “Many of these regions have only begun to feel the benefits of the economic recovery in recent years. Tourism plays a vitally important role as an engine of growth and regional economic balance. However, this could be put at risk if the government does not take decisive action to mitigate the impact of Brexit and address the other serious challenges we now face such as the high cost of doing business in Ireland.”

A total of 70% of tourism jobs are based outside Dublin, so tourism’s wide geographic distribution is critical to sustaining regional economies and addressing the rural imbalance. “As the biggest investor in Irish tourism, the hotels sector is playing a critical role. Hotels and guesthouses not only provide local employment opportunities; we buy local services, source locally produced food and provide a vital infrastructure in support of local business and communities.”

Remaining competitive in a post-Brexit Ireland, in the face of challenges such as the VAT increase and cripplingly high insurance costs, was another topic of conversation at the conference. “The economic uncertainty at an international level is another cause for concern. The higher VAT rate is putting investment in additional hotel capacity at risk, with 75% of hoteliers saying they are now reassessing plans to increase capital investment as a result of the increase. VAT has been passed on in a lot of cases but in some cases, not so and that’s tough for hoteliers.” Michael says that the five or six counties that have 70-80% accommodation will survive

the challenges facing hoteliers. “There’s definitely a concern, particularly for rural Ireland, that these six counties are doing 75% of the business. There are villages across the length and breadth of the country that are currently losing post offices, Garda stations, even the parish priest in some cases. These areas desperately need to hold onto their local hotel or guesthouse but the cost of running a business is making that very difficult. The VAT increase is almost like a double whammy.”

According to the IHF industry survey, insurance premiums have risen dramatically in the hotels sector over the past 12 months, with an average increase of 15%. This is on top of substantial increases in recent years. Insurance costs have now risen to an average of €1,150 per guest bedroom annually. With 75% of hotels saying that excessive insurance costs are having a significantly negative impact on their business, CEO of the IHF, Tim Fenn said: “The time for foot dragging is long past. The government must now deliver concrete results in relation to insurance reform. Progress has been extremely slow to date and this inaction is having serious consequences for the viability of hotels and other tourism businesses. The exorbitant levels of awards and lack of consistency is also making Ireland less attractive for insurers and we are seeing an increasing number that are no longer willing to provide cover to hospitality businesses. This in turn is reducing competition in the insurance market and driving up costs.”

The IHF has welcomed the Government’s commitment to introduce a Tourism Satellite Account within the Central Statistics Office (CSO) and has called for it to be implemented as a priority.

“This account will provide a full analysis of the economic activity in the tourism industry and show how much it contributes to each county throughout the country to inform future taxation and economic policy,” he said. Tourism-related projects in the Government’s Project Ireland 2040 plan should also be fast-tracked to safeguard the continued growth of our tourism industry, especially in regional areas. Michael said that while direct access to Ireland has grown in recent years and is helping to increase overseas visitor numbers, more needs to be done to drive regional access. “We can’t continue to have a two-tiered tourism industry where regional tourism is forever lagging behind the main cities and tourism hotspots. We have to make it easier and more appealing for visitors to visit the lesser-known parts of Ireland. That requires creating a better transport infrastructure – from motorway access to public transport – as well as increased marketing efforts to put rural Ireland firmly on the tourist’s map.”

Despite the challenges that are threatening the industry, Michael says he’s confident about the future of the industry. “I’m very hopeful because I think we’re very good people. All of the different facets of the industry work extremely well together. We all have the same goals, which are to look after customers, give them good service and ensure that visitors return to our shores again and again.”

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Cover Story

Breakdown of advance bookings

compared to this time last year

DOMESTIC MARKET 40% of hotels and guesthouses are reporting an increase in visitor numbers from across Ireland compared to this time last year, with 35% seeing no change and 25% noting a decrease.

UK Only 3% are noting an increase in visitor numbers from Britain, with 32% seeing no change and 65% seeing a decrease.

NORTHERN IRELAND 6% of premises are noting an increase, with 37% saying they have seen no change, while 57% see a decrease.

US 37% of premises are noting an increase, while 47% have seen no change and 15% note a decrease.

GERMANY 10% of hotels and guesthouses are reporting an increase, with 69% saying they have seen no change and 20% seeing a decrease.

FRANCE 19% of hotels and guesthouses are noting an increase, with 69% saying they have seen no change and 11% seeing a decrease.

Performance so far this year has been mixed, with 39% of hoteliers reporting a drop in overall business levels compared to this time last year, while 48% report an increase. This has largely been driven by growth from North America and Europe, which is masking continued poor performance of the UK market. Almost two thirds of hoteliers (65%) say advance bookings for 2019 from Great Britain are down while almost six in 10 (57%) are seeing a fall in advance bookings from Northern Ireland.

