Hotel and Restaurant Times Dec/Jan 2019

DECEMBER/JANUARY ’19

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

Get ready for CATEX 2019 26 - 28 February - RDS

20 Years of Resilience Hotel & Restaurant Times powers on

Paddy Matthews The new face of Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands

Terry McCoy Terry bows out

www.hotelandrestauranttimes.ie

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COVER: CATEX 2019

Contents

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Editorial 4 News

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Appointments 10 20 Years of Resilience

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Chef Network

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Interview with Fáilte Ireland’s Paddy Matthews

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Tourism Ireland

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IFSA 24 Fáilte Industry News

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Sandymount Hotel

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Redbank House

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What’s new, what’s old... and what’s different Choosing the right technology

Sustaining success in tourism for 2019

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I really like your hotel... But!

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CATEX 2019

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ITIC

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P. 42 Hotel & Restaurant Times, Ireland’s longest established trade publication, is circulated on subscription to Chief Executives, Directors and Proprietors of Hotels and Restaurants in Ireland along with Architects, Interior Designers and Suppliers to the Hotel and Restaurant Industry.

Managing Editor: Cyril McAree (01-6285447, cyril@hotelandrestauranttimes.ie) Contributors: Pavel Barter, Susan Clarke, Chef Network, Tourism Ireland, Conor Power, Fáilte Ireland, Conor Kenny, Leslie Williams, Sarah Gallagher, Eoghan O’Mara Walsh, Annette Sweeney, Grace Gallagher, IFSA, Marilyn Bright, Lorraine Courtney.

Graphic Design: Tara Mccormack Printing: Turners of Longford

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

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

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editorial

Twenty years in business What a difference 20 years make. When H&R Times published our first issue in 1999, the nation was reeling on a wave of optimism. The Good Friday Agreement had been signed the year beforehand, heralding a new era of peace for Ireland. Growing numbers of tourists began flocking to the country, north and south. The subsequent creation of Tourism Ireland allowed the marketing of the island on an unprecedented scale. As we approached the new millennium, the Celtic Tiger in full flight, it appeared as though nothing could hold us back.

editorial

Cut to 2019 and the picture has changed somewhat. The UK’s decision to leave the European Union has put Ireland in a perilous position. Uncertainty reigns, due to the British government’s inability to negotiate a withdrawal deal (despite having two years to do so).

The looming threat of a hard border between the north and south brings to mind the bad old days.

But despite the UK’s act of self-immolation, the Irish tourism industry remains resilient.

Visitors continue to flock to the country, particularly Dublin where hotel occupancy rates were at 83% in 2018. Almost 1,000 new rooms were added to Dublin’s market last year, including 145-bedroom Iveagh Gardens hotel on Harcourt Street and the 140-bedroom Maldron Hotel on Kevin Street. A further 2,500 more are on the way. These include Harry Crosbie’s eight-storey 185-bedroom hotel at Vicar Street, and the landmark Twilfit House site in Dublin 1, recently purchased by Whitbread, owners of Premier Inn. Life is different in regional areas where towns are still suffering from high vacancies, poor broadband connections, and the dissolution of town councils. This is reflected in regional hotel occupancy rates, which fell 20% to 63.8% in 2018. Some areas of the country have yet to recover from the recession of a decade ago, so it is vital that the government concentrate on rural regeneration, and small town plan schemes, over the year ahead.

In the last budget, however, the government took a step backwards. The VAT increase for hospitality, from 9% to 13.5%, which came into effect January 2019, is putting huge pressure on business. Alongside wage increases and the rising cost of insurance, the cumulative effect of the VAT hike may be closures. Adrian Cummins, CEO of the Restaurants Association of Ireland, has described the VAT rise as having a huge impact on competitiveness and profitability of restaurants. “Many won’t survive this increase,” he said.

Coffee drinkers are already feeling the effects of the VAT hike, since cafes have been forced to raise the price of a cup by ten to 20 cents. Let’s hope the government, and our erring minister for Tourism, wake up and smell the beans before it’s too late.

Despite the challenges facing the industry, a retrospective look over our 20 years in business proves that the hospitality sector in Ireland always fights back in the face of hardship. We’d like to wish our readers best wishes, prosperity and happiness, for the year ahead.

Cyril McAree editor

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news

NEWS Special guests

Top shelf material

Guestline, a specialist in hotel cloud-based property management systems, distribution and digital marketing technologies, has entered the Irish market.

The Irish team is led by: Clio O’Gara, country manager (middle); Una Connolly, business development manager (left); and Grace Duggan, business development executive (right).

The Morrison, on Dublin’s Ormond Quay, has launched a new spirits menu, featuring a curated collection across vodka, gin, cognac, rum, tequila, American whiskey, Irish whiskey, Taiwanese whiskey and Scotch. The collection is priced from €12 for a shot of Taiga Shtof Siberian Vodka to €160 for 35mls of Remy Louis XIII.

Writing on the wall

Thought that counts

Writer’s Tears Copper Pot is a unique take on Irish Pot Still Whiskey. International fans include Katy Perry, who shared a snap of her drinking the Irish whiskey on her Instagram story, and Marta Kauffman, co-creator of Friends, who has a bottle in her office.

Pictured are: Deirdre McGlone, Managing Director, Harvey’s Point; Dr Briga Hynes of the Kemmy Business School; and Pat Breen, Minister of State for Trade, Employment and Business.

Deirdre was honoured with recognition as a Thought Leader by the All-Ireland Business Foundation in Croke Park, after overseeing the growth of Harvey’s Point from 20 bedrooms and a small restaurant to a luxurious resort with sixty-four palatial suites.

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news

Old wife’s tale

True originals

Images of Ireland have been beamed into the homes of 1.5m people across Sweden. A TV crew visited Cavan, Louth and Meath, last summer, as guests of Tourism Ireland and Bord Bia. They were filming for an episode of one of Sweden’s most popular dating TV shows, Bonde söker fru (meaning ‘Farmer Searches for a Wife’).

Pictured at a meeting of Original Irish Hotels, in Beech Hill Country House, Derry, are (l-r): Maire O Connor, Lough Inagh Lodge; Patrick O’ Flaherty, Ballynahinch Castle; Dara O’ Connor, Lough Inagh Lodge; Ronan Cahill, Abbeyglen Castle. Original Irish Hotels is a collection of 60 hotels around Ireland.

