Hotel and Restaurant Times Feb/March 2014

FEBRUARY/MARCH ‘14

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THE WILD WEST FIONA MONAGHAN OF FÁILTE IRELAND ON THE LAUNCH OF THE WILD ATLANTIC WAY

THEATRE & AESTHETIC GAVIN DIVILLY OF CATERHIRE INTERVIEWED

MAXIMISING BOOKING MARGIN THE 360 DEGREE APPROACH

FLYING HIGH INCREASED ARILINE ACCESS www.hotelandrestauranttimes.ie

W I R E L E S S WA I T E R You will see an uplift in sales & impulse purchases Use it for convenience in meeting rooms & conference facilities No contract tie in Your customers will love it!

utton b ic g a m e h T “ rant every restau tall needs to ins right now” Lovin’ Dublin

Oct 2013

CONTENTS

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COVER: Valentia Lighthouse, on the Wild Atlantic Way

CONTENTS NEWS APPOINTMENTS + DIT INTERNATIONAL E-TOURISM GREAT NATIONAL HOTELS & RESORTS THE WILD ATLANTIC WAY WINNING INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TOURISM IRELAND NEWS FÁILTE IRELAND NEWS GAVIN DIVILLY OF CATERHIRE RAI NEWS FLOGAS DESTINATION DUBLIN IFSA NEWS BOOKASSIST GMIT NEWS BUNZL MCLAUGHLIN BIM SEAFOOD LISS ARD COUNTRY ESTATE SEEK DESIGN TOURIST ACCESS IASI AWARDS FOOD & BEV LIVE EURO STAT SURVEY

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

Managing Editor: Cyril McAree (01-6285447, cyril@hotelandrestauranttimes.ie) Business Development: Alan Doherty (01-2842909, alan@hotelandrestauranttimes.ie) Contributors: Pavel Barter, Cynthia Bifolchi, Des O’Mahony, Caroline Leddy, IFSA, BIM, IASI, GMIT, Restaurants Association of Ireland,

ALL CONTENTS OF THE MAGAZINE ARE COPYRIGHT OF HOTEL & RESTAURANT TIMES: H&R HOUSE, CARTON COURT, MAYNOOTH, CO. KILDARE. TEL/FAX: 01 628 5447.

E-MAIL: editorial@hotelandrestauranttimes.ie WEB: www.hotelandrestauranttimes.ie

Tourism Ireland & Fáilte Ireland Printing: GPS All paper used in the production of this magazine comes from certifiably sustainable forestry.

PEFC/01-31-70

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Green Shoots

editorial

editorial editorial editorial

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EDITORIAL

How times have changed. A few years back any tourism launch was a sparse affair. You were lucky if a junior minster was dispatched for the photo call. The recent launch by Tourism Ireland of their successful Greening programme had ministers tripping over each other. Minister Varadkar (who in fairness is a great attendee of tourism events) was accompanied by the Tánaiste himself, Eamon Gilmore, who was eager to share in the green limelight. If you ever wanted a signal that things are getting better here it is.

No self-respecting TD wants to be associated with failure, do they? Credit must go to all those involved within Tourism Ireland with this iconic event. No other region in the world can command such attention or focus. People on the ground in these regions must engage with their counterparts to make this a reality. Long may it continue.

The Wild Atlantic Way is fast becoming another opportunity for the industry. In this issue, Fáilte Ireland’s Fiona Monaghan outlines what it involves and offers the sector.

The Wild Atlantic Way is over 2,500km long of a touring route from Malin Head (at the tip of North Donegal) to Mizen Head in the very south of the country. This route offers a myriad of options and can be toured by car, bicycle or on foot, providing visitors with an unforgettable experience of Ireland’s west coast. The potential of the route is its ability to open up a huge number of towns and attractions along the way: an opportunity to showcase the scenery and unique culture of the West Coast of Ireland, while providing easy access to a range of experiences that the visitor might not have otherwise seen or considered. The need to move tourists out of the major cities is still contentious, so let’s hope this will be a solution.

Another positive sign that the economic situation is improving was the recent Bev-Live event that took place in Dublin. In excess of 1500 people attended this one-day spectacular event. Most attendees reinforced the notion that the industry is in growth mode and already bookings and interest bode well for the season.

With that in mind we wonder what the forthcoming IHF conference holds in store for us. No doubt, there will be increased interest in it given Michael O Leary (aka Mr. Cuddly) is to give a presentation. Moreover, no priority seating is required.

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Cyril McAree Editor

NEWS

NEWS Celtic connections

Scotland’s premier winter music festival and celebration of Celtic music, Celtic Connections, is underway in Glasgow. Tourism enterprises from around the island of Ireland have joined Tourism Ireland at the festival, to highlight our tourism offering to potential Scottish holidaymakers and to help showcase our rich cultural heritage.

Pictured: Elaine Murray Tourism Ireland; Philip McGlynn, general manager of The Great Northern Hotel, Bundoran (and Wild Atlantic Way ambassador); Pat Bourne, Consul General of Ireland to Scotland; football legend Packie Bonner; and Cormac Ó Donnchú, Experience Gaelic Games.

Wiping away the competition “A triumph of design” is how boutique hotel Bellinter House’s gorgeous bathroom was described when it was awarded the inaugural KittenSoft Ireland Best Bathroom Award this month. Bellinter House’s combination of classical style elements and modern convenience won over the judges to win the coveted award. The KittenSoft Ireland Best Bathroom Awards celebrate the best bathrooms and loveliest loos that Ireland has to offer. This year, the public were invited to nominate their favourite bathrooms in a variety of categories, such as residential, bar, restaurant and hotel. The judging panel comprised of RTE star and celebrity interior designer Karl Fradgely and the KittenSoft Ireland team.

Jurys Inn scores hat trick Jurys Inn Hotel Group has been awarded Best Irish Hotel Chain for the third year in a row at the Irish Travel Industry Awards 2014. At a special ceremony held in the Mansion House in Dublin, the hotel group was recognised for its commitment to delivering the highest standards and best customer service to both leisure and business travellers.

Karl Fradgley and Sarah Morrissey at the launch of the KittenSoft Best Bathroom Awards.

Arabian nights

Pictured receiving the award are: Alan Buckley, Hotel Manager, Jurys Inn Christchurch, Dublin; Martin Skelly, Managing Director, Navan Travel; Miriam O’Callaghan and Patrick Cass, Hotel Manager, Jurys Inn Custom House, Dublin.

Etihad Airways plans to increase its services from Abu Dhabi to Dublin, from July 2014, doubling the number of flights each day and connecting Dublin with numerous markets in the Middle East, Asia and Australia. This follows a recent announcement by Emirates that it will also double its services between Dubai and Dublin, from next September.

These increases will provide another welcome boost for both leisure and business in 2014 and beyond

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NEWS

New Aramark campaign is a knockout

Brotherly love Corrigan Brothers, the Limerick Band who topped charts with “There’s no one as Irish as Barack Obama”, and performed for the President are celebrating Irish Kerry hoteliers The Brennan Brothers in a new song.

The song is titled “I Called in the Brennan Brothers”.

When Millie Olympic champion and ARAMARK Ireland Health and Wellness Ambassador, Katie Taylor helped launch ARAMARK’s Right Track Pledge campaign, an initiative to promote healthy eating and work life balance.

Speaking at the launch, Katie Taylor said “Health and wellness are obviously very important to me and my success. I am delighted to be working with ARAMARK to promote these values and I want to encourage everyone to get involved with the campaign and make one pledge. Whether your pledge is to take the stairs, go for a walk at lunch, or join a volunteer organisation, we just want to get people to think twice about how their choices are affecting them and make one change for the better.”

For each Pledge received, ARAMARK will make a donation of 20 cent to the company’s four chosen charities for 2014 and is aiming to raise a total of €7,000.

There are a number of ways to submit a pledge. People can tweet their Pledge using the hashtag #RightTrackPledge or like the ARAMARK Ireland Facebook page and post their pledge. Alternatively, people can log on to Pinterest, follow the ARAMARK Ireland page and ‘pin’ their pledge to the Right Track Pledge board with a photo or video.

Lidl goes a long way Lidl-Breaks.ie contributed over €10 million in direct sales and ancillary revenue for the Irish Tourism industry in 2013. Lidl-Breaks.ie is a direct online service offering customers market-leading prices on a wide range of holidays, from overnight stays to beach breaks to romantic getaways and five-star hotel breaks. Almost 100,000 people experienced a Lidl break at hotels throughout the country in the second half of 2013.

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met Molly Full of beans

Millie Mackintosh, star of the hit TV series Made in Chelsea (centre), with her sister Alice (right) and Deirdre O’Brien, Tourism Ireland, at the Molly Malone statue in Dublin.

The Irish Foodservice Suppliers Alliance (IFSA) and the Speciality Coffee Association of Europe (SCAEIrish branch) has announced the launch of the inaugural Dublin Coffee & Tea Festival, taking place from September 12 to 14, 2014, at the Industries Hall in the RDS, Dublin. From harvesting to brewing, catering to equipment, the Dublin Coffee Festival will showcase every aspect of the coffee and tea world.

Going Dutch Several Irish tourism enterprises travelled to Utrecht in the Netherlands, to join Tourism Ireland for Vakantiebeurs 2014, the largest travel fair in the Netherlands.

Barry Flanagan, Upper Lough Erne Region (and representing Fermanagh Lakeland Tourism); Aileen Hickey, Tourism Ireland; Esther Verbueken, Irish Welcome Tours; and Ruairí Lehmann, Tourism Ireland, on the Tourism Ireland stand.

Pictured at the launch were (l to r): Patrick Bewley (Bewleys), Garath Scully (Master Roaster for Robt Roberts), Stephen Morrissey (former World Barista Champion), and Colin Harmon (Current National Barista Champion).

NEWS

Salad days for Leinster Rugby

Ask and you will receive

Leinster Rugby has given the thumbs up to Alfie’s Seafood Chowder with Drumcliff Bay clams, Glen of Aherlow pulled pork, grilled prawn salad and gluten-free Tipperary brie and pear sandwich. These are some of the new lunchtime options available in Alfie Byrnes Bar & Grill at the Conrad Dublin Hotel.

Conrad Dublin is official hotel to Leinster Rugby.

Silver service Pictured receiving a Silver Award of Excellence from CIE for Service & Standards for Group Business 2013 is Eithne Fitzpatrick, Managing Director, Fitzpatrick Castle Hotel with Vivienne Jupp, Chairman, CIE.

Maureen Gahan of Bord Bia with Stephen Lenahan of Belleek Castle, Co. Mayo, at the launch of Bord Bia’s 2014 Just Ask campaign, which encourages consumers to look for information regarding the origin of food when eating out, and for chefs to provide such information on menus. Research from Bord Bia reveals that value and service are key factors for consumers when eating out. Belleek Castle, in Co. Mayo, was announced as Just Ask Restaurant of the Year 2014.

Food for thousands

Lodge an appeal Receiver Kieran Wallace of KPMG, has sold Lisloughrey Lodge, Cong, Co. Mayo.

The sale was advised by international real estate advisor Savills. Red Carnation Hotels purchased the four star boutique hotel, which was marketed at a guide price of €2.5m. Lisloughrey Lodge, located adjacent to the historic Ashford Castle Estate, features 50 bedrooms and suites, The Quay bar, Wilde’s restaurant, conference and banqueting facilities, fitness centre and treatment rooms. It has views over Lough Corrib and is a popular wedding location. The new owners, Red Carnation Hotels acquired the adjoining five-star Ashford Castle in 2013 and are currently undertaking a significant refurbishment and upgrading programme of the Castle.

Donal O’Brien, left, CEO, ARAMARK Ireland and Peter McKenna, GAA Commercial & Croke Park Stadium Director, in attendance at the announcement of ARAMARK Ireland being awarded the food services contract at Croke Park. Croke Park, Dublin.

Six of the best Chef Lee Doyle, of The Exchequer Gastropub in Dublin, has created a 6 Nations Sausage. The Irish pork sausage captures the flavours of the competing countries: Irish Whiskey, Scottish Barley, English mustard, Welsh leeks, French garlic and Italian sun dried tomatoes. Gordon D’Arcy, Irish rugby star and co-owner of The Exchequer, said: “It started as a fun idea, but Chef Lee has created a winner. The Exchequer has always been the perfect spot to enjoy the tournament, and now even the food is getting in on the game!”

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NEWS

Charity starts at Dax

Pictured (l-r): Sam McGuinness (CEO Dublin Simon Community), Mary Murray (Corporate Accounts Executive, Dublin Simon Community), Olivier Meisonnave (Patron and Owner of Dax Restaurant), at the launch of Dax’s 2 euro per table fundraising commitment for the Dublin Simon Community. Dax Restaurant is celebrating 10 years in business in 2014. Olivier Meisonnave is committing his restaurant to raise funds for the Dublin Simon Community, by donating €2 every time per table used in Dax Restaurant this year.

Bookassist boss honoured

Rugby minis O’Callaghan Hotel has renewed its sponsorship of the Lansdowne Rugby Club Minis for the current season. The sponsorship which began in 2012 is part of the O’Callaghan Hotels Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme. The Under 13s recently won the inaugural Moss Keane Cup in a tournament in Portarlington.

Presenting a set of training balls to the Lansdowne under 12s to mark this year’s partnership is Catherine Bodley, Director of Sales, O’Callaghan Hotels with Michael O’Brien, Head Coach and players Eoghan Murphy, Samuel Loscher, Luke MacMahon, Nick Eustace, David Hale and Ben Hardiman.

Fly me to the moon Maldron Hotel Dublin Airport has entered a new phase of its history today, as Stephen McNally, deputy chief executive of Dalata Hotel Group, oversaw the hotel’s rebrand from Clarion Hotel Dublin Airport to Maldron Hotel Dublin Airport.

Dalata Hotel Group has a 10-year agreement in place to operate the 248-bedroom four-star hotel, making it the group’s thirteenth Maldron Hotel. The hotel will undergo a €2.5 million refurbishment to include the bedrooms and public spaces, which is due for completion later this year.

General manager of the hotel, Lynn Cawley, said: “The rebrand to Maldron Hotel Dublin Airport is an exciting change for our management team, the staff and, most importantly, our customers.”

Fit for a King Kingspan Environmental has launched an intelligent FOG management solution (iFOG), as part of their drive to support businesses through environmental compliance. With the spotlight on the pitfalls associated with non-compliance, businesses across hospitality are searching for ways to manage their FOG regulatory needs efficiently.

David Anderson, Kingspan Environmental Service Director, says: “Our aim is to help hospitality traders minimise the impact of environmental compliance on their business. From listening to traders, we know there’s a real need for a cost effective solution that removes budget and reputational risk. When it comes to FOG compliance, we are confident that our iFOG investment will help businesses save money, maintain their high reputation, and provide complete control and peace of mind in relation to their FOG needs”.

Kingspan’s iFOG solution could help your business save money, time and hassle when it comes to ensuring total compliance - find out more by emailing the Kingspan Environmental Commercial Service Team on helpingyou@kingspan.com Kingspan Environmental’s iFOG packaged solution is being launched at STAND B2 at the FM Show in RDS, Dublin (5-6 March). Visit the stand to find out more about iFOG from the experts in Intelligent Environmental Compliance, Kingspan Environmental.

Bookassist CEO Dr Des O’Mahony has been honoured by HSMAI Europe in their first list of Top 20 Extraordinary Minds in Sales, Marketing and Technology. The awards list was unveiled at a dinner and ceremony held by the HSMAI in Jumeirah Carlton Towers Hotel in London, as part of the Travel Technology Europe trade fair.

Speaking after the ceremony, Des said “I am truly humbled by the award, from such a prestigious organisation. It came as a complete surprise to me and to everyone in Bookassist.”

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Pointing the right direction Ireland’s food and support services company, Compass Group Ireland, is expanding its education business with a number of contract wins. Operating under the Group’s education brand Chartwells, the group has been appointed by University College Dublin, (UCD) Letterkenny Institute of Technology (Letterkenny IT) and Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art & Technology (IADT) following competitive tenders. The combined value of these contracts is €4.5 million and 100 people are employed across these sites, 40 of which are new jobs created

by Compass Group Ireland.

NEWS

What the best dressed tables are wearing LinStyle, producers of a premium range of disposable napkins, have commissioned designer Celina Jones to use the material to make a series of fashionable accessories. Celina used different colourways to create clutch bags, hats, ties and corsages all out of LinStyle, folding and shaping the linenlook fabric into stylish pieces.

“We wanted to show that there is far more to LinStyle than your average paper napkin,” explains Rebecca Blake, Product & Segment Manager at SCA Hygiene Products UK, who manufacture LinStyle Premium napkins under the Tork brand. “These napkins are disposable but they have the texture, feel and folding qualities of linen. They are large enough to create any number of folded designs, and they are soft and comfortable for the customer to use. The range of fashion accessories that Celina has created from LinStyle superbly demonstrates the drape, strength and versatility of these top-quality napkins.”

LinStyle Premium napkins are available in a wide range of sizes and colours.

For a free sample of Linstyle, and to find out more about the Linstyle range, go to: www.tork.co.uk/dresstoimpress

Fiona crowned food champ Fiona Drought, from Dublin Institute of Technology, has been crowned the Knorr Student Chef of the Year for 2014, following a closelyfought final held at her home college in Cathal Brugha Street. Fourteen student chefs from across Ireland prepared two dishes each, in front of an expert judging panel that included TV chef Catherine Fulvio.