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Irish tourism sector at a glance

10.97 MILLION OUT-OF-STATE VISITORS

TOURISM ACCOUNTS FOR ALMOST

4% GNP

€7.47 BILLION

IN FOREIGN EXCHANGE EARNINGS

€1.95 BILLION

IN DOMESTIC TOURISM REVENUE IN 2018

TOTAL TOURISM REVENUE OF

€9.42 BILLION IN 2018

TOURISM INDUSTRY HAS CREATED

94,000 NEW JOBS SINCE 2011

IT NOW SUPPORTS OVER

260,000

JOBS EQUIVALENT TO

11%

OF TOTAL EMPLOYMENT IN IRELAND WITH OVER

60,000

OF THESE JOBS IN THE HOTELS SECTOR ALONE

827 HOTELS (824 IN 2017) AND

59,609

HOTEL BEDROOMS (58,425 IN 2017)

170 GUESTHOUSES (UNCHANGED) AND

2,260 GUESTHOUSE BEDROOMS (2,450 IN 2017)

TOTAL OF

61,865

HOTEL AND GUESTHOUSE BEDROOMS IN IRELAND (60,875 IN 2017)

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IT

The end is nigh (for Windows 7)

Support for Windows 7 is due to end in less than a year but what does that mean for your business? supportIT outlines the steps you should take to prepare for the changes ahead

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icrosoft made a commitment to provide 10 years of product support for Windows 7 when it was released in 2009. This period comes to an end on January 14th 2020 when Microsoft will discontinue Windows 7 support. This means that Microsoft will not release security updates to help protect Windows 7 machines, no more bug fixes can be deployed and technical support will no longer be available. Also, Microsoft will not take responsibility for loss of data due to security breaches on Windows 7 after the January 14th deadline. In this article, we’ll take a look at how hotels can best prepare for the end of support for Windows 7 and how they can initiate a migration path to Windows 10 that causes as little disruption to the business as possible.

‘Some hotels may be tempted to keep using the universally popular Windows 7 after the January deadline and may be sceptical of Windows 10. However, we strongly recommended upgrading to avoid a security infiltration and we can’t hail the benefits of Windows 10 enough; it’s a great product’ -Joe McGivern, CEO, supportIT

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THE BENEFITS OF WINDOWS 10 SPEED The first and probably the most important benefit is speed. Of all the benefits of Windows 10, none is more immediate than an improvement in operating speed. Users used to slower operating systems will be blown away by the speed of Windows 10.

USABILITY Windows 10 also brings significant improvements in functionality and usability. First and foremost, Windows 10 returns to the popular Windows start button. The button then expands to a larger tile portal. This gives users the control and simplicity of a start button along with the live updates and graphic displays of Windows 8’s start tile. Another major improvement is touch screen functionality.

While most users will not use touch as their primary mode of usage, touch screen capabilities are still undoubtedly useful for certain actions. In our smartphone and tablet driven society, much of our communication with screens comes through touch. Windows 10’s touch screen functionality allows for users to continue this intuitive experience on their desktops and laptops.

SECURITY Finally, Windows 10 also keeps up major improvements in security. Key features such as Secure Boot, Device Guard, Microsoft Passport and Windows Hello are included.

MIGRATION

‘WINDOWS 10 ALSO KEEPS UP MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS IN SECURITY. KEY FEATURES SUCH AS SECURE BOOT, DEVICE GUARD, MICROSOFT PASSPORT AND WINDOWS HELLO ARE INCLUDED’

Once you have identified those to be replaced and those to be migrated, hotels should talk to a thirdparty application provider about the compatibility of the applications in use on the machines.

For example, some older versions of booking applications may not work and may need to be upgraded prior to the migration.

Communication is also a consideration. Users don’t like change and if you have identified user machines for upgrade, it may be useful to send a communication to those users. Tell them what to expect, how it will affect them, the timelines and of course the benefits of the upgrade.

THE PROCESS WHAT SHOULD YOU EXPECT?

‘The upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 10 can be done for free from a software point of view. However, we would recommend that organisations coordinate the upgrade in conjunction with their IT provider to ensure everything is upgraded correctly and their system is working optimally afterwards’

KEY CONSIDERATIONS

-Joe McGivern, CEO, supportIT

Right now, most hotels and businesses are carrying out a hardware audit of existing hardware to prepare for the change. That includes a list of all machines in use, their operating system along with their age and usage, including applications in use on each machine. Also include the serial number for trackability and logging purposes.

Organisations can expect each machine to take approximately two hours, all going well. The machine cannot be in use during the upgrade as it slows down and is unusable. Storage can sometimes be an issue with the migration and can delay the process and sometimes Windows 7 machines stubbornly don’t want to upgrade.

However, your IT provider will be able to work through those issues with you and ensure the upgrade goes smoothly. The user should test the machine once the upgrade is done to ensure everything is working as it should, particularly any third-party applications in use on the machine.

Finally, any inventory audits should be updated to reflect and track the upgrade.

‘While all new machines now come with Windows 10 and we recommend that hotels maintain that operating system, the key consideration is older hardware. There are labour costs with the migration and we don’t recommend investing in old hardware that may need to be replaced in a year or two.