Farmer Per Solberg (centre) and his potential wife Sofie Helmer Öhman (third left). Also pictured are William McGrath, Bord Bia (second left) and the TV crew Rasmus Wedim (sound), Emma Reinholdz (assistant), Gosia Stehman (producer) and Ola Magnestam (cameraman), during filming for Bonde Söker Fru in the grounds of Cabra Castle Hotel.

Heart of the matter Pictured at Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands workshop, at Slieve Russell Hotel in Cavan, are: Sarah McCarthy, Fáilte Ireland; Sinead McDermott, Leitrim County Council; Pamela Ruddy, The Courtyard Apartments; and Mark McGovern Fáilte Ireland. Members of the local tourism industry attended one of three workshops on Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands, Fáilte Ireland’s newest regional experience brand.

Get your oar in for Skellig Michael The Office of Public Works (OPW) has announced the launch of a public competition for boat operators to ferry visitors to Skellig Michael. Up to 15 permits are on offer as part of the competition. Successful applicants will be given the right to land visitors on Skellig Michael, where the number of visitors is strictly limited. Interested parties can apply to the OPW, through its website, before the deadline of Monday 21 January 2019.

Fast-food chain helps out homeless Freshly Chopped, a healthy fast-food chain, has opened an outlet in Donegall Square West, Belfast. Mount Charles, franchise owner, has pledged to donate surplus food to homeless people in the city. Mount Charles will partner with The Welcome Organisation, a Belfast-based charity that provides a range of services to people affected by homelessness, in order to distribute unused food from Freshly Chopped every night.

Bracing for Brexit Despite another year of growth in 2018, business sentiment among hotels has dropped significantly, according to the latest hotel barometer from the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF). Less than half of hotels (49%) now report a positive outlook for the next 12 months, compared with the 82% who had a positive outlook this time last year. Key concerns for the sector include the escalating risk and uncertainty around Brexit, reduced visitors numbers from the UK and the increasing costs of doing business.

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news

Law of attraction As part of the of Fáilte Ireland’s Taste of Place programme, the National Tourism Development Authority is hosting nationwide workshops, bringing together visitor centres, attractions and distilleries to highlight how locally sourced food can drive revenue growth. Pictured at a workshop at Airfield Estate were representatives from Powerscourt Distillery, Teeling Distillery, Jameson Distillery, Dublin Airport, BOANN Distillery, Tullamore Distillery, and Guinness Storehouse, with Sinead Hennessy, Fáilte Ireland.

Lights, camera... tourism

Standing tall

Tourism Ireland has kicked off filming for a new global advertising campaign. The new campaign will comprise TV, cinema and online ads and will reach millions of potential visitors around the world. This is Tourism Ireland’s first major campaign in seven years.

Gordon Kavanagh, Assistant Bar Manager, Talbot Wexford, took home Employee of the Year Award for the South East, at the recent Irish Hotels Federation South East Branch Awards ceremony. Gordon will now progress to the National IHF Awards in Killarney in 2019. Pictured (l-r) are: Gerald Halpin, Classic Drinks; Natalie Power, Group HR Manager, Talbot Collection; Gordon Kavanagh, assistant bar manager, Talbot Wexford; and Robert Millar, area general manager of Talbot Collection, Wexford.

Happy birthday to Hooked Hooked Restaurant on Rockwood Parade, Sligo, is celebrating its first year in business.

Anthony Gray’s second restaurant in Sligo town has collected a number of commendations, including: Bord Bia’s Just Ask Restaurant of the Year, Best Newcomer of the Year at the Yes Chef Awards, and Best Newcomer in Connaught in the Irish Restaurant Awards.

Pictured here are: Anthony Gray; Jake Flynn (left), chef; Siobhan Gough, manager; and Joe McGlynn, head chef.

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news

Simply the best Alison Metcalfe, Tourism Ireland’s Head of North America, with the “best destination: Europe” award for Ireland, at the Travel Weekly Readers Choice Awards in New York.

Honouring two esteemed careers Pictured are Bobby Kerr and Jim Gahan, who were awarded honorary doctorates by DIT, at a ceremony in St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin.

Dr Kerr, a graduate of DIT Cathal Brugha Street, was recognised for his contribution to the business world, through his work with celebrated names in the food and hospitality firms sector, and his time as CEO and Chairman of Insomnia Coffee Company.

Dr Jim Gahan was honoured in recognition of his career, during which he was involved in several major landmark development projects, including revitalising Heuston Station, planning and developing the IFSC and ILAC Shopping Centre.

Look what's cooking

The travelling spirit

Galway has hosted the final of the European Young Chef Award 2018, as part of Galway, West of Ireland’s designation as a 2018 European Region of Gastronomy (ERoG). Andreas Bjerring from Aarhus-Central, Denmark, European Region of Gastronomy, was named European Young Chef 2018, with his dish Memory of my Childhood: an innovative take on Larded Apples, a traditional Danish recipe. Ireland’s 2018 representative, Andrew Ishmael, Galway chef and final year student in the GMIT Culinary Arts programme, served beetroot-cured mackerel with horseradish panna cotta, pickled shallot and fennel.

Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland; Tourism Minister Brendan Griffin; and John Crotty, Spike Island, at World Travel Market in London.

Don’t knock it Castleknock Hotel has scooped the Customer Experience Excellence Award, in the Tourism and Hospitality Sector, at the Fingal Dublin Business Excellence and CSR Awards 2018.

Fill your heart with Ireland Tourism Ireland has announced it will increase its spending by €10m in 2019, to €45m, and it will launch its first new global advertising campaign in seven years to help attract more overseas visitors to the island of Ireland.

The organisation is targeting record numbers again next year and aims to grow overseas tourism revenue in 2019 to €6.5 billion (+6%) and visitor numbers to 11.67 million (+4%). From January 2019, Tourism Ireland’s new campaign, Fill your Heart with Ireland, is being rolled out in over 20 markets around the globe.

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news

Big data for Dalata Dalata Hotel Group is celebrating great business for the second half of 2018. RevPAR at Dalata hotels grew 8.8% for the months to the end of November.

The brand’s regional portfolio achieved a 5.3% RevPAR increase for the same period.

Wicked skills Pictured are: Minister Josepha Madigan; Chris Keogh, trainee welder; Neven Maguire, chef; Hannah Richardson, aviation engineering apprentice, Aer Lingus, at the launch of Ireland Skills Live. Ireland Skills Live takes place March 21-23 at the RDS in Dublin. At the event, Irish apprentices and trainees will hold competitions and demonstrations for school students.