Pushing the boat out The Lake Hotel, Killarney has just been voted the Top 4 Star hotel in Killarney in the 2014 Tripadvisor Travellers Choice Awards.

The hotel appeared in the top 15 of the Top 25 Tripadvisor Hotels in Ireland.

Ring fencing rugby Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Leo Varadkar, and Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Michael Ring, have met their counterparts from the Tourism and Sport Departments in Northern Ireland to discuss a way forward in relation to a Rugby World Cup bid in 2023. They met Arlene Foster and Carál Ní Chulín in Armagh to agree to the setting up of a working group to examine how best to advance proposals.

Top of the pops for Harvey’s Point Harvey’s Point Hotel, Donegal, has been ranked Best Hotel in Ireland, by hotel rating website TripAdvisor, for the second successive year. It is also ranked 6th. in Europe and 22nd. Best Hotel in the World. The four star hotel, situated on the shores of Lough Eske is the only Irish hotel in the Traveller’s Choice World Top 25 Hotels - it is also the only Irish hotel in the European Top 25, covering all categories.

Out of the iFog Leading the way in Intelligent Environmental Compliance - Kingspan Environmental launch brand new iFOG solution

Kingspan Environmental has launched an innovative management solution for managing Fat Oil and Grease called iFOG. This launch is part of their drive to support businesses through the increasingly prevalent focus on environmental compliance.

With the spotlight now more firmly than ever on the pitfalls associated with non-compliance, businesses across the hospitality sector are searching for ways to manage their FOG regulatory needs efficiently.

Recognising the immediate need for a cost effective FOG management solution, David Anderson, Kingspan Environmental Service Director comments: ‘Our aim is to help hospitality traders minimise the impact of environmental compliance on their business; from listening to traders we know there’s a real need for a cost effective solution which completely removes budget and reputational risk when it comes to FOG compliance - we’re confident that our investment in iFOG will help businesses save money, maintain their high reputation and provide complete control and peace of mind.

Kingspan Environmental offer a completely managed solution with iFOG - an economical ‘fit and forget’ package tailored to suit the FOG management needs for any kitchen. iFOG is professionally installed, complete with innovative Anywhere Connect functionality, which allows Kingspan to remotely manage your FOG solution. The intelligent system provides information on consumption levels, and uses environmentally friendly multi-strain bacteria to literally “eat” your fat, ensuring complete peace of mind via this fully packaged solution.

With the growing number of environmental regulations the importance to comply has never been so crucial. From hefty fines, damaged reputation to interrupted business time - we’re all only too aware of the impact non-compliance can have for any trader.

Kingspan’s iFOG solution could help your business save money, time and hassle when it comes to ensuring total compliance - find out more by emailing the Kingspan Environmental Commercial Service Team on helpingyou@kingspan.com Kingspan Environmental’s iFOG packaged solution is being launched at STAND B2 at the FM Show in RDS, Dublin. Visit the stand to find out more about iFOG from the experts in Environmental Compliance, Kingspan Environmental.

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NEWS

Gibson bound

APPOINTMENTS PLUS Big Apple welcomes Irish GM Irishman Gerard Denneny has been appointed as General Manager of the brand new property Viceroy New York. Mr. Denneny was responsible for overseeing the successful launch of the 29-story hotel on the iconic West 57th Street in October 2013. A graduate of the Dublin Institute of Technology, Mr. Denneny holds a BSc in Hotel and Catering Management and has over 20 years of management experience in luxury hotel properties all over the globe.

Mark his words The Gibson Hotel has announced the appointment of Nicky Logue as General Manager. Nicky was General Manager/Director of Fitzpatrick Castle Hotel Killiney. Prior to this he spent 11 years in the UK at the Selsdon Park Hotel and Golf Resort, south London, where he served as GM. A graduate of Shannon International College of Hotel Management, Nicky gained vital international experience in Switzerland and Russia. Well recognised throughout the Irish hospitality industry, Nicky is currently serving as President of the Irish Hospitality Institute (IHI) and is a past president of SKAL Dublin.

Strategic planning

The Great National Hotels and Resorts Group has announced the appointment of John D. Toner FIH L.FIHI as Strategic Advisor to the Advisory Board of Great National. John, originally from Warrenpoint, Co. Down and a graduate of Rockwell Catering School in Co. Tipperary, joined Hastings Hotels in 1972 as General Manager of the Ballygally Castle Hotel, Co. Antrim. John subsequently went on to manage a further four Hastings Hotels including The Fir Trees Hotel, Strabane, Co. Tyrone and The Stormont Hotel, Belfast.

In 1993, John was appointed Director of the Hastings Hotels Group and General Manager of the Europa Hotel. In 2003, John’s next project for the Hastings Group was the £15m redevelopment of the Slieve Donard Resort and Spa, Co. Down, winning Hotel of the Year 2012 (Irish Travel Trade Award) and Best Irish Hotel 2013 (Hotel and Catering Review).

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Mark Scott Lennon has been appointed the new General Manager at Fitzpatrick Castle Hotel. Mark was appointed a Director in 2012. Mark continues the Fitzpatrick family’s hotelier tradition to a third generation following in his grandparent’s, Paddy & Eithne Fitzpatrick & his mother’s, Eithne Scott Lennon, footsteps.

Bank of Ireland SeminarBuilding Business Momentum First year GMIT students from the Bachelor of Business Tourism Management, Bachelor of Business Event Management and Bachelor of Arts Hotel and Catering Management degrees, accompanied by their tourism studies lecturer Susanne O’Reilly, attended the Bank of Ireland, (BOI) Building Business Momentum conference at the Clayton Hotel, Galway, on Friday the 22nd of November.

It was an early start for the students, a breakfast briefing on tourism - building on current success stories. Richie Boucher CEO of BOI met the students before the conference and acknowledged that they are the tourism managers of tomorrow.

Richie Boucher was the first speaker and he discussed the importance of repaying debts. He was excited about the growth opportunities for small hotels and the pub trade which now seems to be recovering.

Joe Gilmore MD Ireland West Airport Knock, spoke of the growth of the airport todate. The vision for Ireland West Airport, Knock is to grow passenger numbers by 1.3m,and support 1,900 jobs in the region and attract 500 new enterprise park jobs.

These are just some of the exciting visions for tourism from Ireland West Airport, Knock.

John Crumlish, CEO Galway Arts Festival spoke of what the Arts festival is and where they are going Cultural tourism accounts for 40% of all tourism in Europe and its value to the Irish economy is €5.1 billion.

Jim Miley, project director, The Gathering Ireland, 2013 spoke of its success to date and how it might try and replicate this success in perhaps five or ten years time. At this stage the legacy of the Gathering is what the team is now focusing on.

Questions from the audience, and then the conference ended at about 11.30 AM. Great day and the students had access to some of the key players in tourism in the West of Ireland.

Astronomical leap for Irish tourism The famous Canadian astronaut who put Ireland on the map with the first-ever tweet from space ‘as Gaeilge’ last year, recently visited Ireland. Tourism Ireland enlisted his help to showcase some of our top visitor attractions and experiences. The former International Space Station commander, Colonel Chris Hadfield visited a number of events, including the Laya Healthcare Pendulum Summit and the BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition, Croke Park and the Guinness Storehouse, in Dublin. In Northern Ireland, he visited Armagh, Cushendall, and the Glens of Antrim, as well as Titanic Belfast.

NEWS EXTRA

Top marks at DIT

L to R Professor Wolfram Hopken, IFITT Vice President, Dr. Dominic Dillane Head of School of Hospitality Management and Tourism DIT, Professor Dimitrios Buh

DIT’s School of Hospitality Management and Tourism were the local hosts for the international eTourism conference ENTER 2014, organized by the International Federation for Information Technology in Travel & Tourism (IFITT) and held between January 21 - 24, with record-breaking outcomes and more than 350 delegates from all over the world.

The conference featured discussions of some of the most cutting-edge tourism and technology topics by academics from all continents, and representatives from technology-savvy tourism organisations and enterprises, such as Tourism Ireland, TripAdvisor, Realex Payments, Taiwan Tourism Bureau and Wyndham Hotel Group.

The discussions took place in form of interesting presentations, interactive workshops and vibrant panel discussions. Keynote speakers included, among others, Aoife Desmond from Facebook, Jenny Taaffe from iZest, Des O’Mahony from Bookassist ( recently named by HSMAI as one of the Top 20 minds in Travel Technology and Marketing in Europe ) , and Nate Bucholz from Google.

For people that could not attend the conference, an online live streaming channel was offered to provide an opportunity to follow the main presentations in real time.

This was used more than 2,500 times within the three days of the conference. The slides of all presentations will be uploaded within the next couple of weeks on the IFITT Website (http://ifitt.org) and onhttp://www.slideshare.net/IFITT. An indication of the rate of engagement by delegates and non-delegates was the activity on social media channels which was very impressive. On Twitter, alone the #enter14 hashtag generated 3,482,799 impressions with 1,332 tweets.

Apart from interesting presentations, panels and workshops, ENTER 2014 was underlined by an exciting social programme, which started on Wednesday night with a tour through the Guinness Storehouse and a welcome reception in its famous Gravity Bar. The conference was rounded off on Thursday night with a jolly ‘Shindig’ party in the Jameson Distillery with Irish dance, food and a taste of the best Irish whiskey.

All links to the resources from the conference, including the proceedings, videos, pictures are collected at http://www.ifitt.org/home/view/resources-from-enter2014.

If you attended the ENTER 2014 conference and would like to share presentations,

pictures or videos that are not included on the webpage, please send them to enter@ifitt.org and we will share them with the global eTourism Community.

Former IFITT President Professor Dimitrios Buhalis says: “The conference was an absolute success. I am extremely proud of the ENTER 2014 team for organising such a fabulous event. ENTER broke records in many areas and has proven the width of IFITT’s reach. The wide range of topics covered in several workshops, panel discussions and presentation sessions as well as the exceptional number of paper submissions clearly shows the tourism and technology issues that will dominate in the near future.”

Dr. Paddy Horan from the School of Hospitality Management and Tourism at DIT said “this was a hugely significant event for our School and tourism academics in Ireland generally. We received hugely impressive feedback from the delegates who are wholesome in their praise for the quality of organization and level of debate. We also received great support locally from the Irish hospitality sector and sponsor Failte Ireland. In particular, we in DIT were delighted to host the inaugural Irish eTourism Day, as part of the event.”

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DIRECT BUSINESS

Driving direct business With 27 hotels and counting, Irish-owned Great National Hotels and Resorts is now one of the dominant brands in the Irish hotel industry, providing revenue management, distribution, marketing and reservations services to independent hotels throughout Ireland and the UK. The company is targeting further growth of 70 hotels by 2015, and recently appointed John D. Toner FIH L.FIHI as Strategic Advisor to Great National, retired director of the Hastings Hotel Group.

Here, Co-Founder and Group Marketing Director, David Collins partly explains the success behind Great National in driving direct business for its hotels.

The explosion in digital media in recent years - combined with the current global recession which thankfully is finally showing tentative signs of abating - has forced a re-think as to how we as an industry manage distribution and how we engage with our customers.

Where it will all end up is unclear such is the pace of change. However what is clear is that firstly traditional marketing is no longer as effective as it once was, and secondly that there’s a new world order emerging when it comes to driving direct business for hotels.

The direct channel is often the cheapest when compared to others and is potentially the most valuable since you get to own the relationship with the client from the ‘get go’. However, now more than ever before the pressure is on.

Consider this: OTA commissions paid by European hotels grew by a staggering 150% between 2002 and 2012 while

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average booking values for the same period grew by only 50%. And these OTA costs are forecast to increase by a further 40% by 2015.

Add to this, reduced lead-ins to hotel reservations with for example up to 80% of leisure guests booking within just 30 days of arrival; and the prevalence of deal sites which are almost single-handedly driving down ABVs and undermining repeat business as clients jump from brand to brand depending on the latest ‘deal’.

You now have in effect a ‘perfect storm’ whereby expensive 3rd party channels are becoming more and more dominant; repeat business is more the exception than the norm; booking patterns are increasingly difficult to predict and RevPar is being eroded on an almost daily basis.

So what can hotels do to protect their own share of on-line revenue?

In our experience, there are essentially four separate strategic pillars, each one critical in enabling a property to drive direct business: visibility, mobility, conversion and retention.

Visibility Without a comprehensive, on-going SEO effort, organic rankings will suffer which means increased reliance on paid-for traffic. Nowadays most hotels can just about afford to protect their own brand name as OTAs such as Booking.com out-gun them spend-wise. And that’s before even attempting to target generic search phrases.

Rather than set an absolute budget, agree instead an acceptable PPC cost per sale with your service provider. Consider also re-marketing which tends to be less effective than PPC in terms of ROI but more effective than banner ads on 3rd party sites.

DIRECT BUSINESS

And of course, apply a religious-like approach to refreshing and optimising content on your site to support your organic rankings: keep it relevant, don’t stuff your pages with search phrases and always, always sanity-check links.

Mobility It is also widely accepted now that PCs are becoming redundant and mobility has begun to dominate: it is estimated that just 1 in 5 - that’s 20% - of computer sales by 2015 will be for desk-top PCs. The point here is that your website needs to be mobile responsive and optimised for smart-phone, tablet and also desk-top use: indeed, studies show for example that consumers typically browse using their smart-phone on the way to work, switching to their desk-top while at work and then their tablet while relaxing at home.

Our own Great National hotels have seen a further transformation of on-line revenues following the migration over to a mobile responsive build which in turn has accelerated the performance of all KPIs including bounce-rates, conversions and cost of sale.

Conversion So you’ve got the visitor to your site, the next challenge is converting the sale.

Not as easy as it sounds when you consider that consumers have an everreducing attention-span. Don’t for example under-estimate the power of photography and as OTAs will be quick to remind you, be sure your shots are optimised for mobile, tablet and desk-top.

Your site should not only be mobile responsive, intuitive and easy to navigate whatever the platform - but rich, relevant content is key as is a home-page quick-

book which is located in the same position throughout the site. Special offers for example should be prominently positioned particularly since these can account for up to 60% of direct on-line sales.

Speaking of your booking engine, again this is key to your site’s conversion performance.

Take a leaf out of the ‘OTA Guide to Business Development’ for example, many of whom understand that clients need to be nudged to book and then re-assured once they’ve booked hence the reason why they use various ‘merchandising’ tricks such as a ‘Best Rate Guarantee’ flag; a ‘Thumbs Up’ logo next to your room choice; a ticking clock as to when the last booking was made; or indeed a dynamic number indicating how many other clients are currently looking at your particular dates and hotel.

Retention Assuming the client books and they enjoy the experience of staying in your hotel, that should be the start of a long and beautiful relationship. Like any relationship however you have to work at it through a meaningful, relevant communications-mix including e-zines, texting and loyalty recognition.

And be sure to protect your database of clients at all costs, don’t over-expose it and never, ever sub-let it to a 3rd party: apart from getting into hot water with your local data commissioner, and no matter how brilliant or how relevant you might think a new local attraction is to your past customers, most guests will not thank you for it and will in fact move away from your brand in droves rather than closer to it.

Having past customers to market to presupposes that you’re generating new customers in the first instance which makes it all the more critical that your online business development is as good as it can be in driving direct business: in our experience, managing your website’s visibility, mobility, conversion and retention is a sensible, proven starter for 10.

For further details of Great National’s new Revenue Management Services for independent hotels, contact David Collins at djc@greatnationalhotels.com or visit www.gnaffiliates.com.

David Collins, is Co-Founder /Group Marketing Director, of Great National Hotels & Resorts

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TOURISM INITIATIVE

In Focus: The Wild Atlantic Way Hotel and Restaurant Times speaks to Fáilte Ireland’s Fiona Monaghan who is heading up their latest tourism initiative and the next big thing in tourism - The Wild Atlantic Way. H&RT: I think we can all agree that 2013 was a great year for tourism with higher visitor numbers to Ireland and increased revenues for most businesses. With the Gathering now complete, what is Fáilte Ireland’s next big idea for 2014?

FM: I suppose you could say that The Wild Atlantic Way, in this respect, is the next big idea for Fáilte Ireland.

Why? Well, the one clear lesson we learned from the Gathering is that spectacle and entertainment are incredibly important to tourism and, if we are to stand out in a crowded international marketplace, we need big bold ideas to grab tourists’ attention and ensure that Ireland features on their travel plans.

Frankly, nobody travels to simply sleep in a bed or have a meal or to buy a beer. They will do that anyway no matter where they visit. If we even look at our own travel planning, what do we do? We look for something new, exciting or authentic to do!

“

Fáilte Ireland’s Fiona Monaghan explains more about the Wild Atlantic Way

coastline and can be toured by car, bicycle or on foot providing visitors with an unforgettable experience of Ireland’s west coast. Of course, the real tourism potential of the route is its ability to open up a huge number of towns and attractions along the way.

In essence, it gives us a real opportunity to showcase the scenery and unique culture of the West Coast of Ireland as well as provide easy access to a range of experiences along the route that the visitor might not have otherwise seen or considered.

Why? Well, the one clear lesson we learned from the Gathering is that spectacle and entertainment are incredibly important to tourism and, if we are to stand out in a crowded international marketplace, we need big bold ideas to grab tourists’ attention and ensure that Ireland features on their travel plans.