Any machines older than two years should be replaced with a Windows 10 machine over the coming year’

supportIT provides fully managed support, infrastructure and business continuity services to over 180 businesses and 3000 users nationwide. The company works closely with every one of its clients to support and protect their infrastructure while providing solutions that are aligned with business and security requirements.

Contact: Maja Radojicic, Sales & Marketing, mradojicic@suportIT.ie www.supportIT.ie

-Joe McGivern, CEO, supportIT

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The inaugural Energia Family Business Awards showcase the best of Irish family businesses throughout the 32 counties of Ireland.

The awards will celebrate everyone from small home grown businesses to established and international family run businesses.

Enter now at

www.familybusinessawards.ie For all queries contact Michael O’Donoghue, Event Manager e: michael.odonoghue@ashvillemediagroup.com t: 01 432 2224

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15/03/2019 13/03/2019 12:00 14:15

Catex CATEX

Thousands of visitors from the foodservice, hospitality, catering and on-trade sectors attended this year’s CATEX event in the RDS

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housands of visitors descended upon the RDS Simmonscourt recently for the 2019 CATEX show and with over 200 exhibitors keen to make an impression, they weren’t left disappointed. According to the organisers (Irish Foodservice Suppliers Alliance), footfall was up on previous years, with exhibitors reporting excellent business over the three days.

Alongside the competitions that have come to define the event, ‘sustainability’ seemed to be high on the agenda. A survey showed that 82% of exhibitors have noticed increased customer demand for products that are more sustainable and 57% of respondents cited that over 50% of their customer base are now specifically requesting products that are environmentally-friendly or sustainable. With the foodservice market worth a reported €8.2 billion, the research further confirms the importance of sustainability and environmental issues. It also reinforces Bord Bia’s findings that highlighted ‘operating with a conscience is the expectation, not the exception’ as a critical issue facing foodservice in Ireland.

Michal Gadzala, Skirmantes Lelys, Oisin Kelly, Chris Hennessy, Luca Papazzo, Daniel Wieliczko

The CATEX research also found that 71% of foodservice and hospitality businesses have expanded their product range to meet the growing demand for sustainable products and 67% of respondents believe that the environmental credentials of a product are now affecting shoppers’ purchasing decisions. One in four respondents believe that customers are willing to pay more for environmentally-friendly products, with 51% of respondents being ‘unsure’. However, exhibitors ‘strongly agreed’ or ‘agreed’ (71%) that having environmentally-friendly products within their range gives them a competitive edge.

International competitions were also at the heart of the show, including the 2019 Irish Coffee Championship, the 2019 Irish Cocktail Championship and Chef Ireland 2019 Culinary Competitions. The Irish National Cocktail Championship was won by Oisin Kelly, a bartender at the Sidecar in The Westbury.

His winning drink, entitled ‘Solstice’, used Grey Goose Vodka, St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur, Peach Reàl and Bitter Truth Orange bitters. Oisin will now go on to represent Ireland at the 2019 World Cocktail Championship in China in November.

CATEX also played host to the Irish Coffee Championships, organised by Speciality Coffee Association (SCA) Ireland.

Wojciech Tysler was named champion and will go on to represent Ireland at the World Barista Championships in Boston. The Irish Latte Art Championships saw Renata Khedun named the winner and she will also go on to represent Ireland at the World Latte Art Championships which take place during the World of Coffee event in Berlin in June. Finally, over 250 student and culinary chefs subscribed to the Chef Ireland Competitions but it was Oran Colhoun, Head Chef of Visitor Catering at the Guinness Storehouse, who claimed the title of Aramark’s Chef of the Year Ireland.

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Advertise with us Upcoming Hotel & Catering Review features include: ° The Suppliers Issue ° The Food Issue ° The Waste Issue ° The Beverage Issue ° The Energy Issue To discuss further please contact : Trish Murphy, Sales & Sponsorship Director, Ashville Media Group Tel: +353 (1) 432 2231 Mob: +353 (0)86 837 9246 Email: Trish.Murphy@ashvillemediagroup.com

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Catex CATEX

TOP CHEF

AT CATEX Oran Colhoun is Aramark’s Chef of the Year Ireland After beating seven other finalists during the intense live cook-off, Oran Colhoun was awarded the ‘Aramark Chef of the Year’ title thanks to his impressive dishes of wild Irish mushroom Wellington, pickled vegetables, potato foam, pea purée, mint oil and Madeira jus. Dessert was a lemon meringue egg in a nest of pistachio chocolate and almond soil chocolate feather limoncello ‘egg yolk’ lemon and lime ice cream. He’s now on his way to London to compete in the European finals in April.

Congratulations on the award!

How do you feel?

I’m delighted. It’s the first competition I’ve entered in my career so I really wasn’t expecting to win. It’s great for my CV and it has also been great for the team at the Storehouse as well, everyone’s morale is up.

Have you thought about what dish you’ll create for the finals?