There may be trouble ahead The National Competitiveness Council (NCC), the Government’s independent advisory council monitoring the competitiveness of the Irish economy, has published its annual report. Ireland’s Competitiveness Challenge 2018 outlines the main competitiveness challenges facing the Irish economy.

Professor Peter Clinch, Chairman of the National Competitiveness Council, speaking at the launch of the report, said: “Headline economic conditions continue to improve, and Ireland remains a competitive economy. However, against the backdrop of a less favourable international economic climate, a closer look at the statistics reveals fragilities in the economy. Ireland is facing a significant competitiveness loss as the economy heats up and prices and living costs rise. The overall performance of the economy, and government finances, are dependent on a small number of firms in a small number of sectors.”

Brian E. Meehan Appointed Head Chef at The Morgan Hotel Following its recent launch after a €15 million refurbishment, The Morgan Hotel has announced the appointment of Brian E. Meehan as head chef of its new restaurant 10 Fleet Street.

Meehan has vast experience in the hotel and restaurant industries, as well as travelling extensively throughout Asia, Africa and Europe to expand his culinary passions.

He has worked as Executive Chef with the Conrad, Marriott and Radisson groups and was chef patron of his own establishment in Navan, Co. Meath.

Brian worked with Paul Flynn while at La Stampa and more recently worked on culinary projects with Portmarnock Hotel & Golf Links and with Fallon & Byrne.

Taking the helm at 10 Fleet Street at The Morgan Hotel Brian intends to excite diners with an upmarket and taste driven offering using locally sourced produce and a balance of taste, texture and tenacious tints. Since Brian has arrived the Restaurant also received its first AA rosette.

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appointments

The edge of glory Clare County Council has announced the appointment of new members to the Board of Cliffs of Moher Centre Ltd. as part of the Local Authority’s ongoing commitment to the development of the world-famous tourist attraction.

Caption: Pictured are: Donnacha Lynch, Acting Director, Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience; Councillor Bill Slattery; Councillor Richard Nagle; Pat Dowling, Chief Executive, Clare County Council; Bobby Kerr; Lisa Walshe; Edmund O’Connor; and Leonard Cleary, Director of Rural Development, Clare County Council. Pictured inset: Geraldine Enright, Dr. Deirdre O’Loughlin and Paul Keeley.

O’Donovan is in the lap of luxury The Montenotte Hotel has announced the appointment of Sarah O’Donovan to the position of Food & Beverage Manager at the luxury Montenotte Hotel in Cork city centre. Sarah has over 6 years experience in the hotel and catering management both in Ireland and France.

Patrick’s day New chair appointed to Avvio board Global technology provider Avvio, the hotel booking engine provider, has appointed Sean Finnan to the board as chair, as the company is embarks on a new phase of expansion. Finnan, whose experience includes global corporates IBM, HP and EDS, has held numerous senior board positions in recent years, and ran his own non-executive director consultancy business.

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Patrick Shields is the new General Manager of the five star Cliff House Hotel in Ardmore, County Waterford. Cork native Patrick has returned from Canada, where he was working with Northland Properties as General Manager of the five star Sutton Place Hotels since summer 2017. Prior to working in Canada, Patrick worked with the Talbot Collection, as General Manager of the Midleton Park Hotel from February 2014 until July 2017. Before that he held senior roles in various Cork hotels.

INFO@DALCASSIANWINES.COM WWW.DALCASSIANWINES.COM TEL: +353 (0) 1 2937977 H&RT DECEMBER/JANUARY 2019

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Industry

20years of resilience

by Pavel Barter

Since H&R Times opened its doors in 1999, we have seen boom and bust, peaks and troughs, global and local events, which have impacted our hotels and restaurants.

If there are any lessons learned from 20 years of Irish

1999

Following 1998’s Belfast Agreement, overseas visitors are flocking to the country.

According to Bord Failte, tourism supports 126,700 jobs - 8.2% of all employment - and accounts for 6.4% of GNP and contributes IRL£1.5 billion to the exchequer.

In March, Ireland kick-starts nine months of festivities leading up to the millennium with a fireworks display in Dublin, which is watched by over 100,000 people.

It’s the first official event anywhere in the world to herald the year 2000. “Tonight is the night we show the world that the Irish know how to celebrate,” says Jim McDaid, Ireland’s tourism minister.

McDaid’s enthusiasm is premature. On 31 December, the largest indoor millennium party in the state, at Dublin’s RDS, is cancelled after under half of the 9,500 tickets are sold.

2001 In March, an incident of foot-and-mouth disease is reported Co Louth. “This is a major disappointment, given the intensity of efforts of all sections of society here to keep the disease out of Ireland,” says Taoiseach Bertie Ahern. It’s part of a Europewide epidemic that severely affects tourism businesses, particularly in rural parts of the country. Hotels report an average decline in tourism business of between 10% and 15% on the previous year.

In September, a series of four co-ordinated terrorist attacks by the Islamic terrorist group al-Qaeda in America, causing the deaths of 2,996 people, leads to a sudden drop in American visitors to Ireland.

This is exacerbated by the subsequent “war on terror”.

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tourism, it's the resilience of the industry and the positive effects of our tourism bodies in times of hardship. Here's a brief rundown of some major landmarks in hospitality since our inception.

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The National Development Plan (2000-2006) allocates IRL£150m for strategic marketing in key areas and IRL£100m for improving the tourism product. In an interview in February, Bill Power, president of the Irish Hotel Federation, says that our untidiness is putting off visitors. “Germans and Americans are astounded at the litter,’’ he says. “They come to Ireland expecting a clean, unspoiled countryside and are deeply shocked at the reality.’’

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2002

On 1 January, 2002, the State replaces the Irish pound with the euro, ending the 74-year-old symbol of Irish monetary nationhood and independence. From 10 February, the Irish pound ceases to be legal tender. “I can now admit to great relief that it all came off more smoothly than we could have imagined,” says Maurice O’Connell, governor of the Central Bank.

Tourism Ireland is established to manage the promotion of tourism for the island of Ireland.

2003

In May, Fáilte Ireland is formed, under the National Tourism Development Authority Act, as Ireland’s national tourism development authority: a merger of Bórd Fáilte and CERT. Viruses continue to threaten the Irish economy, as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) reduces the influx of international travellers.