Similarly, people will only choose to visit Ireland if they believe that it offers an entertaining holiday experience which is both unique and engaging.

This means that we have to offer visitors attractions which stand out in ambition, size and scale. Accordingly, we have developed The Wild Atlantic Way and it is a perfect example of how we are now focussing on developing ambitious largescale projects to capture the imagination of overseas travellers.

H&RT: So, what actually is the Wild Atlantic Way? FM: This is actually a question I am being asked quite frequently now as the build-up begins towards officially “opening” the Wild Atlantic Way. In the most simple terms, The Wild Atlantic Way is a 2,500km long touring route from Malin Head (at the tip of North Donegal) to Mizen Head in the very south of the country.

This route hugs Ireland’s Atlantic

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Minister Ring showed his support at the Westport Community Meeting

H&RT: The route is opening this April, how are local tourism businesses responding - are they getting involved?

FM: Over the last year we have been busy making sure that international visitors know about the route so that they can come to Ireland this year to enjoy it. The Wild Atlantic Way has been marketed extensively overseas in the last 12 months and the buzz it has created in some of our key markets is already generating traffic to Ireland this year.

More recently our focus has turned to making sure that the local tourism sector, and even more importantly, the local communities situated along the route get behind the project. This is because, as we know, once the visitors arrive their experience, and ultimately the success of the Wild Atlantic Way, will hinge on the buy-in, and participation, of local communities.

To get the local communities involved we have just completed a series of community briefings in 13 key locations along the route where we met with locals and discussed the new project with them. We had a great turnout at these meetings with more than 1,300 interested parties attending and the feedback and enthusiasm

TOURISM INITIATIVE

Locals in South Kerry turned out in force to find out more

was phenomenal. Indeed, in all my years in tourism, I have rarely seen such positivity and enthusiasm for a project and I think this bodes well for the venture.

These community meetings which we held were open to all and gave us an invaluable opportunity to inform local people about the Wild Atlantic Way and what it will mean for their local areas. In turn, we have had great feedback and input from a range of attendees from all walks of the community - tourism businesses and stakeholders, sporting bodies, cultural and musical organisations, local authorities, local development companies and retail businesses - who are all keen to engage with overseas visitors to their area and grow their local economies via tourism. In fact, the idea generation portion of the meeting resulted in hundreds of new “hidden gems”, “attractors” and “potential community led initiatives” which can now be investigated for further development by the Wild Atlantic Way team.

To ensure that this happens, this year we are investing significant capital funding €8m at least - to develop the route. Much of this investment will be reflected in route signage as well as developing 159 Discovery Points along the way, each of which will bring the route and surrounding area to life.

But that's not all that's planned for this year; we will also see all of the Wild Atlantic Way route signage in ground this April. We are also developing a Wild Atlantic Way App later this year which will be complimented by a suite of print and digital marketing material and interpretation plans for the route's 15 Signature Discovery Points. Of course, there will also be extensive marketing of the route at home and abroad and I think that it is safe to say that the initiative will ensure a pronounced increase in visitor volume all along the western seaboard this year.

H&RT: The project is starting this year but when do you envisage it will be fully complete?

FM: With a project of this scale this year’s work is really just the tip of the iceberg - the beginning of the Wild Atlantic Way journey if you like. Unlike The Gathering, this is not a one year project. It’s a long term development and, if it is going to compete with the likes of The Great Ocean Road in Australia, The Garden Route in South Africa, The Pacific Coast Highway in the

“ The Wild Atlantic Way will allow us to funnel significant additional visitors into hidden or lesser known coastal parts of the country such as South Connemara North Donegal, the Blaskets and Achill Island to name but a few.

Attendees at Spanish Point lead the Way after an active session

I was really struck last year at the way The Gathering harnessed the power of community spirit and these meetings for The Wild Atlantic Way have certainly allowed us to build on those community groups and networks which evolved during last year’s initiative. Indeed, if it is truly supported at community level - and I think it will be - the ensuing success of the Wild Atlantic Way may come to be seen as one of the legacies of The Gathering along the West coast of Ireland.

H&RT: Obviously, some of the local enthusiasm must be due to the fact that the Wild Another lively community meeting Atlantic Way will benefit local communities?

FM: Absolutely! The Wild Atlantic Way will allow us to funnel significant additional visitors into hidden or lesser known coastal parts of the country such as South Connemara, North Donegal, the Blaskets and Achill Island to name but a few.

United States, it will need a lot of time, development and money. So while we have received significant investment to get the route to where it is today, the Wild Atlantic Way will continue to be a work in progress for the coming months and years to come.

Looking beyond this year we already have further funding secured for the next few years which will be used to develop more signage and supports at all the key visitor points so we can deliver more visitors and revenue to the West Coast in the years ahead.

For now, it’s up to all of those businesses and communities along the route to get behind the initiative and play their role, no matter how small or large, in making the Wild Atlantic Way a success for Ireland.

Find out more about the Wild Atlantic Way at www.failteireland.ie/wildatlanticway

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MARKETING

Top Irish hospitality properties reveal how they win international business

Castle Leslie

Cariona Neary talks to leading Irish hospitality properties to find out what they are doing to win business in tough overseas markets. While there is no silver bullet, all the companies she interviewed shared five marketing strategies to build long term international business.

“What got you here won’t get you there,” to quote the great business guru, Marshall Goldsmith. To win business from our key international markets, the US, UK, Germany and France, never mind far flung markets in Asia or South America, you need to recalibrate your marketing activity.

No surprise there, perhaps, but international marketing is a long term strategy so it would be nice to know if there are any lessons to be learned from hospitality organisations that are going out there and winning.

To find out we spoke to four properties winning significant international business, including Castle Leslie, The Strand in Limerick, Harvey’s Point and the Guinness Storehouse. Despite the difference in scale and value proposition from each tourism property, we found there were certain strategies and good practices that were common to all.

Unrelenting focus Going international is not for the fainthearted. Failte Ireland’s highly successful meeting with international tour operators, Meitheal, is just a starting point. All the companies we spoke to travel extensively abroad, on the back of carefully planned business missions. “You need to have a

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strong hook,” says Deirdre McGlone of Harvey’s Point. While in Ireland, Harvey’s Point has a very strong cachet as a destination hotel; McGlone adopts a very different marketing approach when selling to international markets.

The Strand Hotel, Limerick

She solves the tour operators’ problems by suggesting compelling tours that may start in Belfast and finish in Shannon but take a two to three night stop at the beautiful lakeside hotel en route. She’s selling the Titanic and Bushmills as much as her own property because sales are won by providing solutions, in this case a compelling and unique tour, rather than obsessing about pushing your own property.

Create your own opportunities Sean Lally, GM of The Strand in Limerick, drives international business through exploiting every possible opportunity and then he throws in a few more that he creates himself. He and his team network intensively with the Irish Diaspora using

MARKETING

Harvey’s Point

Skybar at the Guinness Storehouse

channels such as overseas-based GAA clubs, and by placing highly targeted ads on Facebook, aimed at recently engaged emigrants with Limerick connections, followed up by Skyped wedding showarounds.

Most impressive of all is the leveraging of Limerick’s strong sporting infrastructure to attract international conferences and sporting events. Moreover, it’s not just about the rugby mecca, Thomond Park, but collectively all the sporting facilities spread throughout the local colleges and particularly the sports department, formerly Thomond College, at the University of Limerick. In 2014, more than €2 million worth of conference business is coming to the city via the Conference and Sports Bureau, an initiative started by Lally and others more than 10 years ago.

wedding prove to be a pretty good door opener on international markets.

And speaking of strong family histories, Arthur Guinness is also still working his magic in countries he may never have heard of in his own lifetime. With over 1.15 million visitors in 2013, the Guinness Storehouse’s core market is the international visitor. A world class offering, it is ranked fourth globally as a brand immersion experience, after Hershey’s Chocolate, Coca Cola and, unusually, Volkswagen. The GSH attracted 16,000 Chinese in 2013, almost as many as Tourism Ireland reported to have visited Ireland in the same year!

According to Mark McGovern of the GSH, collaboration with Tourism Ireland, Aer Lingus and other tourism partners is important. He also credits a highly focused PR campaign in countries such as Italy and Spain in creating a big increase in numbers from those markets. Despite being the ‘must see’ of Dublin the company still works hard to ensure it is on all the major coach tours by staying close to Irish and overseas tour operators and agents.

Customer txperience trumps all other strategies Brian Baldwin of Castle Leslie emphasises the importance of offering a really standout customer experience as being the most significant sales driver to support international marketing. The power of word of mouth, now available on steroids through social media, is a clincher in driving business to your doors.

If Castle Leslie can double its business in the middle of a recession through highly focussed marketing, it is time to say ‘Is Féidir Linn’!

Taking control While all the organisations we interviewed paid full tribute to Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland, each property very much drives its own success story, from strong international PR through to building their own international networks. Each operator was also extremely positive and optimistic about prospects on international markets, even if, as Deirdre McGlone commented; international marketing can be frustrating and demands enormous wells of patience. She argues that going and knocking on doors herself, as the owner of Harvey’s Point, works very well. She also believes in managing the business’s tweets herself, despite the fact that she and her husband, Marc Gysling, are very hands-on managers. “Keep it personal, keep control”, McGlone advises.

Maximise your marketing and distribution channels At Castle Leslie, GM Brian Baldwin and his team have been working hard over the last five years to build the property’s national and international reputation, doubling the business turnover in the last three years, in the teeth of a global recession! A key objective is to grow as much direct business as possible rather than via third party channels. The company has invested heavily in photography to showcase the 1000 acre demesne. “So much of our business is generated initially online, we are getting 80-90% of our business directly and through our photography we want to communicate the vastness of the estate, it’s a place where you can get lost, where you can find tranquillity,” Baldwin explains.

Castle Leslie have avoided the third party sites that will push cheaper room only offerings through aggressive online marketing as well as good international partnerships. A strong story about the Leslie family’s 300 year history and a Beatle

Cariona Neary is an expert in hospitality training and development. She can be contacted at cariona@nearymarketing.com or 086 8056669.

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FÁILTE IRELAND NEWS

Minister Varadkar open’s Fáilte Ireland Limerick offices Tourism in Limerick was firmly on the agenda with the arrival of Leo Varadkar Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to Fáilte Ireland’s new HQ in the Granary, Michael Street. Minister Varadkar met with the local Fáilte Ireland team as well as representatives of tourism in the city.

Speaking at the offices Minister Varadkar said, “This new Tourism HQ in the Granary will help Limerick to build on the success of The Gathering. Our focus in 2014 and beyond, is developing and promoting the Wild Atlantic Way for Limerick city and county. There will also be a focus on bringing more conferences and conventions to Limerick.

“There is renewed growth at Shannon Airport where passenger numbers on US services grew steadily in its first year of independence, and by 22% in the second half of the year. At the same time, Fáilte Ireland has gained the tourism expertise of

Minister Leo Varadkar meets with the Fáilte Ireland team and representatives of the industry.

Pictured were Paul Keeley, Fáilte Ireland; Minister Varadkar; Donnacha Hurley, Absolute Hotel; Sean Lally, The Strand Hotel; and Tony Brazil, Limerick Travel.

former Shannon Development staff. All these factors should strengthen tourism in the mid-west in the year ahead.”

Harrington begins build up for 2014 Irish Open The build-up to this year’s Irish Open has begun as Ireland’s Golf Ambassador Padraig Harrington joined with Michael Ring, Minister of State of Tourism and Sport in Stackstown Golf Club to encourage all golf fans to get behind the event.

The 2014 Irish Open will take place in Cork at the magnificent Fota Island’s Deerpark Course from June 19-22nd. Tony Lenehan, Fáilte Ireland’s Head of Golf said, “Golfing is a big draw for high spending visitors to Ireland and the Irish Open is a great calling card to allow us to create awareness of the Irish golf experience globally and attract even more visitors to our shores - not only from our traditional golfing markets in the USA and Great Britain but also from emerging golfing markets such as China.”

Find out more at www.irishopen.ie

Ireland’s Golf Ambassador Padraig Harrington is joined by Michael Ring, Minister of State of Tourism and Sport and Tony Lenehan, Fáilte Ireland in Stackstown Golf Club to begin the build-up for this year’s Irish Open and encourage all golf fans to get behind the event.

Discover the Treasures of the Lakelands from your Phone Fáilte Ireland, Waterways Ireland and the Midlands Regional Authority have joined forces today to launch a new free ‘Lakeland Treasures’ app for the iPhone. The app designed to target the family market highlights the excellent range of heritage attractions the Lakelands region has to offer.

Established as a pilot, it is the intention to extend the Lakeland Treasures app to include over 100 heritage attractions across the region. A photo treasure hunt, Lakeland Treasures is a family fun way to explore 10 of the Midlands best known heritage attractions including the world renowned Clonmacnoise, Athlone Castle, Strokestown House, Emo Court & Ardagh Heritage Village.

Commenting at the launch in Belvedere House, Fáilte Ireland’s Colm Breheny said: “With the phenomenal growth in the use of mobile technology this Lakeland Treasures app will ensure that visitors to the area will have at hand all the information needed to make their visit both enjoyable and memorable.”

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Pictured at the launch of the Lakeland Treasures app for iphone were (l. to r.): Eanna Rowe, Waterways Ireland; John Maughan, Nimble Tours; Ruth McNally, Midlands Regional Authority; James Bannon, T.D. and Colm Breheny, Fáilte Ireland.

FÁILTE IRELAND NEWS

A new plan for Dublin The Grow Dublin Taskforce recently unveiled a new plan for Dublin entitled Destination Dublin - A Collective Strategy for Growth to 2020 which envisages a best case scenario where visitor numbers could grow by 7% a year, visitor spending increase by 8.6% a year and spending by international visitors would almost double to just Left to right are Keith Mc Cormack (Fáilte Ireland), Eugene Garrihy (Dublin under €2.5bn by 2020.

Bay Cruises), Miriam Brady (Dublin Bus) and Paul Carty, Guinness The strategy sets out a Storehouse and President of ITIC. roadmap for growing Dublin’s tourism in the years ahead - including identifying those market segments with most promise, outlining the need for a new brand and more modern image for the city and stressing the need for all interests in Dublin to come together to ensure that tourism can fulfil its true potential.

Download your copy of the new report on www.failteireland.ie

The Gathering scoops Award for innovation at the LAMAs

Enriching experiences for coach tour visitors Fifteen coach drivers representing CTTC members from counties Donegal, Dublin, Kerry, Kilkenny, Limerick, Longford, Louth and Monaghan have graduated from a Foundation in Guiding Skills for the Coach Tourism & Transport Council (CTTC) which was delivered by Fáilte Ireland last December and January.

The CTTC is the main representative group for Ireland’s private bus and coach companies and provides leadership and lobbying not only for members, but also for the wider private coach and bus operator sector. The Foundation in Guiding Skills programme provides participants with a sound understanding and appreciation of Ireland’s rich cultural, built and natural heritage.

Manager Stakeholder Engagement, Liam Campbell said, “The Coach Tourism & Transport Council demonstrates in a very practical way its support of one of Fáilte Ireland’s core strategies to enrich and deepen the visitor’s experience of Ireland by the professionalism and service excellence it delivers through members’ coach drivers.”

Local communities go wild for the Wild Atlantic Way More than 1,300 members of the local community turned out in force this month to attend a series of community briefings informing them all about the Wild Atlantic Way and how they can make the most of it.

The Wild Atlantic Way is a long distance touring route from Donegal to West Cork with a total length of 2,500km showcasing Josephine O'Driscoll, Fáilte Ireland, Trish Bevan, the Atlantic coastline.

West Cork Development Partnership, Seamus To garner local participation Fáilte Ireland O'Driscoll, Cape Clear Island Ferries, Fiona Ardrundel. hosted a total of 13 meetings in February allowing local communities located along the Wild Atlantic Way to get an overview of the Wild Atlantic Way project, and input into how your area can encourage international visitors to ‘linger longer’ as they take in the stunning west coast of Ireland.

Speaking at the meeting, Fiona Monaghan, Head of Programmes for the Wild Atlantic Way, Fáilte Ireland said, “Our series of Community Meetings were extremely positive, with all attendees providing strong contributions towards hidden gems in their area as well as community-led initiatives that could be instigated to showcased the Wild Atlantic Way in their area. We are keen to support these communities to use the Wild Atlantic Way to benefit their area through providing customer care programmes and other practical supports and intend to work closely with all the stakeholders along the route to ensure this project is a resounding success.”

Jarleth Heneghan, William Fry (centre) presents the National Impact Award to (l-r) - Jim Miley, Director of The Gathering Ireland, Michelle Staunton, Fáilte Ireland, Eileen Sheehan, Fáilte Ireland, Cllr Hugh McElvaney, Monaghan and Fionnan Nestor, Fáilte Ireland.

The Gathering Ireland 2013 has been awarded The National Impact Award at the Local Authority Members Awards (LAMA) which was held recently in Dublin.

Each year the LAMAs highlight and recognise community and local projects across 26 categories. The National Impact Award, which was presented to The Gathering, recognises a project which has demonstrated innovation resulting in a positive effect upon the nation as a whole.

The winning project should have enhanced the environment, cultural or social activities, transport links or contributed to the economic stability or growth of the local and national communities who use it.