I believe it’s going to be a mystery box which may suit me as I didn’t have my main dish nailed down until the Monday before the competition. Maybe I react well under pressure! I didn’t have much time to practice it but I timed the whole thing on the Tuesday before and got it just under the hour and a half. I knew I would be tight but everything fell together and maybe I had a bit of luck on my side.

Where did inspiration for the dishes come from?

My girlfriend is a vegetarian and her mother is a vegan so as a chef, there’s always that challenge to replace the protein in a main course and have a full, complete dish for a vegan/vegetarian. In addition to that, I always try to keep it local and cook what’s in season so that was also a consideration.

Were you nervous?

I was very nervous building up to the competition but once we got going, I felt OK. I’ve worked in small kitchens before so the limited space wasn’t an issue.

Once I got going, I got into the zone.

Did you always want to be a chef?

I’ve been in kitchens since I was 15. I always enjoyed cooking growing up; I always wanted cookies and if there was none, I’d have to make them myself! My mother was a great cook as well and she was definitely an influence. My grandad kept honey bees and my grandmother would grow berries in her garden. That connection with nature is very important to me.

How long have you worked at the Guinness Storehouse?

About five months. Before coming here, I worked in steakhouses, hotels and a couple of Michelin starred restaurants so there’s been a nice mix. I love it here. I used to work 60/70 hours a week but with a young family, it’s great to have a good balance now.

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Business Matters

Putting your

people first The Conrad Dublin knows a thing or two about engaging and retaining staff. Hotel & Catering Review chatted to General Manager Martin Mangan about the initiatives the hotel has implemented to keep its staff happy

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taff retention in hospitality is among the poorest of any sector. Hotels that invest in their staff and don’t simply pay lip service to the idea are the ones that are holding onto employees that bit longer. A few years ago, a hotel might have held onto its staff for two or even three years. The changing demographics of employees means those days are over. At the Conrad Dublin, management has implemented several initiatives that are improving the working lives of its team members. “Millennials don’t tend to stick around for as long as previous generations.

These days, staff are staying in the one role for six to 12 months. That translates into significant costs for the hotelier,” said Martin Mangan, GM at the Conrad Dublin. There’s the cost of recruiting and training to consider, both of

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which can be steep. “We put a huge amount of effort into training our team members. When you add that to recruitment, we estimate a €5,000 cost to training a new team member.” Staff retention is key when it comes to keeping those costs down. “Cost isn’t the only consideration. If our team members are engaged and happy, that has a positive impact on service levels. The customer gets a better service and everyone wins.” Benchmarking around engagement helps to determine how satisfied staff actually are. “We do that a couple of times a year and it’s a great way of finding out where staff are at, are they happy, what gripes they may have, what challenges they face in the workplace and what we can do to remedy that.” This year, the Conrad Dublin is celebrating its thirtieth year in business. With team members of all ages working in the hotel, it’s important that staff retention strategies suit the individual. “We have five generations of team members in the hotel right now. We’ll have people retiring this year and others as young as 18 years of age starting. One size definitely does not

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fit all so we have to ensure we have different approaches for our different generations. How we interact and deal with the older generation is different to how we interact with our millennials.

They maybe don’t require as much feedback whereas millennials want regular feedback on an ongoing basis.” Ensuring all staff efforts aren’t going unnoticed. “That’s basically a members feel like they’re part of a team is important, as is allowing week where the hotel says thank you to every team staff to advance up the ladder. “Previously, a staff member would member in any way possible. Every department will spend a couple of years in one role or another but what we’re run an event or two for its members. They might seeing now is the younger generation hungry for advancement seem like little things, but it’s these efforts that staff opportunities to move up. If they don’t get it here, they’ll move appreciate.” elsewhere. We have to make sure we balance that with the Over the past two years, the hotel has had the necessary training and development to make sure they can step highest level of team member engagement in the up to the next role.” hotel. “It has been over 90%. We monitor staff Being part of the Hilton group has turnover quite closely and we “Millennials don’t tend to stick find that some of the reasons allowed the hotel to recruit from a larger talent pool, rather than relying solely on around for as long as previous for people leaving are out of our the home market. “We’ve been successful Staff are returning generations. These days, staff control. home or maybe finishing moving people within the organisation are staying in the one role for placements. The cost of living and that has worked both ways; we’ve had great talent coming to us from our is of course another huge six to 12 months” hotels from further afield. We’re not just challenge. Finding suitable and relying on the local talent pool as we know it’s pretty shallow at affordable accommodation in Dublin is very tough.” the moment. That’s doesn’t mean there aren’t good people out The challenges aren’t confined to Dublin though. there, but there certainly is a shortage at the moment.”

“We’re competing with hotels down the country A refurbished staff canteen where the focus is on nutrition and that maybe offer staff accommodation or where well-being has been welcomed by staff at the hotel. “Shift work rent is cheaper. From talking to some of these sometimes makes it difficult to eat well so we aim to provide good, hoteliers, they might be offering these attractive nutritional meals for our staff. We also feel that education is incentives but their problem is that staff want to live important so we ensure our staff know what they should and in the cities, they want somewhere more exciting.