However, Google’s decision to open offices in Dublin’s Docklands marks the beginning of international internet companies arriving on our shores, contributing to the country’s burgeoning economy.

Industry

2004

2005

Between 2000 and 2004, €2.2 billion has been invested in accommodation and visitor attractions, according to Fáilte Ireland. On 29 March, Ireland becomes the first country in the world to introduce the smoking ban, which covers all indoor public workspaces. Taoiseach Bertie Ahern describes the new laws as “landmark legislation”, but not everyone agrees.

The ban could stop tourists coming to Ireland, according to Sheila McKinnon, of the Vintners’ Association. “They may say ‘To hell with this, we’re sitting down having a pint after our dinner on a relaxing week’s holiday but we can’t smoke’. “And they could then say, ‘I might not bother coming back to Ireland next year’.”

Some rebel publicans on the west coast ignore the ban, risking a €3,000 fine.

2006

With the Celtic Tiger in full swing, many Irish people are travelling to New York for weekend shopping trips, spending as much as €1500 per visit to the Big Apple. Up to 100,000 people travel from Ireland to North America in the weeks before Christmas.

2007

Irish airports handle 30,249,233 international flight passengers and 2,152,974 domestic flight passengers. Irish residents make 7,942,000 domestic trips, spending €1,551m in the process. 2007 is the final year of economic growth for Ireland, booming since the mid-1990’s.

A series of co-ordinated terrorist suicide attacks in London unsettles the tourism market, but a focus on air access direct to regions of Ireland leads to 30,000 seats per week being added over the summer.

Ireland is becoming increasingly perceived as an expensive destination, with the press bandying around “Rip-Off Ireland”. “The phrase “Rip-Off Ireland” is becoming a dangerous cliche,” says Shaun Quinn, Fáilte Ireland chief. “It is too sweeping to be meaningful, too superficial to inform debate, and too general to point to solutions.”

2008

A full-blown international banking crisis begins with the collapse of the investment bank Lehman Brothers on September 15. Two weeks later, the Irish government agrees to guarantee the six main Irish banks: an action that costs the taxpayer dearly.

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2009

Irish tourism is badly hit by the global recession. There is a 12% fall in overseas visitors 900,000 fewer people holiday in Ireland than in 2008 - and Irish people take fewer home breaks, resulting in a €1.1bn fall in holiday spending. This leads to the closure of 30 high-profile hotels, including Glasshouse Hotel, Tallaght; and Baltimore Harbour Hotel in Cork.

2011

2010

Patrick Honohan, governor of the Central Bank, confirms that Ireland is in talks to secure a bailout, which will ultimately cost Ireland €60bn and plunge the nation into six years of austerity. The country experiences more decreases in visitor numbers, exacerbated in April and May when the volcanic-ash crisis closes the country’s airports.

Despite its hardships, the tourism sector is boosted by the visits of US president Barack Obama, Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh, in May. Obama “doesn’t just speak about the American dream. He is the American dream,” declares Taoiseach Enda Kenny, before a crowd of 25,000 people at Dublin’s College Green. In July, hospitality is given new hope with the introduction of a lower VAT rate, reducing costs from 13.5% to 9%.

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Industry

2012

2014

2015

Michael Ring, tourism minister, launches the Wild Atlantic Way, a tourism trail on the west coast that consists of “157 discovery points, 1,000 attractions and more than 2,500 activities”. The 1,553 mile route passes through nine counties and three provinces, stretching from County Donegal’s Inishowen Peninsula in Ulster to Kinsale, County Cork, in Munster.

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Recovery is in full flight.

A number of Tourism Ireland promotions around the world, including the 150th anniversary of the birth of WB Yeats, help attract 7.9m visitors from oversees, adding €4.2billion in revenue to the economy.

There is also a 10% jump in visitors from Britain. Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which features Skellig Michael in Co Kerry, opens in December, promising an increased influx of visitors over the year ahead.

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The government embarks on The Gathering, a year-long tourism campaign intended to boost the numbers of Irish diaspora visiting their homeland. In the first quarter of the year, visitors rise by 7.4% compared to the previous year and the North American market posts its best performance since 2004, according to Central Statistics Office (CSO) figures. Visits to Ireland

by North Americans rise 17% in the first quarter of the year.

2016

Ireland celebrates the centenary of the Easter Rising with commemorations around the country.

“We went to every county and said, ‘In 2016 we’re going to remember our past,” John Concannon, director of Ireland 2016, told H&R Times. “Every county put its own plan together.

Now there are over 2,600 events in total [across Ireland].” Thousands of people attend the government’s official commemoration in Dublin.

Fáilte Ireland’s launches Ireland’s Ancient East, a follow-up to the Wild Atlantic Way, which is supported by a €20m advertising campaign.

All this amounts to a record breaking year for Irish tourism with 10.5m visitors (+11% over 2015) contributing more than €5.4 billion (+10%) in revenue to the economy. However, there are dark signs on the horizon, as the UK votes to leave the EU in June.

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2013

Confidence has improved, according to Fáilte Ireland’s Ireland Tourism Barometer. Tourist numbers from the lucrative U.S. market pick up with events such as The Notre Dame vs. Navy match in Dublin.

Visitor numbers from Britain remain low, however: attributed to Britain’s financial problems and aggressive marketing by British tourist boards. “By nature I’m a pessimist. For tourism, I am optimistic,” Leo Varadkar, tourism minister, tells H&R Times in a wide-ranging interview.

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Another record year for Irish tourism, as the country brings in €5.78 billion of overseas tourism revenue in 2017, delivered by 10.65m visitors.

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2018

Once again, Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland celebrate record results: an increase of over 6% in visitors to Ireland, in the first six months of the year.

However, the removal of the lower VAT rate for hospitality and the shadow of Brexit, suggests the industry will face fresh challenges over the year ahead.

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Industry

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

In this edition, we meet 19 year old chef Lee McDonagh, 2nd year Culinary Arts student at IT Tallaght, currently working as a pastry chef at the Merrion Hotel and demi chef de partie at Shelbourne Social in Dublin. In 2018 Lee took part in the Chef Network Student-Industry Forum and spoke as part of the chef panel at Chef Network’s Kitchen Culture Seminar.

Why did you become a Chef?

I started working in my Dad’s [chef Gavin McDonagh’s] restaurant at the age of twelve and it was a natural evolution which was aided by the passion I have always had growing up in kitchens.