Speaking about the award, Shaun Quinn, CEO, Fáilte Ireland stated, “I am delighted to see The Gathering being recognised for the impact that it has clearly had on local communities across the country. The national impact award in particular highlights projects which have influenced local communities across the country and it is fair to say that this has been the case for The Gathering. More than 5,000 gatherings were held last year attracting 250,000 275,000 international visitors to Ireland and contributing €170million to the Irish economy. We in Fáilte Ireland are proud to have initiated the project, and even prouder to have managed it throughout 2013.”

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CATERING

Theatre and aesthetic Hotel & Restaurant Times talks to Caterhire’s MD, Gavin Divilly When it comes to events, weddings and functions, the look and atmosphere of a venue is largely dictated by furniture, décor, tableware and linens. Aside from these aesthetic elements, functional items such as catering equipment, buffetware and refrigeration can make or break the success of an event.

Caterhire is Ireland’s award-winning leading event and party hire company. With a core aim to provide quality hire products to transform a venue, while providing topclass customer service, the company has built an impressive client list spanning wellknown names in the corporate, sporting, celebrity, media and political world. We sat down to talk about Caterhire’s development and ethos, as well as what the company offers, with Managing Director, and one of the main shareholders, Gavin Divilly.

Gavin joined the company in 2005, at a time, he says, when hiring was seen as only a functional need: “If you needed some tables and chairs you took what you were given. It could be a basic bog-standard folding chair. There wasn’t a lot of choice.”

With a background in marketing and commerce he recognised the company’s potential, but understood the need to develop it further.

He says, “It had the foundations there and the platform - good service, a good name, good clients like blue-chip hotels, blue-chip corporates, sports clubs,

Gavin Divilly

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Government bodies, private caterers. Therefore, we had that but we thought; how could we do more business with them? Therefore, what we set about doing was looking at the different needs of different customers. We did loads of travelling around the States and the UK as the market is more developed there. We were basically developing a range of products to transform a venue to give it a look or character or customise it.”

From here, the company started with tableware, segmenting it into top-of-therange, mid-range and budget-range, before adding catering equipment, linens and furniture, all, according to Gavin “a little bit different, bespoke.”

Close attention was paid to the trends to inform Caterhire’s product offering; for example the emerging trend of buffets replacing sit-down meals led the company to stock a large selection of buffetware such as buffet stations, woks, display units and stands, while the explosion of trendy hotels such as The G and The Dylan is also cited as an influence in Caterhire’s updated offerings.

“Display is the main thing”, says Gavin. “Creating this theatre, this aesthetic. A bog-standard chair might suit certain hotels but we wanted to be in a position to offer choice. For example, we have a huge range of different types of chairs and colours, contemporary chairs and traditional chairs to suit a wide range of looks.

Venues are generally white and large; even most hotels’ function rooms tend to be quite bland, and they’re all competing for the same business so they’re looking for things that are a bit different. So if you have a big corporate over or a celebrity wedding, we go in and transform that room, putting in bars, lounge areas, creating a look and feel that is unique. Display is also the key thing if you’re having a product launch and marketing a brand - it has to look slick.”

Caterhire has a range of exclusive brands such as Lounge 22 designer furniture from LA, Bash Bars from the UK and the Chameleon chair range, which are the official chairs for the Academy Awards each year.

Divilly is not happy to stand still and continuous innovation is key. True to form, he has recently launched a complete range of illuminated furniture that has already featured at some of the top events and venues.

“If you’re going for a look or theme, “says Gavin, “you can take a few pieces just to create a mood. We’ve a round illuminated bar that could go into the likes of the Mansion House or a marquee. That’s our most popular item - people love that, as do the drinks companies. The range is modular too so you can change the shapes and sizes, and they’re remote-controlled. We have boxes to create a back bar for

CATERING

So, of course providing a high-quality product is key, but according to Gavin, it doesn’t end there. For Caterhire customer service and flexibility is at the core of the company’s ethos.

Gavin explains: “We’re a customer service business, right down to our kitchen, our drivers. We have meetings regularly and what I try to push all the time is it all about the customer. We couldn’t be here without the customer so whatever the problem is,

☞

drinks displays, illuminated & inflatable couches. We work with event companies for example and collaborated with a number recently to transform, for instance, the Google & Facebook parties. There have been so many events, you name it we’ve probably been involved at some level.”

As well as this aesthetic-focused service, there is a second strand to the business: day-to-day hire - if something pops up unexpectedly or there’s a sporting event or a double booking, Caterhire offers the safety net of extra furniture and equipment such as bar stools, chairs, bars and sofas. For example, a very large American legal conference last year had every hotel in the city booked out, and many looked to Caterhire for extra seating, tableware and bar supplies.

Quality control is also important. All equipment is PAT tested regularly and system checked monthly to ensure it’s working properly, and before anything goes out it’s visually inspected to ensure it’s clean.

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CATERING

we’ll sort it out. We have employee of the month, comment cards, thank you cards, everyone answers the phones here - there isn’t a switchboard. We also have an outcall service, evenings and weekends.”

Given the recent economic climate, we adapted to the market place needs and the industry requirements. We now, for instance, offer seasonal hire. For example with so many wedding and sporting events held in the summer months, we offer competitive leasing arrangements to these

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venues. Equally this arrangement has been rolled out to hotels who also may have the need to supplement their offerings but don’t want to invest too much capital in such fixtures and functional items. We have arranged medium and long-term hire packages to fit out such venues with chairs, tableware and lounge furniture for example So what are Gavin’s plans for Caterhire?

“We’re doing a good few new things. We want to do up our showrooms here and put a bit of money into it, but you know, you can never go too mad - you have to be cautious. Business has picked up out there but it’s still tough, capital expenditure is a major issue. The key thing is to keep ourselves appraised as to what’s happening out there. We’ve worked in some form on most of the events that take place in Ireland over the last number of years and our clients are always looking for something fresh each year. We’re positive for the year ahead, we never rest on our laurels; you’ll always be cautious but we’re positive.”

Tel: 01-2943111 Email: info@caterhire.ie Web: www.caterhire.ie Showrooms: 36 Spruce Ave, Stillorgan Industrial Park, Co Dublin

FOOD

forTHOUGHT Let the battle commence……

2014 Irish Restaurant Awards launched

The awards are a celebration in the best of Irish cuisine and recognise the hard work that restaurateurs put in all year round.

Restaurateurs are entrepreneurs, and to give them something back for their contribution to the hospitality industry is important. The restaurant industry is the biggest employer within the Irish tourism sector, employing over 64,000 people. They should be proud of that, and celebrate their hard work in the coming months.”

The Restaurants Association of Ireland launched their annual Irish Restaurant Awards in association with the Sunday Independent LIFE Magazine on Wednesday 12th February in the Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin.

Since these Awards started in 2009, the number of nominations have grown and grown. 2013 was a significant year for the Awards as the number of nominations doubled as a result of the transfer to an online nomination process. With almost 10,000 online votes received last year, the total number of nominations is set to break the records once again in 2014.

Online nominations open Sunday, 16th of February and will close on Friday, 7th of March via www.independent.ie/irishrestaurantawards. Full information will be published in the Sunday Independent LIFE Magazine on the 16th of February, 23rd of February and 2nd of March.

Adrian Cummins, Chief Executive of the Restaurants Association commented; “Interest in the Irish Restaurant Awards has grown year on year, and as our awards are the only in Ireland to have a Mystery Judge element, we can really stand over the entire process.

There are 9 main award categories in which the general public, readers of the Sunday Independent LIFE Magazine and members of the Restaurants Association of Ireland can nominate in.

These categories and their respective sponsors are as follows:

Best Restaurant

Best Chef

Best Restaurant Manager

Best Hotel Restaurant

Best Casual Dining

Best Gastro Pub

Best Wine Experience

Best Customer Experience

Best Kids Size me

Restaurants Association of Ireland

11 Bridge Court – Citygate - St. Augustine Street - Dublin 8 - Registered Company No. 56224

Official Sponsor of

FOODforTHOUGHT

Patrons:

FOODforTHOUGHT

2014 Sommelier Graduation

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On 27th of January, 2014, 26 Sommeliers graduated and were presented with their Sommelier Certificates by Oliver Murtagh, President, Irish Guild of Sommelier and Padraic Ă“g Gallagher, President, Restaurants Association of Ireland, at a function in Stephens Green Hibernian Club, St. Stephens Green, Dublin 2.

The course now in its 4th year is sponsored by the Irish Guild of Sommeliers and the Restaurants Association of Ireland. During their course of study students from all over Ireland were introduced to the practical and theoretical aspects of the study of wines, whiskies and cocktails. The course included the marriage of food and wine incorporating the elements of service, storage and tasting.

Maxime Dubois of Dublin Wine Rooms was named Best Taster & awarded the Guild’s President Medal and Mark Donohoe also of Dublin Wine Rooms achieved 1st place in the overall examination and recipient of the Restaurants Association of Ireland prize.

The Graduation is an occasion which allows us to recognise and show appreciation for the support of the wider trade community represented by the Restaurants Association of Ireland and our supporting wine suppliers.

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Lobbying Updates JLC’s, Calories On Menu’s, Local Elections Joint Labour Committees: The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation, Richard Bruton T.D recently announced that he will be implementing the recommendations of the Labour Court Review to re-introduce the JLC’s. The RAI would like to reassure members that it will be some months before any movement on this issue occurs and that the RAI will be opposed to any such moves. The Employment Regulation Orders will not come in to effect unless agreed by all parties.

Local Elections 2014: On May 23rd the European and Local Elections will be taking place. At our upcoming branch meetings we look to forward to getting member feedback regarding local issues (rates/water/waste) so that we can compile this information for a RAI European & Local Election Manifesto. The purpose of this will be to continue our goal of raising awareness of the restaurant & hospitality industry & the vital role the industry plays in local tourism and employment.

NERA Inspections: If you are expecting any NERA inspections or have recently had one and need some assistance, please do not hesitate to get in touch with the office to discuss. Tle: 01-6779901 or info@rai.ie

Training: The RAI Chef Training programme is currently underway in Dublin & Galway with Limerick due to commence shortly. The Association has had positive meeting with Solas regarding apprenticeship development. We’ll also be focusing on up-skilling courses, barista, sommelier and kitchen management training courses during 2014.

Calories On Menus: There has not been much movement from Minister Reilly on this nor has he indicated any likely dates this year of legislation being brought forward.

AGM, Restaurant & Hospitality Summit 2014 On Wednesday 26th March, 2014 the Restaurants Association will be hosting its AGM, Conference & Presidents Dinner in The Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin. The AGM will commence at 9.30am followed by our conference at 11am. We have some fantastic speakers lined up and some more to confirm. The objective of the conference is to provide new ideas for our members. Throughout the day, speakers will be presenting on current issues, such as restaurant development, customer service, off-line and online marketing to name but a few.

It certainly is an event not to be missed. The day will be finished off with our Presidents Gala Dinner and the Mike Butt Award will be presented.

RAI Conference Speakers confirmed; l

Peter Kreiner – Managing Director NOMA Restaurant, Copenhagen

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Warwick (The Guardian Newspaper & Where Chefs Eat)

l John l Pol

Teeling of Teeling Whiskey

O’Chongaile – Irish Travel Writer of the Year 2013

Keep up to date on our Conference and Presidents Dinner on www.rai.ie or @RAI_ie

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Patrons:

NEW MEMBERS Restaurant Name

County

Restaurant Name

County

Lime Restaurant

Galway

Blue Ginger Restaurant

Co. Dublin

Yamamori Izakaya

Dublin 2

The Mint Leaf

Co. Meath

Yamamori Sushi

Dublin 1

The Mint Leaf

Co. Dublin

Dwarf Jar

Dublin 2

Taste of Cairo

Dublin 1

Bakestone

Co Cork

Antoinette's Bakery

Dublin 8

Clashganny house Restaurant

Co. Carlow

L'Arco Italian Restaurant

Co. Clare

L

O'Neills Pub

Co. Kildare

Belles Tea Rooms

Co. Louth

2

Restaurant Sage

Co. Donegal

Waterfront House Restaurant

Co. Sligo

McCambridges Restaurant

Co. Galway

Stockhouse

Co. Meath

Tuckbox Restaurant

Co. Dublin

Bianconi's

Dublin 4

Indigo Brasserie

Co. Cork

The Lighthouse Café

Co. Dublin

The Roast House

Co. Kerry

Farnham Arms Hotel

Co. Cavan

Morilles Bistro

Dublin 14

Crackpots Restaurant & Wine Bar

Co. Cork

An Corcan Restaurant

Co. Kerry

Bolands Café Marlay Park

Dublin 14

The Olive Tree

Co Waterford

Kennedys Bar & Restaurant

Co. Donegal

Shalimar Restaurant

Co. Loais

Shamwari

Co. Dublin

O'Connor's Seafood Restaurant

Co. Cork

Bakers Corner

Co. Dublin

Willie Pa-s

Co. Cork

Brady's Of Shankhill

Co. Dublin

Nosh and Coffee

Co. Cork

The Igo Inn

Co. Dublin

Nosh and Coffee

Co. Cork

Horans Bar & Restaurant

Co. Wicklow

O'Connor's Café Bar and Restaurant

Co. Limerick

Delish Café Raheen

Co. Limerick

Railway Tavern-Firebox Grill

Co. Donegal

Delish Café Castleroy

Co. Limerick

Carpe Diem Saggart

Co. Dublin

The Wishing Well Bistro

Co. Cavan

O'Callaghan's Delicatessen & Café

Co. Cork

Associate MEMBERS

Simona Italian Fine Food

Co. Louth

Company Name

Website

Crockets On The Quay

Co. Mayo

Bon Appetit Card

www.bonappetitcard.com

Quinntins Restaurant @ Regans Bar

Co. Roscommon

Glana Controlled Hygiene

www.glana.ie

The Italian Connection Kilkenny

Co. Kilkenny

Love2shop

www.love2shop.ie

Restaurants Association of Ireland

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11 Bridge Court – Citygate - St. Augustine Street - Dublin 8 - Registered Company No. 56224

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Offi

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ENERGY SOLUTIONS

FloGas - Ireland’s only supplier of both LP Gas and Natural Gas Our gas fires provide guests with the cosy comfort of a fire burning in the hearth; they are efficient, economical and attractive, and very, very clean.

Flogas water heating provides instant, unlimited hot water at the turn of a tap. As our direct-fired water-heaters only heat the water needed at a particular time, there is no heat loss caused by piping heated water around your building when it’s not needed.

There’s also a gas tumble-dryer in the gas appliance range. It is bigger than a conventional dryer and up to 35% cheaper to run.

Outdoor Heating Solutions Flogas Patio Heaters provide simple solutions to outdoor heating for hotels, pubs, restaurants and cafes. Fast, flexible and safe, they come in various forms such as the standard patio gas heater, fixed patio heater and fixed wall heater to keep your customers warm with instant, economical heat.

Flogas, Ireland’s only supplier of both LP Gas and Natural Gas, has been supplying LP Gas and Natural Gas as well as providing energy solutions and technical advice to the hospitality industry for many years. This includes hotels, cafes, restaurants, guesthouses, B&Bs, self-catering establishments, holiday home complexes and leisure centres nationwide.

The Flogas Energy Solutions Team Flogas understands that a LP Gas supply service also means providing the best possible levels of customer service and support. As an energy solutions specialist, our business goes beyond simply managing and accommodating your gas needs.

We create and implement a complete ‘turnkey’ energy solution specific to your business. The Flogas Energy Solutions team works to a simple brief, which is to cut customers’ energy costs.

Combined Heat and Power The Flogas Energy Solutions team has built up a wealth of experience in Combined Heat and Power Technology (CHP) as many hotels, leisure centres and swimming pools now use a CHP unit to generate heat, hot water and electricity in a single process. LP Gas and Natural Gas are the perfect fuels to operate the CHP unit as they are clean, virtually odourless and soot-free. The Flogas Energy Solutions Team also has a panel of independent experts to call upon if needs be.

Bulk Tanks For those not on the natural gas grid, Flogas has four LP Gas terminals in Ireland at Drogheda, Cork, Ballyhaunis and Belfast combined with a nationwide network of storage and filling depots. This network ensures that Flogas can keep customers’ bulk tanks topped up and cylinder requirements fulfilled at all times. The computerised top-up system allows for automatic top-ups, ensuring constant and reliable source of gas and without even needing to place an order.

A fully integrated range of appliances for your establishment Flogas provides advice on a full range of gas appliances to the hospitality business owners and we co-operate with some of the leading equipment companies to promote sales of gas equipment.

For more details on Flogas LP Gas and Natural Gas offerings, contact Flogas on 041-9831041 or info@flogas.ie. www.flogas.ie

Natural Gas As well as supplying LP Gas, Flogas also supplies natural gas with some of the most competitive offerings for hospitality and commercial customers in Ireland.

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29

DUBLIN TOURISM

New blueprint to grow tourism in Dublin launched Capital could double tourism revenue to €2.5bn by 2020 A new plan for tourism in Dublin envisages a best case scenario where visitor numbers could grow by 7% a year, visitor spending increase by 8.6% a year and spending by international visitors would almost double to just under €2.5bn by 2020. The plan, Destination Dublin - A Collective Strategy for Growth to 2020 was developed by the Grow Dublin Taskforce - representing tourism and business interests in the city and was recently launched in Dublin by Oisín Quinn, Lord Mayor of Dublin, and the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Leo Varadkar T.D. While emphasising that tourism is important to Dublin in terms of revenue and jobs, the report finds that the capital is underperforming and has slipped behind its main city competitors in Europe.