It’s difficult wherever you go.” shouldn’t be eating when they’re in the hotel and when they’re Creating a work environment where staff feel a not.” A staff gym has also helped create an attractive working environment for staff. “It’s as good as our hotel gym, if not better. sense of belonging is key. “If our team members feel We found that our team members and particularly the younger like they’re part of a culture where they can ones are very focused on their health. No one smokes anymore participate, advance and develop, then we’re doing and very few drink. We’re becoming a rather boring industry! our job properly. We know from our employee Joking aside, we encourage it and we’re delighted with the reception surveys that whilst pay is very important, it’s never top of the list. It might come in at number three or the gym has received.” four. Benefits and the right culture are crucial and Team Member Appreciation Week, a Hilton worldwide event, is another way in which team members are made to feel like their that’s what we offer our staff at the Conrad Dublin.”

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Technology

THINK LIKE A MARKETER Digital omnipresence means having a presence on as many relevant channels as possible and it’s crucial for the modern-day hotelier. Excluding channels such as video or Metasearch, for example, can put you at a distinct disadvantage over your competitors. Knowing where your target audience spends time online is key to devising your strategy and getting started.

ASK YOURSELF THESE FIVE QUESTIONS: Have I carried out research on my target markets and demographics recently?

You should regularly review this to ensure that you are targeting potential guests through the correct channels.

Am I getting the most from my channels?

Pay-per-click (PPC) budget is usually where a large proportion of digital budget is spent. Ultimately you should be using a cost per acquisition (CPA) percentage as your analytics gauge for your PPC campaigns and return on Metasearch. Do you know how well yours is performing?

How to think like a guest Direct bookings might be the holy grail for many hotels but they needn’t be such a challenge. A new ebook describes how a multi-faceted approach will hook guests from the start of their booking journey

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ncreasing revenue in direct bookings is all about boosting brand awareness, guest satisfaction and loyalty. That’s according to a new eBook from Avvio that aims to provide hoteliers with the know-how to impress guests from the start of the booking process. The technology provider believes that a hotel’s online experience must give all potential guests an individual and tailored journey from the start, which will help build a sense of personalisation ahead of their stay. By implementing a multi-faceted, guest-centric digital approach, hotels will see an increase in their direct booking revenue.

In its new eBook, Avvio outlines why hoteliers need to start thinking not only like a guest but also like marketers, analysts and millennials.

Is your hotel using Metasearch?

This additional channel ensures an overall billboard effect for your hotel, providing potential guests with real-time availability and pricing, alongside guest reviews. The average ROI from Metasearch for Avvio customers in 2018 was 14:1.

Am I hitting all areas of the funnel with my marketing efforts?

Keep a focus on potential guests who are still at the early stage of their booking journey and who may not be familiar with your property.

Are you nurturing previous guest relationships and rewarding their loyalty?

Ensure your GDPR compliant database receives exclusive offers from your hotel.

This might seem like common sense but is often an area that’s overlooked.

THINK LIKE A MILLENNIAL The oldest millennial is 38 years old. Take a minute and let that sink in. Not 28, 38. Why is it so important for us to understand the mentality and buying behaviour of millennials? The stats speak for themselves. Forbes tells us that 84% of millennials don’t trust traditional advertising, which means we have had to adjust and adapt our strategic approach to understanding their

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needs. If this generation is a target market for your property, the emphasis needs to be placed on channels that millennials are already using. Ensure the channels you’re utilising build trust and act as a voicing platform.

“IF THIS GENERATION IS A TARGET MARKET FOR YOUR PROPERTY, THE EMPHASIS NEEDS TO BE PLACED ON CHANNELS THAT MILLENNIALS ARE ALREADY USING” Word of mouth We need to ensure customers are receiving the best possible experience that is word of mouth worthy. 83% said they would be more likely to book a hotel after seeing images from someone they follow on social media.

Reviews Review sites act as a voicing platform that requires a high standard from millennials.

When you are creating content for millennials you need to ensure it is engaging, creative and relevant.

User-generated content User-generated content (UGC) is any form of content that has been posted by users on online platforms and is a great way for your brand to build trust with a millennial audience.

The right channels An emphasis needs to be placed on channels that millennials are using. This typically involves social media and more specifically Facebook and Instagram. According to a study conducted by Knightsbridge and Viga, one out of four millennials use social media sites to find their holiday accommodation.

THINK LIKE A LOCAL Trying to increase brand awareness and market share in a new territory? It’s no easy feat. Attracting a global audience brings with it a multitude of challenges; differences in culture, online browsing behaviours and language barriers all impact the way your brand is received.

Think like a local to expand your online reach. Step into the mindset of your potential audience and explore the complexities and challenges that might exist.

Utilise localisation features Google explains it best: ‘Going global is all about acting local’. Directories and platforms such as Google My Business and Bing Places need to be aligned with your name, address and phone number details.