Tell us about your experience and training as a chef to date

I started in my dad’s restaurant Brioche in Ranelagh as a commis chef. I then went to IT Tallaght to study culinary arts, where I am currently in second year. For my first college placement I went to work with chef Stephen Gibson in Pichet. I then moved from there in February to work with a Michelin starred chef by the name of Andy McFadden and head chef Philly Roe in Glover’s Alley by Andy McFadden at the Fitzwilliam Hotel, where I was lucky enough to get to work on the larder section. I wanted to get experience on pastry then, so I went to work at the Merrion Hotel as a pastry chef under Paul Kelly. I’m now working under top chef Dylan McGrath in his new restaurant Shelbourne Social which is just newly opened.

What drives you as a chef and what do you think are the most important traits for success?

One of the main things that drives me as a chef is the constant change of environment in the kitchen and the constant ability to learn something new every day and improve yourself. I’m really eager to learn new things and gain new skills, whether that be fermentation, new culinary techniques or learning the classic techniques that drive the modern technique.

Being a chef is like being a soldier, service is almost military like and the head chef is like a drill sergeant.

The common goal is to succeed and work as a team so moral of the story is, it’s a tough but very rewarding job, work hard and the rewards will come.

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Who has influenced your career or mentored you? How important are mentors and why?

One of my biggest influences in my career is my dad. He has opened so many doors for me, giving me opportunities to work with many great chefs who have cooked all over the world and worked in the best kitchens in Europe, such as Dylan McGrath and Stephen Gibson. I also had the chance to cook alongside him at European culinary week in the Philippines last September. Even though I’ve been lucky with these opportunities he has always said that I have to put the work in. It is really important to have mentors and people who will support you in what you want to achieve, but you also need to have the right attitude and ambition and work hard to get to where you want to be.

Have you seen a negative side to the industry?

No I have not, as I am one of these chefs who believes that kitchens are high octane environments and I enjoy that aspect; to progress you need to be thick skinned and not take things personally as what goes on in service stays in service.

How can chefs create a positive culture in their kitchen or business?

By nurturing young chefs and training them in a positive and progressive way.

Industry What do you think can be done to attract more people into this career?

It’s a fact of life that some chefs work long hours that are unappealing to some and the salary can be low when you break down your hourly rate, but instead of the media putting out this negative picture of the industry and schools and career guidance officers not recommending the industry as a career, it would be better to look at the potential opportunities it presents and promote it as I find it a very rewarding career with the ability to allow me to travel all over the world and always have work, because everyone has to eat.

“

the industry needs to treat staff well and give them a positive working environment

"

BEING A CHEF….

What I love most is… The adrenaline and pushing on in the kitchen for service that night.

The biggest challenge is… my biggest challenge is trying to achieve as much as my dad and eventually be better than him!! Hahaha!

The most difficult thing I have had to face is… Is leaving a kitchen after becoming so close to everyone, it’s almost like a family.

The most rewarding thing I’ve done is… Travelling to the Philippines to cook for the European board of commerce with my dad for the European culinary week.

I have learned that… to become a great chef it takes drive passion and the ability to learn on your feet The key skills or traits for a chef are…Respect, good attitude and the ability to work on your own initiative One small change that chefs can make to create workplace is….have an in-house laundry service because my mam is always giving out about washing uniforms!

My biggest inspiration is….Kevin Thornton because of his love and passion for Irish food and his promotion for great Irish produce

How do you think chefs can best attract and keep ambitious young chefs like you?

To be a great you have to want to succeed and please customers, it is almost like a vocation similar to emergency services - it’s a way of life. But the industry needs to treat staff well and give them a positive working environment, then we will keep staff and attract more people in the long-run.

What advice would you give to anyone considering this career or starting out as a chef?

The catering sector is one of the biggest employers in this country and there are many different opportunities to suit many different levels such as coffee shops, work place catering, or fine dining restaurants and even education. My advice would be to look into all corners of the industry before making a decision on what you want to do. In terms of progressing your career, you need to find something that suits your drive towards cooking and aim for that.

CHEF NETWORK SKILLNET

Subsidised Professional Development Training for Chefs Leadership | Business | Culinary Chefs, Training & HR Managers, Employers – talk to us about your training plans for 2019.

Sign up at www.chefnetwork.ie to keep up to date with our training and professional development events.

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Join CHEF NETWORK free today at www.chefnetwork.ie to connect, communicate and collaborate with your chef community H&RT DECEMBER/JANUARY 2019

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fáilte interview

Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands unlocking the potential of the Midlands Paddy Mathews cuts a very upbeat presence on the Fáilte Ireland landscape. His role as Head of Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands is, in many ways, an enviable one: he’s at the cutting edge of the National Tourism Development Authority’s attempts to get its teeth into a new seam in the Irish tourism offering.

Irish tourism’s latest regional experience which stretches from Leitrim to Lough Derg is aiming to bring something fresh to the suite of experience brands that began with the very successful Wild Atlantic Way. Paddy has been here before: “I worked on the Wild Atlantic Way at the developmental stage, before it went into operation,” he says. “I was involved in the development of the concept and design and signing of the route, before handing it over to another team for the operational phase of the project.

“What I learned from that experience was the importance of a unitary brand, bringing a number of destinations together under a single proposition and vision… having that overarching brand proved to be a really powerful thing so when we started looking at the Midlands, I knew what this region needed; a unifying factor.

“It had to have the right proposition,” he points out. “It had to have an identity that was distinct from the Wild Atlantic Way and Ireland’s Ancient East. The proposition we came up with was ‘Active In Nature’, based upon water activities on the River Shannon and other waterways, as well as a wealth of walking and cycling routes, woodlands and hidden cultural gems in the region.

“We tested the proposition extensively with both

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Cloughoughter Castle and surroundings. Co. Cavan

fáilte interview

Fowley Falls, Co. Leitrim

domestic and overseas markets and found that it performed as well as the Wild Atlantic Way and Ireland’s Ancient East when we tested those, in terms of its appeal to our core target markets.

“The second thing that I learned from the development of previous regional experience brands is the value of listening to the local authorities, stakeholders and industry on the ground and building collaboration and consensus on the right way forward. We can all achieve much more when we are all pulling together in the same direction.”

“We now have a dedicated team on the ground to ensure a strong local presence to champion the brand’s development and we are working with industry and key stakeholders to ensure that the brand promise is delivered. We are also working very closely with the local authorities and recently kicked off a Regional Tourism Management Programme for Tourism, Heritage and Rural Recreation Officers in the region, to ensure we are all working together to build the brand.”