Although, over the last three years, the city has shown the beginnings of a recovery, a real awareness of Dublin and all that it can offer is not fully appreciated - particularly in those market segments, which hold the most potential for growth in international visitor numbers.

The strategy set out offers a roadmap for growing Dublin’s tourism in the years ahead - including identifying those market segments with most promise, outlining the need for a new brand and more modern image for the city and stressing the need for all interests in Dublin to come together to ensure that tourism can fulfil its true potential.

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Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Leo Varadkar officially launching the Destination Dublin Report with Grow Dublin Taskforce Chairperson, Lucy McCaffrey and Fáilte Ireland CEO, Shaun Quinn.

Welcoming the report, Dublin’s Lord Mayor said - “The launch of the Grow Dublin Taskforce Report is the result of a very successful collaboration between Dublin City Council, Fáilte Ireland and a number of other stakeholders. Dublin is a fantastic tourist destination with lots to offer any visitor. The taskforce understood the importance of getting the right message to the right people as the first step to success. The work of the Grow Dublin Taskforce, along with the roadmap now provided by the ‘Collective Strategy for Growth to 2020’, plots a clearly defined route which will help us stay on course to achieve further visitor growth and greater economic success for the city over the coming years.”

Also speaking at its launch, Minister Varadkar added - “2013 was a really good year for tourism in Dublin. The city was thronged with tourists and our hotels were full throughout summer. The common narrative is that the recovery in tourism has been stronger and faster in Dublin and that Dublin is doing much better than the rest of the country. That may be true but it misses the point.

“Dublin is not in competition with the rest of Ireland for international visitors. It is in competition with other cities like Barcelona, Amsterdam and Vienna. There is no reason why we should not aspire to doing even better than they do. That’s what today is all about. Dublin’s tourist offering is unique, it is a young, vibrant, happening city with rich culture and heritage nestled between the wide open spaces of Dublin Bay and the mountains. We have a lot to offer and want to welcome many more visitors in the years to come.”

Fáilte Ireland CEO, Shaun Quinn, added: “As the Taskforce sets out, Dublin is in danger of standing still with its brand becoming a bit stale. Meanwhile, our competitor cities overseas have been reinventing themselves. This report is therefore a very timely wake-up call to our capital.

“Already, many of the key recommendations contained within this report are currently being implemented by Fáilte Ireland and others to reposition Dublin and improve its appeal. However, it will take more than one tourism organisation and the four local authorities to achieve the potential set out in this report. The success of Dublin as a tourism destination will also be dependent on tourism operators, sports, arts and culture interests and the wider business community working closely together as never before.”

DUBLIN TOURISM Chasing the right targets The report states that Dublin needs to differentiate itself as a “must-visit” destination. In view of the growing trend towards more trips of shorter duration particularly to cities - Dublin must distinguish itself as a stand-alone destination and an aspirational European short-break destination.

The Grow Dublin Taskforce believes that this is where there is a significant opportunity for Dublin if it can communicate the variety and vibrancy of the city’s attractions to potential visitors in key target markets, where return on investment is likely to be greatest.

The Taskforce has identified five sectors that offer the best potential for significant growth and the best return on investment: • Holidaymakers identified as ‘Social Energisers’ - young couples and adult groups looking for excitement, new experiences, and fun, social getaways to novel destinations • Holidaymakers identified as ‘Culturally Curious’ - mostly older couples or solo travellers with time (and money) to spend • Business Tourism - where visitor expenditure is amongst the highest of all visitors and who are more prone to visit in times when cash flow for Dublin businesses is critical - in the shoulder and off-seasons • Cruise Tourism - who come to Dublin as part of a European cruise • Event Tourism - coming to Dublin specifically to attend an event or festival, whether sporting, cultural, business or any other type of event.

There will need to be a strategic decision across the tourism and business sectors to focus on these sectors, the report finds, if we are to attract to Dublin the best prospects where the greatest return on investment is likely to be generated.

Dublin 2.0 - A new brand for Dublin The Grow Dublin Taskforce conducted extensive research in overseas markets to find out what prospective visitors look for when choosing a destination and, having also widely consulted the capital’s interested stakeholders, today’s report sets out a new pitch for the city which captures Dublin’s unique appeal for visitors: ‘Dublin is the vibrant capital city bursting with a variety of surprising experiences where city living thrives side by side with the natural outdoors.’

It is proposed that this proposition should permeate all future communications with target markets and it is envisaged that, eventually, all stakeholders in the industry will adopt it in their own marketing, advocates for the city will use it when talking with friends and colleagues abroad and experience developers will use it when designing new projects.

A new way of working The Grow Dublin Taskforce also clearly identifies that future success will depend on collaboration and cooperation between the various public bodies, industry groups, and service providers with an interest and stake in the tourism economy to an extent that has not happened before.

To facilitate this, a number of plans have been developed by the Grow Dublin Taskforce to achieve significant tourism growth between now and 2020. These include sectoral and cross-sectoral programmes of work.

The sector-specific programmes are designed to address the targeting of the key market segments: Social Energisers, Culturally Curious, ‘promotable’ business tourism, events, and cruise tourism. Cross-sector enabling projects are projects that transcend one or more of the key sectors and are not focused purely on one sector. These include new brand, communications and digital strategies.

Lucy McCaffrey, Chairperson of the Grow Dublin Taskforce emphasised - “The Taskforce set out to create a blueprint to ensure that tourism to the Dublin Region thrives. This plan is unusual in that it has its own implementation built in - to the

extent that some strands of the strategy are already being implemented. The proposed new Alliance of those who have a stake in the strategy’s success will carry this work forward.”

Details of the report’s proposed next steps for developing Dublin’s tourism industry are outlined in the Executive Summary.

Welcoming the report, Richard Guiney, Dublin City Business Improvement District, commented - “The world is going to change fundamentally over the next 10 years and Dublin is well placed to meet the expectations of the 21st century traveller.

However, we will not reach our potential unless we co-ordinate our offer and message cohesively for the visitor. It is time to address our short comings and put Dublin firmly in the shop window and make our destination accessible and easily understood to the global audience. I believe that the energy and imagination created by the Grow Dublin Taskforce will bring us to where we need to be and I look forward to the implementation of the ideas articulated in this report.”

Paul Gallagher, Vice Chairman of Irish Tourism Industry Confederation also said “This report identifies the size of the prize, it’s now up to all stakeholders to work together to achieve that and more. Through working collaboratively in a cohesive manner Dublin’s opportunities are unlimited. The Grow Dublin Taskforce report is the launch pad for a new way of working together and realising new potential.”

The Grow Dublin Taskforce The Grow Dublin Taskforce was established by Fáilte Ireland in late 2012 with the aim of identifying how to bring substantial growth in tourism to Dublin city and region in the period to 2020. This was a senior tourism sector group representing major stakeholders in the public and private sectors. It consulted extensively throughout the tourism sector in Dublin City and Region in order to achieve consensus for the way forward.

The Taskforce conducted extensive research among visitors and potential visitors in key markets to determine their interests and motivations, and to identify the ways in which the Dublin offering addresses them. Based on that research, the Taskforce then set about developing a strategy for growth, underpinned by a new, compelling, and authentic Dublin brand.

This strategy is set out in today’s report and the new proposition will provide the basis for mobilising all stakeholders public bodies, private enterprise and citizens - in developing and delivering a memorable visitor experience.

The full strategy report can be accessed on the website www.failteireland.ie

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IFSA NEWS

IFSA presents DIT Culinary Arts Student Award at Food & Bev Live ‘14

Announcing the IFSA Partner Seminar: Masterclass One: Hiring People

The Irish Foodservice Suppliers Alliance was delighted to present Louise Cromwell with a Bursary Prize for “Best Placement Award on the Higher Certificate in Health and Nutrition for Culinary Arts 2013” at Food & Bev Live in CityWest on 11th February. IFSA is proud to support this unique programme which integrates culinary arts education and performance (cuisine) with health and nutrition and the Board and members of the association wish Louise every success in her future career.

5 essential things you need to know when hiring people - The signs are that 2014 will be a growth year for IFSA members and the industry as a whole. Research shows more people are thinking of hiring additional staff at some stage this year. Now is the right time to review your hiring process and ensure that is helps you to grow your business by hiring the best, protect your business by complying with all employment legalisation and avoid costly mistakes. This Seminar will run from 08:00am - 10:30am on 26th March (IFSA Members €45.00 + VAT. Non-Members: €70.00 + VAT ) and will cover the following Primary areas : 1. Relevant employment legalisation 2. Critical documentation; job descriptions, contracts, staff handbook 3. Best practice for interviewing; what you can and can’t ask 4. First 3 months; getting them up to speed quickly 5. Succeeding in the job; managing their performance to ensure success To book contact ronan@solveridge.com or sean@learningcurve.ie

Pictured (L-R): Sean Martin, IFSA Chairman, Frank Cullen, Head of School DIT Cathal Brugha Street, Louise Cromwell, DIT Student, Liam Mongey, IFSA Secretary.

Kitchen-Design Innovators Bring Top Portlaoise Restaurant into 21st Century Catering Innovation Agency (CIA), a Carlow-based firm specialising in energy-efficient restaurant kitchen design, is celebrating its sixth anniversary in style recently with a kitchen reconstruction project at the at O’Gorman’s Pub and restaurant in Portlaoise valued at €200,000 Donal O’Gorman, owner of the famous midlands eatery, approached CIA looking for a design that would improve the workflow and efficiency of his kitchen.

Seamus Marnane, CEO of the Catering Innovation Agency, and Enda O’Donoghue, Sales Director, masterminded a project that has helped the O’Gorman’s make the transition from traditional gas cooking to cooking using energy-efficient induction systems.

CIA carried out a full evaluation of the O’Gorman’s menu, cooking methods and trade volumes and used this as the basis for their design. The CIA team fitted the kitchen with induction systems from Palux, a German kitchen-equipment manufacture.

“The kitchen is completely tailored to their business model,” says Seamus Marnane. “Basically, the menu dictated the kitchen.”

Induction offers 85% efficiency in terms of conserving energy.

Induction generates less heat and lower levels of carbon monoxide, making the kitchen a much more comfortable place to work in. The induction taps and grills in the kitchen are only activated when pans or plates are placed on them, and switch off automatically when they’re removed, which drastically cuts energy bills.

The system also saves time for staff. Previously, staff had to remove each work surface, clean it and reinsert it, but now the surfaces are continuous and are completely spotless after a quick wipe down.

Seamus Marnane says that the project gives a huge boost to CIA’s profile. “Everyone knows O’Gorman’s. We’re delighted to bring a top restaurant like this to the next level and Donal is delighted with the reduction in his energy bills.

For more information on CIA, visit www.ciaireland.ie, or contact Seamus Marnane on 087 7795559.

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Matthew Algie Leading independent coffee roaster and commercial coffee supplier Matthew Algie has been supplying the hospitality industry with fresh, tasty and ethical coffee for 150 years.

More than just a supplier, they understand the industry making them the perfect partner for those looking to keep the coffee flowing.

ESPRESSO BAR - from beans and machines to barista kit and training, in short they supply everything needed to make the best espressos, cappuccinos and lattes BREAKFAST - there’s a range of bean-to-cup espresso machines and self-serve filter brewers to handle the breakfast rush IN-ROOM - impress your guests with single-serve cafetiere sachets, sumptuous teas and luxurious drinking chocolate AFTER-DINNER -choose from a range of practical back-ofhouse brewers and discreet pour-over stations CONFERENCES & EVENTS - if you have the best coffee and the right machines, volume needn’t mean compromising on quality Advanced roasting and packing technology ensures you only ever get the freshest, tastiest coffee - and with certifications such as Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance and organic, you can be confident of their ethical credentials.

Their selection of machines comes with an industry-leading service package, plus the mobile training staff and Dublin Coffee School are also there to keep your team on top.

Here is what some of their customers have to say: “Matthew Algie do not just provide great coffee, their support and passion for the cafe culture and more specifically my business is second to none. The coffee school & barista training helps ensure that my team can deliver a superb coffee which ultimately equates to returning customers.”

Z Hotels Director, Russ Bodycomb “Matthew Algie don’t just supply coffee beans, they are in tune with the exact needs of the G1 business. Their category expertise and industry-leading training support is second to none and continues to be a critical factor in the growth of G1 Group.”

David Tracey, Director of Brands & Standards, G1 Group.

IFSA NEWS

Sodexo Challenge at F&B Live David Fountain, head chef for Sodexo at PayPal in Dundalk, was the winner of very first ‘Sodexo Challenge at F& B Live” on Tuesday 11 February 2014 at CityWest, Dublin.

David (second from left) is pictured with Derek Reilly, executive chef for Sodexo Ireland, Margot Slattery managing director and Derry Clarke of L’Ecrivain. For the event, Derek Reilly commissioned Michelin-starred chef Derry Clarke, a consultant for the company, to set a culinary challenge for six members of the company’s 500-strong chef team. The competitors had two hours to replicate some of Derry Clarke’s signature dishes yet add their own personal twist and style to it. The dishes were a scallop starter, followed by duck and a hot soufflé for dessert.

The five other competing chefs were Dennis McCarroll at Almac, Craigavon; Timothy O’Connor at Aughinish Alumina, Limerick; Diarmuid Murphy at EMC, Cork; Bartek Piatek at Leo Pharma, Dublin and Eoin Murtagh at Davy, Dublin.

Sodexo Ireland is a leading provider of food and facilities management services, delivering on-site service solutions to clients in business and industry, education, financial services and healthcare. It employs approximately 1,800 in 180 locations across Ireland and spends close to €19million annually on local Irish produce and products.

The Norton Times... industry leaders endorse The Norton Group. Our customers connect with us, why don’t you? Find us on Facebook www.facebook.com/TheNortonGroup or follow us on Twitter @NortonGroup1969

Bunzl Rafferty Hospitality is delighted to introduce Ferdia Artisan Chocolates to their extensive portfolio Ferdia Luxury Chocolates are 100% Irish and are produced in Ardee Co Louth, named after the famed warrior who fought Cuchulainn at the battle of the Ford.

With one of the highest Cocoa content on the market there is no mistaking their level of quality in the taste.

Testament to their commitment on sourcing only the finest natural ingredients with no added artificial ingredients they are indeed holders of 12 Great Taste Awards!

We can offer personalisation on all the various box sizes or alternatively Ferdia stylish standard packaging including, box of 2 or 5 which are perfect for turn downs or wedding favours.

Their luxurious boxes of 9, 17 and 34 are ideal for special times of the year including Mothers Day, Easter, Weddings, Christmas or to sell all year round at reception or gift shop.

They also have a variety of pouches with intriguing chocolate combinations including Cranberries & Pistachios.

With the attractive packaging and luxurious taste your valued guests will very much appreciate the Ferdia experience. Contact Bunzl Rafferty Hospitality on 048 30252205 for further details on all things chocolate!

Marco Beverage Systems Marco Beverage Systems ltd is a leading Irish hot water delivery systems company specialising in providing creative ideas and solutions to coffee and tea brewers in the Food & Beverage Industry around the world.

Marco is dedicated to providing excellent, reliable service with integrity and accountability. We are always looking to develop new ideas and equipment that can enhance and bring the F&B Industry to the next level. We offer a wide range of equipment and services, including: • Boilers • Brewers • Coffee Grinders • Water Filter Systems • Bespoke Tea and Coffee Making equipment Our Clients • Bewleys • Cuisine de France • Robert Roberts • Horton’s • Starbucks • Coffee Mania • Costa Coffee • Auto Bar UK • Prêt a Manger • Tesco • Manchester United • Fulham Football Club • The Aviva Stadium Our main market clientele are the hotel, restaurant and catering industry, the coffee industry and the tea industry around the world.

We have a global reach with manufacturing plants in China and India and our products are sold around the world on a daily basis.

We have grown throughout the recession and have grown to a staff of 65 from 50 in the last 3 years.

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33

ONLINE MARKETING

The 360° approach to maximising booking margin Dr Des O’Mahony We know hotels really need Online Travel Agents (OTAs) for exposure and additional sales, but a balance must be struck between brand-direct bookings and those on OTAs. Is it really worth the effort to keep pushing for direct business, once all the costs associated with direct bookings are taken into account? Our answer is a resounding yes - but you need to spend wisely.

What’s achievable?

Take for example a hotel group that Bookassist operates with in continental Europe. When Bookassist partnered with them in late 2009, just 4% of their online business was coming directly through their website. Their website was a secondary concern, their booking engine was just a PMS web module, they had no digital marketing presence, they had major allotments with numerous OTAs. Today, at the beginning of 2014, that group does 38% of its entire online business direct, a factor of ten improvement, and rising. Direct booking revenue has gone from a few hundred thousand Euro per year to almost €6M (see Figure 1).

This is not new business - this is redistributed business shifted from OTAs to direct. On that redistributed business, they would have paid well in excess of €1M in OTA commission annually, but they now pocket the majority of that margin and can afford to reinvest significantly to continue direct growth. Same occupancy, same general ADR, but a whopping margin difference in their favour.

The reason for their success is that they put direct booking strategy front and centre in their overall business strategy and stopped treating it as a peripheral issue.

It’s about margin, not revenue Bookassist Account Managers are also trained Revenue Managers, and they are well versed in issues of ADR and RevPAR that hotels focus on. However, as they point out, these metrics viewed in isolation tend to focus hotels on the revenue issue alone, while the real issue today is arguably margin. With the capability of OTAs today, achieving high occupancy is no longer so difficult if you’re prepared to pay the price.