“KEEPING UP - TO - DATE WITH DIGITAL INNOVATIONS IS A TIRELESS JOB. HOTELIERS NEED TO THINK ABOUT WHAT THEIR GUESTS MAY NEED AT ANY ONE POINT IN THEIR DIGITAL JOURNEY”

Consider your online channels Once your site is fully optimised to provide the best possible user experience, you need to implement channels that form an integral part of your localisation strategy.

Optimise your website Before building out your campaigns, it is crucial that you review your website to ensure you are able to provide a seamless on-site experience.

Optimising for a diverse plethora of search queries and implementing this throughout your metadata is imperative.

THINK LIKE AN INNOVATOR Keeping up-to-date with digital innovations is a tireless job. Hoteliers need to think about what their guests may need at any one point in their digital journey. Your guests expect to be assisted at every point in their path to purchase. To really succeed, you must deliver experiences that are fast and easy to access.

Video content According to Zenith research, ‘In 2019 people are expected to spend an average of 170.6 minutes each day on online activities like

watching videos on YouTube, sharing photos on Facebook and shopping on Amazon’.

Content marketing platforms A strategic content plan is imperative for all hotels but does require time and effort to successfully implement. In 2019, marketers considered content marketing to be as commercially impactful as AI. Personal assistants The growth in popularity of digital personal assistants makes content even more important.

The closer your website snippet aligns with the actual search query, the more likely you are to be considered the most relevant and as a result appear as the answer.

Artificial Intelligence Google sees AI as the fourth industrial revolution and is positioning its business to be AI first. This statement is important and should motivate hotels to evolve their websites from static PDFs into a personalised guest journey, dependant on where in their booking lifecycle their guests are.

‘Think like a Guest’ is available online at www.avvio.com

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Partner PROFILE

Elavon joins

Family Business Awards Elavon is sponsoring the Hospitality Family Business of the Year category at the very first Family Business Awards.

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et to take place in the Round Room at the Mansion House on the 24th of May 2019, the 2019 Energia Family Business Awards aim to acknowledge family run businesses, from homegrown to established and internationally run. Recent research shows family companies are the backbone of the Irish economy and that they remain optimistic about their future. According to a recent survey by PriceWaterhouseCoopers, 86% of Irish family run businesses expect revenues to grow in the next two years.

Elavon is sponsoring the Hospitality Family Business of the Year category at this year’s awards and is delighted to be involved with such a prestigious event. “Customers are at the heart of the hospitality industry and at Elavon, we put the customer at the core of everything we do. For this reason, we feel that the Family Business Awards align with our business strategy,” Paul Dunne, Interim Country Manager, Ireland.

The hospitality industry is one of the fastest growing and exciting sectors in Ireland and that’s why Elavon was keen to get involved in the inaugural event. “As a long time industry expert, our customers are some

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of the largest brands both locally and globally.

We look forward to hearing about the opportunities and challenges that the businesses in this category face, so we can gain further insight into this very important sector,” Paul Dunne, Interim Country Manager, Ireland.

For over 25 years, Elavon has been helping businesses, both large and small, accept all payment types and reap the benefits at the end of the day. Whether they need a simple or sophisticated payment solution, Elavon has it covered.For years,

the company has helped more than one million customers around the world to grow their business through card acceptance.

The company’s flexible, secure and innovative payment solutions help businesses attract and keep customers, develop partner relationships, process payments and simplify operations. “The way people pay is constantly evolving, so delivering payments solutions that enable customers to pay wherever and however they choose is fundamental to business success. While

you can focus on keeping guests and customers happy, we can focus on payments.

We’re looking forward to working with the diverse businesses that participate in the Family Business Awards and learning more about how we can help them going forward,” said Julieanne.

For more information on the 2019 Energia Family Business Awards, go to familybusinessawards.ie

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Supply Line

Take a look at our pick of some of the best coffee machines on the market

Coffee Culture Java Republic REX ROYAL S300

LA MARZOCCO

Available from Java Republic, the Rex Royal s300 fully-automatic machine is recommended to customers for its speed and efficiency. It’s ideal during breakfast time or after dinner; for such occasions, you need to be able to count on a machine that will work effortlessly to meet the needs of your guests at all times, each with their own individual tastes and preferences. The Rex Royal s300 bean-to-cup machine has these capabilities and more. It combines modern technology with a compact design to ensure you can maximise your space and your offering to impress your guests.

The La Marzocco semi-automatic barista machine is a high-end, bespoke offering that can be tailored to a customer’s specific business needs. Available from Java Republic, the company says La Marzocco is a brand that pursues perfection and excellence.

Its experts recommend La Marzocco machines to customers for their restaurant and bar needs as it provides the highest quality coffee that can be paired perfectly with food offerings.

Java Republic says it will also really drive your coffee sales. www.javarepublic.com

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Supply Line

Bewleys 100% COMPOSTABLE CAPSULE RANGE Ideal for in-room coffee makers, Bewleys’ range of compostable capsules are compatible with Nespresso machines. The range includes several options to choose from, including Espresso, high grown beans from South and Central America merged with East African (Ethiopia) coffee to create a tangy, full-bodied espresso. The Americano option is a strong blend of Colombian, Ethiopian and beans from Brazil with subtle, smoky notes. According to Bewleys, it’s ideal for a longer, smooth American style coffee.