Fáilte Ireland has allocated an initial €2m to start the development stage of the brand. A Tourism Masterplan for the Shannon is currently being developed by Waterways Ireland in partnership with Fáilte Ireland to drive tourism opportunities both on and off the water, and in the towns along it. Another big development in 2019 will be the Beara-Breifne Way Activation Plan, which is Ireland’s longest WayMarked walking route.

Aside from certain hubs such as Carrick-onShannon, Athlone and Lough Derg, Paddy readily acknowledges that the Midlands is a region that has not done well out of tourism in the past but 2019 could very well be the year for Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands to really shine. Not only is it the latest hottest region from a touristic point of view, it’s also the region with the greatest level of job creation from inward investment in 2018 (according to recently released IDA figures), by far outstripping all other parts of the country, including Dublin.

‘The Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands team at Wineport Lodge, Westmeath to deliver a Tourism Management Programme for Tourism, Heritage and Rural Recreation Officers’ Inward investment will also be playing a vital part in helping to put it on the map as a tourism hot spot with the grand opening of Ireland’s first Center Parcs resort due to take place in the early summer.

“We can’t talk about Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands in 2019 without mentioning Center Parcs,” says Paddy of the €233 million investment, “which is going to be the single most transformative tourism development that’s going to happen in Ireland this year, with 1,000 full-time jobs created in the new resort which is

“

We can all achieve much more when we are all pulling together in the same direction

”

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fáilte interview

Lough Derg Blueway, Soulkite, Killaloe, County Clare located just outside Ballymahon in Co. Longford.”

Although the regional experience brand will have its international debut in April when it’s presented to overseas tour operators at Meitheal 2019, the next few formative years for the Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands brand will be focused on getting it right for the domestic visitor first and foremost, according to Paddy.

“The success of every tourist destination is built upon the domestic market first before it becomes attractive to the international visitor so it’s important that we establish Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands as a successful destination for domestic visitors first.”

Paddy says Fáilte Ireland took a number of examples from other national and regional tourism authorities while developing the brand.

Some aspects of the tourism offering in the region such as the river cruising sector were examined in the light of France’s well-established canal-and-river cruising tourism niche. For the most part, however, the geographical similarities and innovation of the English, Welsh and Scottish tourist boards served as the most relevant inspirational models: “Comparatives would be the likes of the Lake District and the Norfolk Broads…. There’s plenty to learn from these in terms of how they shape their experiences for tourists because the UK still remains our single biggest market.”

Finally, the figures that are projected for Ireland’s Hidden Heartland foresee a generation of additional revenue of €905 million over the next decade (based on incremental year-on-year growth of 3%). Is it envisaged that this extra economic activity will be from visitors looking for precisely the kind of thing Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands has to offer.

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“We’re very fortunate that Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands has been launched at a time when visitor numbers are rising. When the Wild Atlantic Way was launched in 2014, we were in the depths of a recession. Tourism projections are now on the way up with figures increasing year on year in terms of revenue and bed nights.

We’re looking for a greater share of that from an Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands perspective and we know that’s going to be hard because there are long-established and very well-worn routes that the visitor takes throughout Ireland. It’s our job to disrupt those patterns by offering and showcasing parts of Ireland that mightn’t have been in the shop window before.”

“

The success of every tourist destination is built upon the domestic market first before it becomes attractive to the international visitor

”

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Croke Park Business established in 1962 H&RT DECEMBER/JANUARY 2019

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tourism ireland

Additional €10M to be invested in marketing Ireland overseas in 2019, bringing total spend to €45M Tourism Ireland has announced it will increase its spending by €10 million in 2019, to €45 million, and will launch its first new global advertising campaign in seven years to help attract more overseas visitors to the island of Ireland.

The additional funding will allow Tourism Ireland to significantly strengthen its marketing programmes in 2019. The organisation is targeting record numbers again and aims to grow overseas tourism revenue in 2019 to €6.5 billion (+6%) and visitor numbers to 11.67 million (+4%). Details were revealed at the launch of Tourism Ireland’s marketing strategy and plans for 2019, an event attended by Tourism Minister Shane Ross and around 500 tourism industry leaders from around the country.

Sustainability is the watchword for Tourism Ireland, heading into 2019 and beyond. The organisation will place a greater focus on driving growth to less visited attractions and locations, as well as on driving business in the offpeak and shoulder seasons.

Tourism Ireland will also re-develop its entire suite of Ireland.com websites, to ensure its digital marketing continues to be ‘best in class’ in the 2020s.

The new technology will also allow Tourism Ireland to re-target visitors and potential visitors with personalised messages and offers, designed to appeal to their specific interests.

In the context of the Government’s Global Ireland 2025 initiative, Tourism Ireland will implement its US, German, emerging markets and British market growth strategies.

This will see the organisation expand its operations in China – with new representation in Hong Kong – and increase its marketing activity in the US and Canada, as well as in emerging markets like Japan (particularly around the Rugby World Cup).

Tourism Minister Shane Ross; Joan O’Shaughnessy, Chairman of Tourism Ireland; and Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland, at the launch of Tourism Ireland’s marketing plans for 2019.

Michael Lennon, Westport Woods Hotel and president of the Irish Hotels Federation; Siobhán Naughton, Tourism Ireland; and Nicky Logue, InterContinental Dublin.

Tourism Ireland unveils the world’s first tourism campaign created by the hearts of its visitors After months in development, Tourism Ireland has launched its first major global campaign since 2011: ‘Fill your heart with Ireland’. An industry-first, the campaign was created by the heart rate data of two of our visitors.

Tourism Ireland invited a real married couple from Sweden – who had never visited Ireland before – to take a trip here, wearing custom-made technology to track their physiological responses along the way. The couple was hooked up to covert heart monitors, which were linked to a head-mounted camera that captured all of their experiences. The data provided by these heart rate monitors determined what footage would feature in the advertising. The result is a campaign that proves the heart-filling effect that the island of Ireland has on our visitors – whether they’re kayaking on Achill Island, exploring Devenish Island in Co Fermanagh, or climbing the highest sea cliffs in Europe at Slieve League.

The campaign launched in December in cinemas, on TV and on social platforms in our top four markets – the United States, Britain, France and Germany. The campaign will roll out further in the new year in Canada, Australia, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands and Scandinavia.