Achieving it with a good Margin Per Available Room is another matter.

Successful hotels employ a very unified

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Figure 1. Growth in direct booking share brought about through a concerted and focused approach across all areas of the business simultaneously.

and integrated approach across the spectrum of online visibility, conversion and growth. Let’s look briefly at some key points in these areas. (I’ll discuss this in the context of websites only, but mobile is increasingly relevant to the discussion.)

Visibility The primary route to your hotel is still search, and the path to purchase here has grown extremely complex. Additionally Google continually redefines its algorithms, so playing games is pointless. To get good search results positioning, you need real and dynamic content, lots of relevant connecting referrers, and you need to understand how web crawling works. In short, you have to deserve your position through relevance. This is a continually moving target. It takes work.

Brand is an important aspect that you can cultivate to drive recognition online, but by contrast, OTAs have significant brand appeal. Even if your search result or advert successfully appeals, a click-through gives your website just one chance to impress. In contrast, OTAs get multiple chances per click won - they may use your name to deliver the click, but then the other hotels in the list with yours may look more appealing to the customer.

This is why disallowing the use of your name in OTA advertising is so critical - its not that failing to do so might cost you more commission, it might actually hand the entire booking to your competitor hotel.

It’s estimated that the top OTAs spend in excess of €100,000 each per day on pay per click (PPC) advertising. How can you compete with that? Since they carry hundreds of thousands of accommodation providers, their average spend per hotel is quite low. So you can actually compete if you know how, without breaking the bank. This takes expertise and industry knowledge. The key to PPC success is to analyse, iterate, optimise - for all segments and all languages. It takes work.

With the rise of metasearch, hotels now have an additional opportunity to pitch for brand-direct bookings. It’s wise to take advantage of this avenue, particularly since it is being merged with online reputation and social media via TripAdvisor’s TripConnect metasearch and Google’s Hotel Finder, which is heavily influenced by the hotel’s Google+ page.

Conversion All the work put into getting a customer to your website can unfortunately be quickly nullified. People are moving seamlessly from desktop to laptop to tablet to mobile while considering purchase. Your website must appeal instantly, and the offer shown has to directly relate to the ad or link that generated the click-through.

ONLINE MARKETING

Figure 2. The path to success in direct booking strategy is a complex and ever-changing one.

Apart from high quality responsive website and mobile design to cater for the multidevice path to purchase, at Bookassist we employ deep linking in advertising and search results so that the exact attraction that tickled you in the advert or search is what is presented to you immediately on landing on the site. This approach requires dynamic website design and seamless data flow from booking engine, to website to online advertising. But operated correctly, it strongly eliminates barriers to booking. Especially on mobile where each additional tap is a real barrier.

The days of just sending people from an ad to your website’s front page are long gone. The days of the booking engine just being an isolated page on your website is last century. Integration of all the elements is the key so that live booking engine data is available throughout your site creating dynamic information feeds and dynamic landing pages, and is actively feeding your advertising with live information.

Differentiation of product is also a conversion winner. Being able to offer better and more attractive deals than the OTAs is critical, notwithstanding price parity. For example, with Bookassist’s booking engine you can set up dynamic pricing that gives structured discounts based on length of stay, or day of arrival etc., resulting in overall pricing that beats the OTAs. The engine can also advertise the potential best available deal to a viewer, for example “stay one more night and get 30% off”, all of which not only encourages conversion but also improves the average booking value achieved.

Also, using Bookassist’s meal plans feature allows the base rate for the room to be highlighted, while achieving up-selling for individual breakfast or meal plans once a room is actually chosen. Again, customer uptake on this is very successful, showing that while the low price generates the initial appeal, the relatively low additional price of the upgrade or add-on is also regularly achieved.

Growth Success with direct booking is great. But now you must grow it. One of the primary advantages is that the guest details are now yours, not the OTA’s. And they have already stayed with you so you should now know their profile behaviour. Maybe they book cheap but splurge on F&B. Maybe they always love midweek special offers. Follow up with them, personalise the relationship - is there anything you could have done better? Segment them, categorise, and market to them appropriately and with relevance. Not just blanket email shots that annoy everyone, but infrequent targeted offers with content that builds your brand appeal with them, triggers good memories and encourages future business. It takes work, and many hotels are not doing this well.

360° Integrated Approach There is no doubt that there is a lot for hotels to do in order to succeed in building direct revenue and enjoy improved booking margin (see Figure 2). The thoughts above only scratch the surface. And it’s daunting, because the goalposts keep shifting. While there is for sure a cost associated with all the elements discussed above, the overall cost per direct booking should still comfortably undercut OTA charges, with the added benefit of improved customer ownership for the hotel.

The key to real success is a highly integrated approach across all fronts, not just a series of individual uncoordinated attacks in each area from different individuals or companies. Partners like Bookassist and others can bring unity of approach and economy of scale to bear, while individual hotels are rarely in a position to handle all the required elements themselves in a cost-effective way.

Hoteliers, you should seek external expertise if you can’t cover everything inhouse. After all, your focus needs to be elsewhere - you still have a hotel to run.

Dr Des O’Mahony is CEO and Founder of Bookassist (bookassist.org), the leading technology and online strategy partner for hotels. Bookassist provides Site Builder web design, Traffic Builder digital marketing, Distribution Manager smart channel management and Booking Engine services to drive direct business to hotels and was twice voted World’s Leading Booking Engine Technology Provider by the hospitality industry.

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GMIT NEWS

Chef Ireland - Culinary Arts students come home with pride!

Chef Ireland formed a part of The Irish Hospitality Industries Exhibition in the RDS on 4th - 5th February 2014 , and was attended by the College of Tourism & Arts very talented students. 15 students competed in total, and they took home 7 Certificate of Merits, 5 Bronze , 5 Silver and 3 Gold medals. Elaine Boyle is a student on the BA in Culinary Arts, (Flexible Learning) and she won double gold in the 3 Tier Wedding Cake Category, and gold in the Novelty Cake category. Yulia Babikova won silver in the Wedding Cake category and is also a student on the BA in Culinary Arts (Flexible Learning).

Lucia Mesarcikova won bronze in the Hot Dessert open class and she is also a student on the BA Flexible Learning. The other students who won silver are on the Higher Certificate Culinary Arts programme (Full Time). Linda Mc Donald and Niall Morahan won silver in the Larder work competition and Linda also won silver in the Lamb junior class competition. Nuno Ferreira won silver in the Duck competition open class, and he also won bronze in the Gateaux competition. Patrick Philips won bronze in the Pork open class competition, and Margaret O’ Halloran and Leah Mc Evoy won bronze in the Novelty cake competition while Zoe Keller won a Bronze, in the Cup Cake competition. Certificate of merits were won

All our Winners with their Lecturers, Dr.Clare Gilsenan, Gerry Talbot- Head of Department Culinary Arts, Noel Loughnane,Sinead O’Connor Lomas and Mary Reid.

Photos: Joe Travers

by the following students who are on the higher certficate culinary arts programme- Angelica Almeida in the Novelty cake and Orla Corcoran and Ronan McGuinness in the open class Pork competition. Lee Mc Mullen in the Duck open class, and Aaron O’ Neill and Maciez Tuczynski, in the Mystery Basket competition. Niall Morahan won a cert in the junior Lamb competition. Open Class means there were senior and junior chefs competing in the same competition.

ElaIne Boyle- 3 Gold Medal Winner

Knorr Chef of the Year

Lee McMullen with Peter Dahl, Director at Unilever Food Solutions, Ireland

Knorr Chef of the Year took place on Tuesday, February 11th 2014 in Dublin Institute of Technology, Cathal Brugha Street. GMIT was represented by the tremendously talented 1st Year Higher Certificate Culinary Arts student Lee McMullen. He was assisted by the formidable, Patrick Phillips (HC Culinary Arts Year1). The theme of this year’s contest was Wise up on Food Waste to mark the European Year Against Food Waste. The finalists were tasked with using sustainably sourced ingredients and limiting the amount of food waste generated. Lee competed with fourteen other talented student chefs from Institutes of Technology across Ireland. He prepared a main course dish of “Irish Cornfed Chicken with Sweetcorn and Peas Three Ways” and an innovative dessert comprised of White Chocolate and Orange Mousse, Beetroot Ice-cream, Candied Beetroot, Meringues, White Chocolate Snow and Orange Curd. Although, he produced two fabulous dishes, it was to be DIT’s day as Fiona Drought was selected as Knorr Chef of the Year. Nonetheless, the staff and students at the Department of Culinary Arts at GMIT are immensely proud of Lee and wish him every success in future competitions.

Educational review and industry stakeholder engagement Under the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training Act 2012 - all educational and training providers are obliged “…to establish procedures in writing for quality assurance for the purposes of establishing, ascertaining, maintaining and improving the quality of education, training, research and related services the provider provides.”

In the context of Galway Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) a complete Programmatic Review is currently being undertaken in which all aspects of programmes and awards offered by the Institute are undergoing a formal, comprehensive examination.

Historically, The College of Tourism and Arts at GMIT has always enjoyed a positive working relationship with Industry partners and always places a strong emphasis on ensuring that graduates are industry prepared. There is much discussion around the relevance of third level education teaching and a perception that there may be a disconnect between teaching and the skill needs at Industry level, However, The College of Tourism and Arts, recognises that effective collaboration and engagement with industry is critical.

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To further cement relationships with Industry and in line with the Institute’s programmatic Review Policy, Lecturers at The College of Tourism and Arts recently arranged a focus group with Industry Stakeholders. Invitees included representations from The Irish Hotels Federation, The Restaurant Association of Ireland, Irish Hospitality Institute, Vintners Federation of Ireland and leading Chefs, Restaurateurs, Hotel Managers and Industrial Catering Managers from around Ireland. Head of College - Cait Noone opened the session by welcoming all to GMIT and presented an overview of the Educational Structures governing programme design in the Higher Educational system.

The key aim of this focus group was to create an objective, collaborative opportunity in which there was a sharing of knowledge between all parties present, the outcomes of which would be used to inform future decision making in curriculum design at College level.

There was constructive debate and discussion on the day and all parties present agreed that it was indeed a very beneficial exercise.

The focus group concluded with a networking lunch with lecturers from the College of Tourism and Arts.

GMIT NEWS

Are you looking for staff or summer interns?

The College of Tourism and Arts will be holding their Annual Careers Fair on Wednesday the 12th of March, 1.30-4.30pm. If you have not already registered for this free event, there is still time to do so.This free event provides industry colleagues an excellent opportunity in which to meet our students and consider them for work placement, graduate programmes and career opportunities. Most of our students receive job offers at this event, therefore we urge you to participate in the Careers Fair (at no cost to your business) if you are looking for seasonal or full time staff or simply want to learn more about our work.

Work Placements 2014 We are pleased to invite you to participate in our accredited work placement programme. Work placements form a critical component of the learning experience for our students - if you believe your organisation can be part of this exciting opportunity, we would be delighted to work with you. Each year we get in excess of 900 requests for work placement, we will do our best to match student’s requests with industry needs; however we cannot guarantee students for every business.

Students are available for work placements from the beginning of June for 12 or 30 weeks, depending on their programme. Students are available from the following disciplines: • Hotel Management • Culinary Arts (Professional Cookery) • Bar Supervision • Restaurant & Bar Management • Event Management • Retail Management • Tourism Please complete & return to: Links Office, College of Tourism & Arts, GMIT, Dublin Rd., Galway, Ireland Phone: +353 (0) 91 742565, Fax: +353 (0) 91 742454, Email: linksoffice@gmit.ie GMIT College of Tourism & Arts Jobs Noticeboard

@GMITTourismArts

GMIT College of Tourism & Arts Alumni

Student Work Placement Registration Form 2014 COLLEGE OF TOURISM & ARTS Please complete & return to: Links Office, College of Tourism & Arts, GMIT, Dublin Rd., Galway, Ireland Phone: +353 (0) 91 742565, Fax: +353 (0) 91 742454, Email: linksoffice@gmit.ie Business Name: _________________________________________________________________________________________________ Address: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ Email: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Phone: _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Website: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Type & Classification of Establishment: _____________________________________________________________________________ Contact Person & Position: _______________________________________________________________________________________ PLACEMENT DETAILS Number of placements sought: Kitchen Food & Beverage Accommodation Administration Customer Service Sales Assistant Volunteer Other Interested in students, but cannot commit to placement numbers yet

Front Office Events/Marketing/PR

Does your establishment provide employees with the following?

Yes No Uniforms.............................................

Accommodation.................................

Meals while on duty...........................

Meals while off duty...........................

Uniform Requirements (if not supplied): The recommended minimum wage for students is based on the national/local minimum wage or trainee legislation. All overtime must be compensated and agreed in advance. Students will accrue holiday entitlement during their placement, please compensate accordingly.

Please confirm the following: Yes No The property is registered with your national Health & Safety Authority......................................

A safety statement is available and is communicated to employees...........................................

Employer’s liability insurance is in place.......................................................................................

Signed: _________________________________________________________ Date: ___________________________________________________________ Position: ________________________________________________________

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INDUSTRY SUPPLIERS

BUNZL McLaughlin

With unique ways of serving, any bar owner can make more profits and stand apart from their competitors

Sneak Preview IFEX 2014 Bunzl McLaughlin, Ireland’s most trusted non-food catering suppliers, is delighted to announce the launch of their bar and glassware ranges. Always first with new and innovative products, Bunzl McLaughlin have ensured their new bar equipment and glassware selections contain the latest new products to hit the market.

With unique ways of serving cocktails, such as a Japanese teapot, any bar owner can make more profits and stand apart from their competitors. Bunzl McLaughlin will be located at IFEX 2014, Stand B13 this year and will have a selection of glassware on display.

Around the corner will be Bunzl Catering Design Solutions (CDS) who will be displaying the new Glass Frosting machine, along with glasswashers and other useful bar equipment. They will also have some key bar furniture on offer such as the Frog bar stools by SCAB Design.

Bunzl CDS who specialise in offering clients a full catering design concept right through to installation can offer advice to anyone who is thinking of upgrading their restaurant or bar, or even starting out in the catering market.

Sean Martin

For more ideas for presenting your cocktails, visit www.bunzlmclaughlin.com Bunzl McLaughlin is Ireland’s most trusted non-food catering supplier to the hospitality and food industries.

Supplying the hospitality trade since 1874 as Thomas McLaughlin, they are now part of Bunzl PLC, a FTSE 100 company and are able to draw on global expertise in product sourcing, working with top international brands as well as local suppliers. Bunzl McLaughlin has the largest range of catering equipment in Ireland, from tableware, glassware, barware to cleaning products and heavy/light kitchen equipment. With access to over 50,000 products from the world’s leading catering manufacturers, products can also be sourced and ordered to need.

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INDUSTRY SUPPLIERS

Key Trends for Cocktail Market 2014

By Marie-Claire O’Hagan, Marketing Manager, Bunzl McLaughlin People may not eat and drink out as much as they used to, but when they do, they want to do it right! As they are now looking for elegant, sophisticated and creative drinks, Ireland has seen an upscale in the cocktail market. Cocktail bars such as The Exchequer, The Liquor Rooms and 37 Dawson Street in Dublin and hotels such as the Merchant Hotel, the Fitzwilliam and Malmaison in Belfast, are putting as much effort into their cocktail menus as their food menus.

If you are a bar owner and are interested in adding value to your business and your drinks menu, some of the key cocktail trends below may help you work out what equipment you will need, in terms of barware, glassware, equipment and furniture.

Bottled Cocktails

Vintage Style

Some venues are now pre-batching their cocktails into bottles to ensure consistency. This gives the bar plenty of preparation time to make the best drink that they can make, using their best mixologist. These cocktails are made up, bottled and then stored at the optimal chill levels. This trend has been catching on steadily over the years. Some bars are printing their own labels and using waxed seal stamps.

Ice Ice Baby

Vintage Glassware

Thanks to the blockbuster film, The Great Gatsby, there has been a revival in the 1920s prohibition-era fashion trends.

Authentic ‘vintage’ cocktails have certainly enjoyed renewed success. Key pieces such as the Winchester glass range from Bunzl McLaughlin fits well with this theme.

Drinkable Desserts and Innovative Recipes Frosting machine

Ice is now getting as much focus as the other ingredients in a cocktail! “Ice spheres” are the new “Ice cubes”. Bunzl McLaughlin have a new machine available which creates ice spheres for the cocktail glasses and other drinks.

“Pure Ice” - some places are using fi ltered glacial water for their ice, to give it that crystal clear look.

“Ice with a Twist” Some mixologists are now adding herbs, spices, smoked flavours, coffee, honey, berries, flowers or petals.

These elements not only help with the look of the drink but the taste can also evolve when the Ice sphere ice starts to melt.

Some places in London are now offering a dessert themed cocktail menu. Key items such as Blueberry Cheesecake, Lemon Meringue Pie and Tiramisu.

Bunzl McLaughlin offer a large range of glasses that suit these type of drinks, such as the Hurricane or the Lagoon glasses.

Hurricane Glass

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SEAFOOD

Lobsters on my doorstep This month Marilyn Bright talks to Eithna O’Sullivan, proprietor-chef of Eithna’s by the Sea, Mullaghmore, Co Sligo, Seafood Restaurant of the Year 2014.