The Single Origin Colombia option consists of premium beans from Colombia, carefully roasted to create a well-balanced and full-bodied espresso. Finally, the range also includes Single Origin Sidamo, premium single origin beans from the Sidamo coffee growing region in Ethiopia. This option is roasted to provide a well-balanced coffee with soft, floral undertones and low acidity.

FRANKE A600 The Franke is Bewley’s automatic bean to cup offering. Customers can choose from three different brewing units optimally adjusted to your way of making coffee.

Each one features an 8” touchscreen, a generously sized bean hopper, two precision bean grinders with ceramic burrs and a four litre water tank (4 litre), which is easy to access from the front. The A600 features several different options such as iQFlow – intelligent coffee extraction for exceptional taste profiling and absolute product consistency in real-time.

It also features one or two separate powder dosing systems, coffee grounds ejector and a cup sensor. www.bewleys.com

Nespresso Nespresso continues to innovate and put customers’ coffee needs and experiences at the forefront of hotel and restaurant delivery, whilst ensuring that quality and consistency is not compromised. The innovative Nespresso Professional machines are easy to use and ensure that consumers have a consistently good coffee experience at every venue touch point from in-room, to restaurant to bar.

Nespresso provides a dawn till dusk coffee solution, offering a unique coffee experience for guests; from espresso and a milky coffee, to an exquisite barista recipe or classic cocktail reinvented with a signature twist.

The most popular Nespresso Professional machine for use in hotel guest bedrooms is the easy to use Nespresso Zenius machine. It is a compact, durable and stylish machine that creates Ristretto, Espresso and Lungo coffees as well as hot water quickly at the touch of a button. For maximum efficiency, the Nespresso Zenius incorporates an automatic power off function for energy and operation costs savings.

There are 13 Nespresso coffees within the Professional range, each with their own distinct aroma as well as offering decaffeinated and flavoured options. Nespresso complements its Professional machine and coffee range with a selection of accessories for a complete unique service.

Through its AAA Sustainable Quality Program, Nespresso works with over 93,000 farmers in 12 countries. The program implements sustainability practices on farms that benefit the surrounding landscape. The aim of the program is to source 100% of coffee sustainably by 2020 in addition to reducing the carbon footprint of Nespresso by a further 28%. www.nespresso.com/pro/ie

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Partner PROFILE

ENERGIA

Family Business Awards Energia is delighted to be associated with Ireland’s first ever awards ceremony to celebrate generations of Irish families that work together.

T

he 2019 Energia Family Business Awards are set to take place in the Round Room at the Mansion House on the 24th of May 2019. It’s the first year of the event which aims to acknowledge family run businesses from homegrown to established and internationally run.

Recent research shows

family companies are the backbone of the Irish economy and that they remain optimistic about their future. According to a recent survey by PriceWaterhouseCoopers, 86% of Irish family run businesses expect revenues to grow in the next two years.

Energia and the Family Business Awards make for the perfect fit. “Family

Alan Mulcahy, Head of Sales at Energia

businesses are hardworking and entrepreneurial and we in Energia possess a similar ethos. Like Energia, many family businesses grow from small beginnings and are in every town and city in Ireland. As a national supplier we deal with family businesses daily and know exactly the challenges they face and that is why we are delighted to support the first ever Family Business Awards,” said Alan Mulchahy, Head of Sales at Energia. As an active part of communities, the company is proud to show its support and recognise the success of family businesses all across Ireland.

As Ireland’s fastest growing energy provider and now in its twentieth year, Energia supplies one in three Irish SMEs. The company also supplies approximately 25% of Ireland’s total energy and 25% of the country’s total wind power. “We establish

long-term relationships with our customers and we deliver unique tailored energy solutions, with premium service levels and have strong digital capabilities to meet the diverse needs of our customers in a complex and volatile energy market.”

Constant innovation ensures Energia continues to offer its customers the very best service. Cash For Kilowatts, Energia’s Energy Efficiency Funding Scheme, allows customers to avail of grants of up to 30% for a range of energy efficiency projects including for upgrades to lighting, heating, refrigeration, compressors, drives and motors. “The grant is based on the annual kWh savings achieved from the energy efficiency upgrade. You could be saving as much as 80% on lighting bills by switching to LEDS or up to 25% on your heating with better heating controls.

We also have a lighting pay as you save service that we have just recently brought to the market.”

For more information on the 2019 Energia Family Business Awards, go to familybusinessawards.ie

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When great food meets great service.

When your catering business switches to Calor, you’re not just gaining an energy supplier - you’re gaining a partner that knows the things that matter to you. We recognise that your needs are different to other businesses, that’s why we provide energy solutions tailored to you.

Call now for a consultation 1850 812 450 or visit calorgas.ie

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Books

Books out this month....