Additional content will be filmed throughout 2019 and will include locations in Ireland’s Ancient East, Northern Ireland and Dublin to complement this initial campaign – to ensure coverage of lots of additional locations and activities.

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Tourism Ireland’s ‘Fill your heart with Ireland’ campaign features Achill Island.

tourism ireland

Stars of top TV show Vikings lend a hand to promote Ireland’s Ancient East and Dublin To mark the launch of the latest season of the hit TV series Vikings, Tourism Ireland rolled out a new online video campaign featuring two of the show’s stars, Georgia Hirst (who plays Torvi) and Jordan Patrick Smith (who plays Ubbe) In the films, Georgia Hirst and Jordan Patrick Smith bring fans on a virtual tour of some of their favourite places to visit in Ireland’s Ancient East and Dublin, including Powerscourt Estate, Temple Bar, Dalkey, Luggala Mountain and Brittas Bay. The films – designed to inspire fans of Vikings to come and discover Ireland’s Ancient East and Dublin for themselves – were promoted by Tourism Ireland to around 2 million people on Instagram and Facebook in 10 markets around the globe. Georgia Hirst is pictured during filming on Luggala Mountain.

Ireland scoops ‘best destination’ award in New York Ireland was named “best destination: Europe” at the 16th annual Travel Weekly Readers Choice Awards in New York – beating off tough competition from France, Greece, Italy, Spain and England. Travel Weekly is the leading weekly newspaper for American travel agents and travel professionals and thousands of its readers voted in the various categories earlier this year. Ireland also won this award in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017. Alison Metcalfe, Tourism Ireland’s Head of North America, is pictured accepting the award.

2018 was the sixth record year in a row for visitor numbers to the island of Ireland from North America. By the end of the year, we had welcomed around 2.06 million American and Canadian visitors (+14%), delivering revenue of €1.85 billion (+14%).

Targeting luxury travellers for Ireland Nineteen (19) tourism businesses from the island of Ireland joined Tourism Ireland at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes, for the annual International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM). ILTM is an invitation-only event for the global luxury travel industry – attracting more than 1,500 influential travel agents and decision-makers working in the luxury travel sector, as well as luxury travel editors and journalists from about 200 publications across the globe. The busy, four-day event involved a programme of bespoke one-toone appointments and networking sessions – providing a wonderful opportunity for the Irish tourism enterprises to meet, and do business with, the influential travel agents who design unique, luxury travel itineraries for their high net-worth international clients.

Pictured at ILTM is the delegation from Ireland.

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IFSA news

Register Now for Ireland’s Largest Foodservice & Hospitality Event CATEX, Ireland’s largest foodservice and hospitality event, returns to the RDS, Simmonscourt from Tuesday 26th – Thursday 28th February 2019, and with upwards of 12,000 visitors expected to attend, it’s one of the most eagerly anticipated industry events of the year. Registration for the three-day event is now live and free via www. catexexhibition.com.

For those looking to source the newest, most innovative food and drink products or simply keep their fingers on the pulse on the hottest trends, next year’s event promises to serve up solutions, innovative new business ideas and will combine quality produce with world-class features and masterclasses across the three days.

Supported by industry stalwarts, Bunzl and Calor Gas, CATEX 2019 is brimming full of fresh new exhibitors, a reflection of the growing foodservice market in Ireland that is set to grow by 6.1% to reach a value of €8.2 billion, according to a recent Bord Bia survey.

New and returning exhibitors, including Bunzl, Bewleys Ltd, BWG Foodservice, Calor Gas, Henderson Foodservice, Hugh Jordan, Lynas, Pallas Foods and Total Produce, will be offering up solutions, showcasing their innovative products and highlighting the latest food trends to the expected CATEX audience, which now accounts for over 11,500 industry professionals.

If you are in the foodservice, catering or hospitality industry then CATEX is the most important date of the year! Make sure you’re a part of it. Registration is now open, and you can register for FREE at www.CATEXexhibition.com/registeration

PEL Waste Reduction Equipment Glass Bottle Crushers – Save on your Waste Glass Disposal Costs PEL Waste Reduction Equipment is a leading manufacturer of products for reducing waste disposal costs and serves a global customer base via offices in Ireland, the UK and a network of international distributors. The company recognized as leading innovator in waste reduction bringing many novel solutions to the market including the patented ‘Jaws’ range of bottle crushers which save custromers on their waste glass disposal costs. PEL offers a range of bottle crushers spanning the ‘Baby Jaws’ under-the-counter machine to the volume fed ‘Mega Jaws’ machine capable of crushing 680 bottles in 10 minutes. ‘Baby Jaws’ machine is the only under counter bottle crusher of its kind on the market. It allows waste glass bottles to be crushed as they are poured or as the empties are returned from the floor & keeps staff serving customers rather than managing the waste glass bottles. The BB03 ‘Jaws’ will crush up to 3000 bottles per hour, & is ideally suited to areas where the ceiling height and ventilation is restricted.

Both the PEL BB04 & BB06 machines utilize a 140 Litre bin to store the crushed glass. Specifically, the filtration unit on the BB06 makes it suitable for confined areas or areas where air circulation is limited available. The BB09 product is the latest addition - it is a stand-alone machine; the waste bottles are fed individually & the waste glass is held in a 140 Litre bin which can hold up to 680 bottles equivalent of crushed glass.

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J.J. Darboven

has been brewing coffee in Ireland since 1989. The name Eighty9 is a throwback to the year that Eamonn started our journey. Our small lot roastery in Ireland allows us to produce region specific coffees, which are truly at the forefront of the coffee movement. Our ethos is simple, each master roaster must know how to interpret the colour, the aroma & even the crackling of roasted coffee beans, to ensure that each and every bean is roasted to perfection. After all, we breathe coffee. We know good coffee when we taste it, now there is no excuse not to make exquisite coffee available in every corner of our country. Drop into our flagship store and roastery in Dun Laoghaire for a chat and a brew and find out how you can serve Eighty9 in your café, restaurant or office. If your timing is right, you might even see, and smell us roasting fresh coffee!

We also operate our own in-house service team, with barista quality equipment supporting independent coffee shops nationwide with machinery that is available to buy, rent or lease. All our engineers are barista trained, ensuring that our machines deliver the perfect cup of coffee each & every time Call us now on 01 2808898 and let us help you grow your coffee business.