If unspoilt seashore and views of the mountains beyond Donegal Bay weren’t enough, the happiness quotient around Mullaghmore harbour shot up even more last summer with the re-opening of Eithna’s by the Sea. This harbourside Mecca for seafood lovers had closed eight years earlier when proprietor Eithna O’Sullivan took a sabbatical, and leased the property out while she furthered her interest in all things oceanic.

But now, with a fresh coat of bright blue paint, this seaside favourite has once again become a hub for happy diners with daily changing menus of everything fresh from the sea - from mackerel and hake to squid,

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clams, mussels and the local lobster - that features in Eithna’s most popular signature dishes. Seaweed and sea vegetables are used to enhance dishes - not surprisingly perhaps, as Eithna’s break from the restaurant was used partly to pursue an honours degree in Culinary Arts, with a thesis on Seaweed as an Artisan Food Product.

Organic salmon and hake fillets may come with a crust of aduka, seaweed, pumpkin and sesame seeds while fresh char-grilled mackerel is sparked with beetroot pickle and seaweed relish. Hake is wrapped in mild flavoured wakame and served with lime sauce, and a versatile homemade seaweed pesto may enhance an open sandwich of mixed seafood on homemade brown bread. Combined with organically grown seasonal herbs, the seaweed pesto is sold in jars as a popular restaurant take-away or gift.

Eithna started working in hotels at the age of 14 and went on to train in hotel management in Galway, with work experience in Germany and Ashford Castle. She recalls being attracted to the local seafood offered at the time by Paddy Burkes of Clarinbridge and Morans of the Weir, and began a similar operation in Austie’s at Rosses Point (a pub that’s since changed hands many times since); they were

SEAFOOD

ahead of their time, offering simply served seafood chowder, garlic mussels and open sandwiches of crab, prawns or salmon.

Focusing on food, Eithna completed a course at Alix Gardner’s Cookery School in Dublin and went on to secure a place in the cutting- edge kitchens of White’s on the Green, a restaurant that was setting the pace for fine dining in the 1980’s. Ready to strike out on her own, Eithna recalls hearing that a property in Mullaghmore had become available and a return to the west was decided on.

Months of hands-on refurbishment followed, with new wiring and plumbing, fresh paint and canny recycling. “We went for the stripped pine look which was reused from the building,” Eithna says, “and we have it still.”

From the opening in June 1990, emphasis was on offering flavourful seasonal food that made the most of local produce, working with the area’s farmers, growers and fishermen. The ethos is the same today, with longstanding suppliers like The Tattie Hoaker organic farm currently delivering autumnal kale, beetroot, salad leaves and herbs, while cottage flowers from The Secret Gardens of Sligo bloom in recycled painted tins dotted about the tables.

Happily located beside one of the west coast’s main centres for lobsters Fisheries Exports, Eithna’s daily supplies come through Mullaghmore Sea Farm and local landings. With lobsters “on my doorstep”, it’s no surprise that the restaurant has become known for specialities featuring the majestic crustacean.

Summertime is the peak season for lobster and price fluctuates according to availability, ranging this year from around €17 kg to a low of €12.50 kg, due to the softening of the export market. Top prices are to be expected at Christmas time, with live lobsters caught earlier in the season and held in the sea farm.

“Lobster Thermidor is the most popular,” Eithna says, “with good uptake also for lobster Americaine which I do with Mexican spices and spaghetti. I also do my own take on Rick Stein’s Goan lobster curry with tomatoes, shallots and freshly ground spices. I’m an admirer of his seafood recipes and I also like Hugh FearnleyWhittingstall’s books for ideas.”

With her specialist degree work, and research and development projects with seaweed expert Pranny Rhatigan, it is no wonder that seaweeds and sea

vegetables feature throughout the restaurant menus. The neglected, old favourite dillisk, or dulse, with its distinctive flavour is roasted in the oven for crisps, flaked into salads, mixed into homemade mayonnaise for the seafood platter or whizzed into sauces and Eithna’s unique seaweed pesto.

Hijiki, like fine strands of black pasta, is highly prized in Japan but rarely used here.

Eithna uses it in a dish of land and sea spaghetti with lobster, clams and mussels dressed with roast lobster stock, herbs and rapeseed oil. It’s tasty sweetish flavours are brought to the fore mixed with berries in a dessert served with chocolate and nori (laver) meringues.

Carrigeen moss is an old favourite revived in Eithna’s pudding, flavoured with lemon and lemon balm, served in a shot glass with seasonal fruits like autumn blackberries and apple.

Seaweeds are seasonal, Eithna points out, like the other produce used in the restaurant, and the mineral content varies too. Despite her expertise and seaside location, she doesn’t gather seaweed herself, but buys it from local harvesters who must have foreshore licensing. “It’s necessary to source seaweed that has been tested and correctly dried - which may include ultra-violet treatment,” Eithna says.

A seaweed tasting plate is being developed for next season, joining a menu that celebrates all that is good from the sea, and ensuring that this family business with its ocean blue frontage continues to shine on the shores of Donegal Bay. This article is taken from GCG syndicated portfolio.

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COUNTRY HOUSE

Nature, art, modern luxury and elegance Liss Ard Country Estate in Skibbereen, Cork, is a magical estate of country manors, gardens, trails, ponds and lakes where nature, art, modern luxury and elegance come together in perfect harmony.

This beautiful 200-acre estate encompasses a variety of accommodation to suits all tastes and budgets.

The entire accommodation on the Estate includes the splendour of the Regency 6bedroom Liss Ard Country House with adjacent 9-bedroom Garden Mews, and on a separate part of the estate, the Lake Lodge with reception rooms framing breath taking views of the lake and 10 Zen-like bedrooms (perfect for groups looking for an exclusive use location for a celebration).

Liss Ard is a wonderful find, just the right amount of distance off the beaten track, in a very special part of the world. The charming estate offers a very ‘home from home’ feeling with its open fires and relaxed atmosphere.

Liss Ard Country House Central to the estate is Liss Ard Country House, a superb 1850 mansion with commanding views over the countryside.

The house, originally built by ‘The O’Donovan’, Chieftain of the O’Donovan Clan, has undergone a complete refurbishment, in a modern classical style with an emphasis on contemporary comfort. Liss Ard has been a retreat in the past to numerous celebrities including Oasis, Lou Reed, Van Morrison, Patti Smith and Nick Cave and companies have found both the beauty and facilities offered by Liss Ard excellent for corporate retreats and photo shoots.

Liss Ard Country House retains the elegance and charm of bygone eras, while offering luxury and modern conveniences to enable guests to fully enjoy their retreat on the estate. The main rooms have breathtaking views over Lough Abisdealy and the surrounding woodlands which are awash with golden light in the mornings as the sun rises.

Garden Mews The former 1800s stable block has been revived and stands adjacent to the main house as the recently refurbished Garden

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Mews, a collection of nine contemporary and comfortable bedrooms. The rooms overlook the walled garden with views of the parterre and herb garden for fresh produce and some ground floor rooms have their own private gardens and butterfly-attracting plants and herbs.

Lake Lodge The Liss Ard Lake Lodge is the stuff of dreams: a picturesque Victorian country house perched on a slope with breath-taking views overlooking Lough Abisdealy and nestled by woodland and exquisite gardens. Liss Ard Country House and its Garden Mews, is just a short stroll along the pathways through the garden past streams and waterfalls, but of course also accessible by the estate’s main driveway.

The Lake Lodge can offer serviced ‘self-catering’ with 10 rooms where you get to choose whether you would like a ‘full service’ experience or be left in the quiet and privacy of your own home away from home. Guest of course get the full benefits of being able to use the full service facilities of the Country House during their stay.

Estate Private Lettings Over the years Liss Ard has welcomed individuals, groups, families, couples; from those seeking peace and enlightenment, to others on a corporate mission; from musicians and artists, to grandparents and grandchildren.

The Perfect Family Holiday Despite the total tranquillity of this estate the Liss Ard team place huge emphasis on family time where children are centre stage. The guest facilities, leisure options and wide range of estate activities available in the 200 acres of gardens include cycle and walking trails and lake based activities such as fishing and boating. Liss Ard Country Estate is a haven for family trips, encouraging day long interaction between parents and children so all go to bed tired and excited about the following day’s events.

For the active, Liss Ard is a playground of possibilities. The protected natural parkland is a land waiting to be discovered, whether by mountain bike or on foot.

There are ponds and lakes where an array of water sports options are available: kayaking, wild swimming, fishing and bird watching.

Don’t worry if there is an occasional ‘damp’ day as the house is well equipped for indoor fun too!

Relaxation...

Liss Ard is also about relaxation. Doing absolutely nothing can be equally appealing. Eating good locally produced food cooked fresh each evening or snoozing in a hidden corner of the garden may be your idea of heaven. Liss Ard is a wonderful find being just the right amount of distance off the beaten track yet in a very special part of the world. The charming estate offers a ‘home from home’ experience second to none with fantastic hospitality, home cooking, roaring fires, peace and tranquillity or lots of activity and miles of charming scenery waiting to be explored.

Rates start from just €135.00 per night bed and full Irish breakfast and reopens in April 2014. www.lissardestate.com http://www.facebook.com/lissardestate

DESIGN

Do you Seek Design?

Seek Design is a business-to-business design company specialising in interior architecture, exhibition and graphic design. Architect Daria Lisowska and Interior Architect Niamh McNeela founded the budding company in May 2011 with offices based in Dublin City Centre.

“The two of us run all aspects of the business, but we also work with a panel of freelance business associates who regularly collaborate with us,” Niamh explains confidently. “Daria has a background in architecture, but for the past number of years she has crossed over into interior design along with myself. We had both been freelancing together and consulting regularly together for around a year when we decided to form our own company. We started the company with a view to doing commercial interior architecture, exhibition design and graphic design which complimented the spaces we were designing.”

Recently the company has designed a number of exhibition stands for business showcases for various clients. “When we do an exhibition it’s generally a temporary tailored structure that’s built for displaying a product or merchandise. We generally work with a constructed, bespoke form because it gives us the freedom to be a lot more creative, and tailor the floor space to our client’s needs. For example, we recently did an exhibition for Total Produce, where we created different areas to display their produce with a central café meeting area in between. They were very happy with the results.”

What is the ethos of a creative company like Seek Design? “We are two individuals who are incredibly passionate about design.

The way we work is simple - A client gives us a problem, we then come up with a solution that is both aesthetically and ergonomically suitable. Functionality is extremely important to us. We would never design things just to look good for the sake of being fashionable. We’re always looking at how things work, at new materials and we’re both avid sketchers. Our specialties would have to be re-planning and alterations. We love re-inventing the layout H&RT FEBRUARY/MARCH ‘14

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RESTAURANT LEASE OPPORTUNITY The Burren, Co. Clare,West of Ireland

An Fulacht Fia is a well established family run restaurant in the heart of the Burren, Co Clare which opened in May 2008. It is situated on the Coast Road (R477) between the Cliffs of Moher and the coastal village of Ballyvaughan(1km from the centre of Ballyvaughan). The Restaurant benefits from both local and tourist trades.

It is a purpose built restaurant which can comfortably seat eighty people.The modern dining room (90sqm) is contemporary with carpeted floors. The kitchen (60sqm) is fully equipped in stainless steel.

On the outside, there is a large car park with good access for coaches.There is a beautiful natural limestone rock garden with pathways through it, which overlooks Galway Bay and the Connemara Coastline.

For more information about the restaurant, please visit www.anfulachtfia.ie We also recommend that you visit Trip Advisor to read customers’ reviews.

For any queries or to request further information e-mail anfulachtfia@eircom.net

DESIGN of a big space such as a restaurant. What we do is utilise that space effectively so that the staff can get as much out of it as possible with a contemporary new finish.”

Seek Desing’s target market is all forms of business. “We do offices, restaurants, hotels, small, medium and large companies as well as the really out-there jobs.

Basically any kind of business is our business!” This year they are looking into tapping the hotel market: “I’ve got experience working on hotels in the past and we’ve done residential projects, but we haven’t had the opportunity to work on a hotel together yet. There are a lot of smaller boutique hotels popping up and we really want to branch into working in that area, so that’s one of our main aims this year!”

Two standout jobs which they completed last year are a redesign for the O’Brien’s Sandwich Café franchise which is currently being rolled out in selected units and the other being The Gatehouse Restaurant in Maynooth. “O’Brien’s was a great job to get as it was very challenging. We started with a consumer survey to see what the customers thought. Doing a survey is always quite interesting because previously unidentified issues tend to pop up. We knew the green colour in the café’s branding was a very important element to both O’Brien’s and their clientele. That symbol and sense of Irish-ness absolutely had to be kept. We sought unusual materials we could use to build the space. For example, we designed a bespoke printed wooden pattern for the counter fronts, one you wouldn’t normally see in Ireland. O’Brien’s were very good clients, they made sure everything was in order and questioned the longevity of all the materials we had chosen, it was a good learning curve. Usually big clients operate on a daily construction schedule to make sure that all the boxes are ticked and everything is executed according to time. If we’re project managing, we’re on site every day to make sure this is a reality. That’s how it has to be. Working with a space to make it safe and functional and to meet fire regulations, that’s essential. The regulations are there for a reason and you have to work within your parameters.”

Because O’Brien’s is a chain, getting the initial design right was quite a lengthy process. “We started working with them in April and it was October before the first fitout started. Usually the lead time is only weeks, but they really wanted to get it right.

The reason we got that job was because we put forward a very strong presentation.

We really listened to what they wanted. O’Brien’s have not only redesigned their whole interior look but also their menu and food display. The first newly designed store was rolled out in Wilton, Co. Cork in September. Merchant’s Quay shopping centre in Cork followed soon after and many more are in the process of planning refurbishments to this new look.”

For smaller projects Seek Design are all about design concepts that deliver within budget constraints. “We don’t believe in throwing out good materials if they can be reused, within reason of course. We’re all for repainting tables and chairs and modifying old furniture, it adds an element of personality and character.” The Gatehouse Restaurant in Maynooth was an interesting job because we were working with a couple rather than a large business. It was much more personal, they were very involved in the whole redevelopment of the premises.” “We organise and do everything from the ground up. The lighting, carpenters, you name it, we organise it.

Sometimes a client will have sub-contractors that they want to use which is perfectly fine and if they don’t we will then suggest people. We like to deal with Irish suppliers because it’s much easier to talk to them face to face which is essential and they’re all really enthusiastic too, there are some really great companies based in Ireland today.”

It’s really an exciting time for Irish design, with youthful, creative and artisan

businesses popping up tenfold. “We are constantly following trends, looking at online magazines and sending photos and ideas back and forth between ourselves.

Next up we’re going on a business trip to Design Week in Stockholm to pick up some tips from the masters of contemporary design. People choose us because we make every effort to impress and to give several options to the project concerned.

We make it our business to go one-step further. We’re really passionate about what we do and we simply wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Seek already have a number of major projects in the works for this year which are under tight wraps. This just goes to show how essential it is that businesses stay relevant and up to date with their clientele if they want to thrive, not just survive in this dangerous but rewarding economic climate, which is full of hidden opportunities if you care to look in the right places.

For further information, Ph: +35386 3173685 Website: www.seekdesign.ie

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TOURIST ACCESS

Tourist access flying high Caroline Leddy As official data from the Central Statistics Office indicates a 7.2 per cent increase in overseas visitors to Ireland in 2013, compared to the previous year, momentum has quickly gathered since the beginning of the new year to further promote our country as a leisure and business tourism destination.

Looking to the year ahead, trade and industry feedback in relation to 2014 prospects are generally positive. Tourism Ireland is placing a major focus on the Wild Atlantic Way and promoting key events including Limerick City of Culture, the “Grande Partenza” of the Giro d’Italia and the Croke Park Classic, encouraging prospective travellers to book now.

Tourism Ireland will also capitalise on important access developments in 2014, maximising the promotion of new, as well as existing, flights and sailings to continue to grow overseas tourism to Ireland. The organisation will also build on the legacy of the Gathering, continuing to reach out to the diaspora around the world.

“The increase in access from markets like the United States, Canada, France, Germany and the Middle East is wonderful news for tourism to Ireland for 2014. As an island destination, the importance of convenient, direct flights cannot be overstated; we know there is a proven direct correlation between access and growth in visitor numbers. Tourism Ireland is committed to working with airlines, ferry operators and other tourism interests, through cooperative marketing, to drive demand for these services,” says Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland.

New and expanded services for 2014 The number of airline seats from the United States to Ireland is set to grow by an esimated 10 per cent in the summer of 2014 (following growth of 26 per cent in the peak summer months of last year); and the number of airline seats from Canada will increase by 71 per cent this summer.

“We are particularly pleased about the addition of new services from Canada, a market that has perhaps underperformed in the past due to the lack of scheduled year round access. This presents wonderful new opportunities for us all in growing Canadian

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visitors to Ireland,” says Gerry Nicholls, President of the Incoming Tour Operators Association of Ireland.

2013 was the strongest year ever for visitors to Ireland from North America, even surpassing the previous best year of 2007. North America is a critically important market for tourism to the island of Ireland, as these visitors stay longer, spend more than average and tour more extensively around the country.

Aer Lingus will increase its transatlantic capacity by 24 per cent this year by expanding services on routes between Ireland and New York and Boston. In addition, the airline will launch a brand new service between Dublin and San Francisco which will provide five departures per week from April; and a new daily service between Dublin and Toronto will also commence in April.