Pod Life...

With Relish

Dinner for everyone Author: Mark Bittman Publisher: Clarkson Potter RRP: €42 Available: easons.com In Dinner for Everyone, Mark Bittman shares 100 essential main dishes, each with easy to follow recipes. These 300 all-new recipes form a diverse collection that includes quick meals for busy weeknights (hearty soups, tacos and one-pot pastas), creative plant-based fare that will please both vegans and non-vegans alike (lemon polenta with mushroom ragu or cauliflower tinga tacos) and dishes for entertaining.

Rooted in Mark’s philosophy of using fresh ingredients and basic equipment, Dinner for Everyone is an indispensable reference for life’s ultimate question – What’s for dinner?

With Relish looks deep into Ireland’s culinary industry Find your and identity, with next favourite a focus on the podcast with individuals that our pick of the make it up. The best makers speak to some of the country’s most exciting and innovative chefs, food producers, writers and anyone shaping Ireland’s food landscape.

A Whiskey Lover’s Guide To Ireland Highlights include an entire episode dedicated to the joy Author: Sean Muldoon, Jack McGarry, of crisps and another titled ‘An Tim Herlihy Ode to Bewleys’.

Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing Listen on iTunes, Stitcher, TuneIn or wherever you get RRP: €28 your podcasts Available: easons.com

From Barley To Blarney:

From medieval monks to recent renaissance, From Barley to Blarney includes everything you need to understand, appreciate and mix one of the world’s fastest-growing spirits. An Irish whiskey guru, two bartender behemoths and an adept writer have combined forces to create this comprehensive guide to Irish whiskey. The book includes an in-depth introduction to whiskey and its history in Ireland, along with a detailed examination of 50 different Irish whiskeys and the distilleries that make them. The fun really begins when the authors share 15 original mixed-drink recipes tailor-made for Irish spirits.

AND K IC K BAC K H TH ESE R E L A X W IT S E S A N EW R E L E

Shelf Book

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The Splendid Table Producing episodes for the past 20 years, The Splendid Table has to be one of the longest running podcasts of all time. It’s hosted by award-winning food writer Francis Lam and delves into topics such as Chefs, Drugs & Rock ‘n’ Roll in 2019 to Simple Cheesemaking in 1999 - there’s something for everyone here.

Listen on Google Podcasts, Pandora, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts

Honey & Co: The Food Talks Husband and wife team Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich of the Honey & Co restaurants in London invite foodies from all over the world for a chat over food and wine. Previous guests include Michael Rakowitz, Iraqi-American artist and author, Caroline Eden, journalist and author and Rosemary Shrager, celebrity chef, cookery school doyenne and author.

Listen on iTunes, Spotify or Stitcher or wherever you get your podcasts

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A Quick Chat

A Quick Chat with Luke Matthews

With two years under his belt at Airfield Estate, Luke Matthews talks about the importance of educating people about food and making use of everything grown on the Estate

Influences

I’m a bit like a magpie in that everything inspires me – the time of year, what’s in season, art, history, emotions, my background and people in my life. It all gets funnelled through my brain and comes out on a plate!

Food

“A HUGE PART OF AIRFIELD IS EDUCATING PEOPLE ABOUT FOOD AND WHERE IT COMES FROM AND INSPIRING THEM TO MAKE BETTER DECISIONS WHEN THEY BUY IT”

In spring when everything is starting to wake up, asparagus is always the signaller of a new season. In summer, it has to be gorgeous juicy Irish tomatoes with a little sea salt and oil on a hot sunny day.

Autumn is for wild mushrooms and getting out before the nights get long. In winter it’s all about comfort food – braises and stews are the go-to dishes.

The Restaurant

We’re part of a fully working farm set in an urban environment with capacity for about 120 people. There’s an emphasis on eating together because I believe when people sit down and break bread together and just talk, strong bonds are formed, the next generation is included and everyone benefits.

Education

A huge part of Airfield is educating people about food and where it comes from and inspiring them to make better decisions when they buy it. Part of this is a throwback to what we ate in the past and making full use of everything that we grow on the Estate, be it offal or oca.

Ethos

A good friend gave me great advice when I opened my own place and that was to keep it simple. When we’re younger the inclination is to shout ‘look at me, see what I can do’ when really we should be championing the producer and saying ‘look at them, see what they can do’. Start with good produce and let the food speak for itself.

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Enter now at hotelandcateringreview.ie/awards Now in their 31st year, the 2019 Gold Medal Awards are recognised as the leading independent awards programme for the Irish hospitality industry.

Judged by industry experts, the Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Awards recognise and reward excellence in hospitality and catering operations across the island of Ireland. The 2019 awards will be presented at a black-tie gala dinner on the 24th of September 2019 at The Lyrath Estate Hotel, Kilkenny.

For more information visit: hotelandcateringreview.ie/awards or contact Kathryn Doyle, Senior Event Manager Phone: 01 432 2226 | Email: kathryn.doyle@ashvillemediagroup.com

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