Sentiment in the tourism industry has also been boosted by Westjet’s announcement that it will operate a new daily service between Dublin and St. John’s

TOURIST ACCESS

in Newfoundland from the beginning of June. Another welcome development is Air Canada rouge’s plans to expand its seasonal service between Dublin and Toronto to a year round operation.

2013 was also a record year for visitor numbers from Ireland’s longer haul markets, with Australia and New Zealand in particular driving that growth. Tourism Ireland has a busy programme of promotions taking place in Australia and New Zealand, and in new and developing markets including China, India, the Middle East and South Africa.

The organisation is also working to attract more visitors from new and emerging markets of high potential, including Brazil and Russia, where Tourism Ireland has representation for the first time ever in 2014.

Etihad Airways announced recently that it will increase its service between Dublin and Abu Dhabi from 10 departures per week to a twice daily service commencing in July.

The schedule for the double daily flights will ensure connectivity both ways with 800 weekly connections to 45 Etihad Airways destinations in the Middle East, Africa and Asia, including Bangkok, Beijing, Brisbane, Jakarta, Kuala Lumper, Manila, Melbourne, Perth, Singapore, Sydney and Tokyo.

“The 40 per cent increase in flight frequency will benefit business and leisure travel not only between Ireland and the UAE, but also right across the Etihad Airways network, especially countries which have a connection with Ireland like Australia, Thailand and Malaysia,” says James Hogan, President and CEO of Etihad Airways.

Emirates also announced plans to expand its direct service between Dublin and Dubai to twice daily flights beginning in September. Dublin has been one of the most successful ever route launches for Emirates, and the latest news provides a boost in confidence that visitor numbers to Ireland from the Middle East and beyond can be increased significantly in 2014.

Following a 4.9 per cent growth in visitor numbers from Mainland Europe in 2013, new services announced by Ryanair and Aer Lingus will certainly help boost tourism business from the all important German and French markets to Shannon and the West of Ireland in 2014.

Tourism Ireland will undertake cooperative advertising campaigns, in conjunction with Ryanair and Aer Lingus, this spring - to highlight the new flights from France, Germany and the Netherlands. As well as attractive fares, the ads promoting services to Shannon Airport will also highlight Limerick City of Culture and the Wild Atlantic Way. It is anticipated that the 5.6 per cent increase in visitor numbers from Great Britain in 2013 will grow further this year with extensive media advertising campaigns promoting Ireland, and the new services announced by Ryanair and Aer Lingus between Dublin, Cork and Knock airports and several cities across Britain.

In January, LD Lines introduced a new weekly car ferry service from Gijon (Northern

Spain) via St. Nazaire (west coast of France) to Rosslare - which will certainly help boost tourism numbers this year from the important French and Spanish markets.

Irish Ferries has introduced a new weekly ferry service from Cherbourg to Dublin, and has also increased services from Holyhead to Dublin, adding a third ship on that route.

Visitors who arrive here by car tend to stay longer, spend more and are likely to visit more than one region.

Tourism Ireland Global Greening The Global Greening initiative for St. Patrick’s Day has gone from strength to strength with a number of new landmarks signing up to take part this year including Canada’s premier ski destination, Whistler.

As Leo Varadker, Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, says: “this is a great way to get the world talking about Ireland on St. Patrick’s Day. It is an incredibly effective marketing strategy and gets Ireland on to front pages around the world, at the time of year when people are planning their summer breaks. Having invited the world to Ireland last year, we want the visitors to keep coming.”

With Tourism Ireland’s marketing strategies for 2014 in full swing, and some very positive air capacity announcements for the summer season, Global Greening will inevitably put Ireland on the world map at a perfect time.

Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland, says “there will be a saturation coverage of the island of Ireland across the airwaves, in newspapers and digital media - and that’s an invaluable boost for our overall tourism marketing drive this year.”

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47

AWARDS

Ireland’s best accommodation teams revealed Accommodation professionals honoured at the Irish Accommodation Services Institute’s annual awards Elite members of Ireland’s accommodation services sector gathered in Carlton Hotel Dublin Airport on recently, when the Irish Accommodation Services Institute (IASI) honoured the country’s top accommodation professionals. Founded in 1985, the Irish Accommodation Services Institute (IASI) is the representative body for accommodation professionals in Ireland. Formerly the Association of Hotel Accommodation Management, it has expanded its membership base and services and now represents the interests of accommodation managers, supervisors and assistants in hotels, guesthouses, hospitals, nursing homes, universities, colleges and schools.

Benefits of joining the institute include the opportunity to attend seminars, workshops and meetings on related topics and personal development. Members also receive regular updates business matters and activities through the IASI, its newsletter and website and they receive a copy of the Hotel & Restaurant Times magazine. Membership assists in promoting staff development by availing of the Accommodation Services Supervisory courses arranged with experts within the sector.

Five of Ireland’s leading accommodation teams were presented with supreme awards by the Minister of State for Tourism & Sport, Michael Ring TD, at the IASI’s 14th Annual Awards, while AA hotel inspector, Marjorie Ronayne, was bestowed with the prestigious Presidential Award in recognition of her contribution to the sector.

“Marjorie has been a long-standing supporter of the IASI and has always championed the work of accommodation managers and assistants in Ireland.

Presenting her with the Presidential Award was our way of expressing our gratitude for all her help and encouragement over the years,” explained president, Ines Guerra.

Other winners were The Heritage Golf & Spa Resort, Killenard, Co Laois, winner of the Five Star Hotel category; Croke Park Hotel, Dublin and The Lake Hotel, Killarney, Co Kerry (joint Four Star Hotel winners); and Temple Bar Hotel, Dublin, recipient of the Three Star Hotel Award. Also celebrating in Dublin were the accommodation teams at the Mater Hospital, Seanchara Nursing Home and Campus Residence, DCU who took home the top Hospital, Nursing Home and College Awards respectively. The five supreme winners were selected from 83 hotels, hospitals, nursing homes and colleges that were presented with awards earlier in the evening.

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Supreme Winners Five Star Hotel Award: The Heritage Golf & Spa Resort, Killenard, Co Laois Four Star Hotel Awards: Croke Park Hotel, Dublin 3 & The Lake Hotel, Killarney, Co Kerry (joint winners) Three Star Hotel Award: Temple Bar Hotel, Dublin 2 Hospital Award: Mater Hospital, Dublin 7 Nursing Home Award: Seanchara Nursing Home, Glasnevin, Dublin 11 College Award: Campus Residence at DCU, Dublin 9 President’s Award: Marjorie Ronayne, AA Hotel Inspector

Above: IASI president, Ines Guerra (left) and Minister of State for Tourism & Sport, Michael Ring TD, present Anna Starostka, Magdalena Niemec and Irina Kuczabinski of Croke Park Hotel with the joint Four Star Hotel Award.

Dublin’s Croke Park Hotel shared the Four Star Award with The Lake Hotel, Killarney.

Below: Sarah O’ Brien of The Heritage Golf & Spa Resort (centre) receives the Five Star Hotel Award from IASI president, Ines Guerra and Minister of State for Tourism & Sport, Michael Ring TD.

Over 200 accommodation managers and assistants, hospitality leaders and suppliers attended the gala black tie event in the Carlton Hotel, which followed the IASI’s Annual Conference. Delegates at the conference were addressed by James McGinn, general manager, Europa Hotel, Belfast; Mary Hall, business development advisor, Fáilte Ireland and Tony Shone, director, Invisio, who debated how accommodation providers can raise standards in the industry.

The conference was also supported by a number of key suppliers who exhibited at the event, including 2468, Applied Laundry Systems, Celtic Linen, Diversey, Ecolab, Feather’s Factory, Fiberseal, Hugh Jordan, Linen Direct, Lissadell Liddell and Bunzl Rafferty Hospitality.

“The Irish Accommodation Services Institute is going from strength to strength and we were delighted that this year’s Conference and Awards were so well attended. Our membership is growing and we expect that 2014 will be a very successful year for the Institute,” said Ms Guerra.

AWARDS

Multi-skilled at Food & Bev Live

Pete Williams from 3Fe Avonmore Irish Barista Champion 2014

Sodexo Challenge 2014 GOLD David Fountain, Head Chef for Sodexo, Paypal, Dundalk SILVER Denis O’Carroll, Head Chef for Sodexo, Almac, Northern Ireland BRONZE Diarmuid Murphy, Head Chef for Sodexo, EMC, Cork MERIT Eoin Murtagh, Head Chef for Sodexo, Davy, Dublin MERIT Timmy O’Connor, 2nd Chef for Sodexo, Auinnish, Co. Limerick MERIT Bartek, 2nd Chef for Sodexo, Leo Labs, Dublin

Irish Barista Championship & Latte Art Championship 2014 Irish Barista Championship WINNER - Pete Williams Latte Art Championship 2014 WINNER - Elvis Matiejunas

Irish National Cocktail Champion 2014 WINNER - Eddie Rudzinskas, Four Seasons Hotel, Monaghan 2nd Place - Daniel Mulligan, 37 Dawson Street Joint 3rd Place - Owen Hughes, Knockranny House Hotel, Westport + Kevin Kennedy, Westport Hotel Best Lady - Ledia Alia, Mint Bar, Westin Dublin The great and the good of the Irish foodservice industry made their way to Citywest Event Centre today (11th Feb) for one of the biggest industry gatherings of the year FOOD & BEV LIVE 2014. In a hall, brimming with the buzz of networking and new business there was also the excitement of a selection of national Irish skills competitions to behold, with the anxious finalists at last getting their chance at the much sought after titles.

The Speciality Coffee Association of Europe (SCAE) hosted the finals of the Irish Barista Championship with the winner Pete Williams from 3Fe cafe going on to compete in the World Barista Championships taking place at the SCAE World of Coffee in Rimini, Italy in June 2014. This years Avonmore Irish Latte Art

Championship was also staged heralding its 2014 winner in the form of Elvis Seivijus Matiejunas from Bewleys.

Open to all bartenders working in Ireland, the National Cocktail competition was staged by the Bartenders Association of Ireland (BAI) (sponsored by Edward Dillon & Co. Ltd). The winner Eddie Rudzinskas was crowned National Cocktail Champion 2014 and will represent Ireland at the World Cocktail Competition in Capetown, South Africa 29th Sept - 4th Oct 2014.

On the chefs’ side, renowned chef Derry Clarke resided over the very first “Sodexo Challenge @ F&B Live”. For the event, Sodexo Ireland commissioned Derry Clarke, to set a culinary challenge for selected members of the company’s 500strong chef team called the Sodexo Chefs Challenge. The challenge gold medal winner was David Fountain.

The Irish Foodservice Suppliers Alliance was also delivering good news on the day.

IFSA are delighted to present Louise Cromwell with a Bursary Prize for: “Best Placement Award on the Higher Certificate in Health and Nutrition for Culinary Arts 2013.”

IFSA is proud to support this unique programme, which integrates culinary arts education and performance (cuisine) with health and nutrition and the Board, and members of the association wish Louise every success in her future career.

Said Sean Martin, Chief Executive of IFSA, “We’re absolutely thrilled with the turnout today. It was a true hub of new business opportunities and positive banter about current trends. There is a sense of renewed empowerment amongst the protagonists in this sector and the industry is demonstrably bouncing back to a brighter future. Congratulations to all the winners. The competitions were delightfully tense and fiercely contested with each deserved winner now having the chance to represent their country in the respective world stages. Best of luck to them!”

Organised by the Industry for the Industry and sponsored by Bunzl McLaughlin, FOOD & BEV LIVE 2014 is setup to celebrate excellence, showcasing over 60 of the country’s top suppliers. The event will once again be a hotbed of industry promotion, networking and dialogue, attracting an attendance of over 1500 Chefs, Baristas, Bartenders, Food & Beverage Managers, Hotel Managers, Restaurant Managers, Coffee Bar & Café Owners and more.

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49

SURVEY

Euro speak 93% of Irish respondents were satisfied with the way tourists were welcomed on their main holiday last year. This is the highest level of satisfaction among the 28 EU Member States, as well as 7 other countries outside the EU, namely Turkey, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Iceland, Norway, Serbia, Montenegro and Israel. This is according to a recent survey by Eurobarometer.

• At 92%, the Irish were the second most satisfied with the level of prices on holidays, 94% of Belgians answered positively in the same category.

• Word of mouth recommendations on holidays and travel plans are important for 67% of Irish respondents, second only to Latvia (72%).

• The Irish are second most likely (78%) to use the internet to plan their holidays, after Norway (80%).

• 94% of Irish respondents were very satisfied with the activities and services on their holiday, tied with Malta.

• Tourism expected to grow again in 2014, led by strong domestic and European demand.

Tourism has been one of the strongholds of European economy during the economic crisis, and the positive trend will continue in 2014, with only11% of Europeans expect not to go away. According to the recently published Eurobarometer survey, the sector has been an engine of domestic demand-driven economic growth in 2013, with more people choosing to spend holidays outside of their own country but within the EU. In 2013, 38% of Europeans spent their main holiday in another EU country, which is 5 percentage points more compared to 2012. At the same time, only 42% of people spent their main holiday in their own country, a 5 percentage points decrease compared to 2012. Furthermore in 2013, only a fifth (19%) took their main holiday outside the twenty eight countries of the EU, which is a 2% decrease compared to 2012. The Eurobarometer survey on preferences of Europeans towards tourism also explores motivations and obstacles for Europeans to travel, the main destinations, the information sources used for planning a holiday, how Europeans arranged their holidays in 2013, their satisfaction with the sector and the level of safety experienced at the accommodation and services.

European Commission Vice President Antonio Tajani, Commissioner for Industry and Entrepreneurship, commented on the respondents’ preferences and the survey outlook on holiday-making: “As European Commissioner responsible for tourism, I

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cannot hide my enthusiasm. The attitudes of Europeans towards travelling published today are a sign of reliable and outstanding performance of the tourism sector, which continues to be the sound economic driver for the EU recovery.

Figures speak for themselves, while the preferences and views expressed in the survey show how the industry’s robust and resilient performance is expected to continue in 2014.”

In 2013 70% of Europeans travelled for at least one overnight Only 11% of Europeans expect not to go away in 2014 because of the current economic situation. Four in ten Europeans plan to spend their main holiday in their own country (majority of people in Greece, Croatia, Italy and Bulgaria). Three in ten people expect their main holiday to be in the EU, and over four in ten intend to have at least one of their trips in the EU in 2014. A quarter plans travelling to a non-EU country (24%) but only 16% will have their main holiday outside the EU. Further highlights of the Eurobarometer survey: In 2013 70% of Europeans travelled for either personal or professional reasons for at least one overnight. Only looking at the personal travel in 2013, most people went away for 4 to 13 consecutive nights (57%). To a large extent, this pattern is mirrored by the plans for 2014.

Europeans prefer sunlight and life on the beach (46%).

The same percentage of respondents mentions the natural features of a given place as the main reason why they would plan to return to the same tourism destination.

The top five EU holiday destinations remain unchanged since 2012.

Spain (15%, +5), France (11%, +3), Italy (10%, +2), Germany (7%, +2) and Austria (6%, +2) continue to be the most popular holiday destinations, all of which have witnessed an increase since 2012. Respondents in Greece, Croatia, Italy and Bulgaria are the most likely to take a holiday in their own country, whilst respondents in Luxembourg and Belgium are most likely to travel to another country in the EU. Respondents’ plans for 2014 closely resemble those of 2013.

Tourists in Europe feel safe and very satisfied. Respondents express a high level of satisfaction with most aspects of their 2013 holiday. A majority of respondents were satisfied with the safety (95%) and the quality (95%) of their accommodation.

Little impact of the current economic situation, but financial reasons matter No substantial changes will be made to holiday plans as a result of the current economic situation. The survey also looks at what could influence holiday plans.

More than half of respondents who did not go on holiday in 2013 say it was at least partially for financial reasons, and 44% considered it was the main reason. Only 11% of respondents expect not to go away in 2014 because of the current economic situation. More importantly, over four in ten people say they will not change their 2014 holiday plans, while a third say they will change their plans but still travel. The proportion of people who intend to go on holiday without changing their plans for economic reasons ranges from 75% in Austria to 10% in Greece.

The positive trend is supported by the official statistics. According to Eurostat, the tourism sector had record figures in 2013. The total of nights spent in tourist accommodation establishments in all 28 EU Member States increased in 2013 by 1,6% to a record of 2.6 billion nights spent compared to 2012.

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What makes a great carvery?

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*Source: Irish Aggregated Distributor Value Sales FY Dec 2013.

Knorr sauces are the perfect accompaniment to your carvery. The search is now on to find Unilever Food Solutions, Great Carvery 2014 winner of the year.

To enter, please register on www.greatcarvery.com Open for entries until 27th April 2014-18:00 GMT

The Competition is open to hotels and public houses who serve carveries resident in the Island of Ireland and their employees aged 18 or over. Employer permission required for employees to enter. To enter, complete form at www.greatcarvery.com. Closing date: 18.00 GMT, 27/04/14. Prize: 3 x â‚Ź2,000 marketing funds (or pound sterling equivalent for NI). One winner per category. To vote go to the website or text ONEDAY/PUB/HOTEL followed by venue name to 51500, standard network rates apply but may not be included in your prepaid package. Voting open until 08/06/14, 23.59 GMT. Internet access or mobile access required to vote. Competition consists of four stages, for more information and full T&Cs see the website.