IFSA news

Kingspan has more than 60 years’ experience

of manufacturing grease solutions. We provide a total Grease Management solution, including installation and retro-fitting by our expert team, aftercare & technical support as well as service & maintenance packages to ensure your solutions continue to work at their optimum level.

The Kingspan SmartServ intelligent grease management solution has been designed for hospitality, food service and Public Sector establishments as well as bars & restaurants, hotels, arenas and stadiums that process large amounts of fat, oil and grease via kitchen waste water. Our one stop customised solution ensures that your system is correctly sized and maintained, providing many years of problem free, efficient protection. By using SmartServ Grease Management you can benefit from; • Expert advice & installation of grease traps • IFOG Bacteria Dosing Unit • Full visibility of levels within all assets • Professional Kingspan service & maintenance package For more information contact us foodwaste@kingspan.com or call 0333 240 6868.

Say Hello to the Hellmann's Front of House Condiments Range Unilever Food Solutions launches Hellmann’s front of house condiments range to the Irish foodservice market.

The Nation’s Favourite Mayonnaise*; Hellmann’s launches a range of condiments to support its existing sachet offering. The range includes a Real Mayonnaise Squeezy 8x430ml, Tomato Ketchup Squeezy 8x430ml, Smokey BBQ Sauce Squeezy 8x430ml and American-Style Yellow Mustard Squeezy 8x250ml. The range is made of quality ingredients including sustainable tomatoes, free range eggs and we are committed to using sustainable oils.

Jim Reeves, Customer Director Ireland at Unilever Food Solutions says, “Research carried out by Cambridge Direction tells us that 81% of customers want a wide range of condiments on their table when eating out**. To fulfil these demands we are delighted to offer the Hellmann’s front of house foodservice range to the Irish industry. Led by a trusted brand, our nation’s favourite mayonnaise, the range offers quality ingredients which we are proud of. Food tastes better with Hellmann’s. We’re on the side of food.”

To celebrate the launch of the Hellmann’s condiments, operators can redeem a premium Hellmann’s branded caddy to present the four products, front of house. To redeem the merchandise simply contact a local Unilever Food Solutions sales representative to find out more.

For more information: ufs.com/frontofhouse *Number 1 claim based on Nielsen Retail IRE Grocery Value Sales MAT 12/08/2018 ** Consumer Front of House online survey, n=200 Irish consumers, Cambridge Direction 2018

NevPak Product Launch

Compostable Packaging made in Ireland.

Precious Planet FoodService Packaging, 100% compostable and produced from leaves and stems left behind from harvest.

The board used can be recycled up to seven times, which offers a true, closed loop solution diverting waste from landfill and more crucially our oceans.

A product that is a fully bio-based, home compostable and widely recyclable providing an environmental saving of 47% compared to FSC paper, and 29% compared to recycled paper.

Precious Planet FoodService range is produced from wood fibres, and the cellulose film lining is certified to both the Forestry Stewardship Council and the Programme for the Endorsement for Forestry Certification standards.

Tork Reflex™ is even better than before

Major upgrades to the Tork Reflex™ paper dispenser are set to provide a huge boost for kitchen cleaning efficiency. New features of the Tork Reflex dispenser include a rotating nozzle which allows the user to quickly tear off a length of paper in one fluid motion and from any angle. This is highly effective at speeding up access to paper which makes cleaning both faster and more efficient. Whilst the single-sheet dispenser can still help you achieve consumption reduction of up to 37%, reducing costs, and also presenting a major sustainability benefit.

Before launching the improved Tork Reflex dispenser, Essity staged a “kitchen flow experiment” to pinpoint those areas where logjams were likely to occur and highlight the efficiencies that can be made by installing paper products in the right places “Establishing a good kitchen flow is vital for chefs if they are to be able to produce high quality dishes both swiftly and efficiently,” said Liam Smith. “Being ‘in the flow’ allows them to work together effectively and seamlessly to serve up food. It also enables chefs to glide through the kitchen with ease, encountering the equipment they need when and where they need it.”

Watch the kitchen flow experiment film to learn more about how Tork Reflex™ products enable efficiency with the help of better hygiene planning. www.tork.ie/reflex

Robot-Coupe,

inventor and leading manufacturer of commercial food preparation equipment, has been serving chefs and providing food preparation solutions since 1960. Its wide range of machines adapts to the needs of each professional in restaurants, institutions, delicatessens and caterers, and is available in 130 countries through its network of distributors.

Robot-Coupe’s distribution partners guarantee sales, installation and after-sales customer service and its dedicated sales team can provide direct assistance to chefs in selecting the best solution for their kitchens.

Robot-Coupe offers free, no obligation demonstrations in end users’ kitchens, with training and after-sales support for all its products including vegetable preparation machines, vertical and table top cutter mixers, food processors (combined cutters/vegetable preparation machines), Blixers, power mixers and juicers.

Robot-Coupe presents the Robot Cook®, the first professional cooking cutter blender. Featuring a wealth of patented innovations and technologies built into a single appliance, it is aimed specifically at traditional and top-end caterers. The ideal kitchen assistant, it is the only cooking cutter blender on the market that meets the demanding standards of professional chefs.

Emulsifying, grinding, mixing, chopping, blending and kneading are among the many functions carried out to perfection by the Robot Cook®. It has adjustable heating capacity up to 140oC, accurate to the nearest degree.

The large capacity bowl allows production of sufficient quantities for professional needs.

For more information, please visit the website www.robotcoupe.com / call 020 8232 1800 / email sales@robotcoupe. co.uk H&RT DECEMBER/JANUARY 2019

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fáilte industry news

Funding Announced for Connemara National Park Funding approval of €1.9 million by Fáilte Ireland was recently announced for Connemara National Park. The Minister of State for Gaeilge, the Gaeltacht and the Islands Seán Kyne, T.D. made the announcement at the National Park. The funding will include the development of an additional 10.5 Km of new trails, a children’s natural play area, visitor carpark at Mweelin and a new Lime Kiln Trail to enhance access to more areas of the National Park. The project, when completed, will allow visitors to explore higher level walking and hiking providing greater access to five of the Park’s mountains including Binn Bhán, the highest mountain in Co Galway.

The project is part of Fáilte Ireland’s strategic partnership with the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht’s National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) to achieve the aims of further developing quality visitor experiences at Ireland’s National Parks while conserving and protecting the natural environment for the enjoyment of future generations. This investment will provide visitors with even more reasons to explore the region by providing a new and unique outdoor recreation experience of the cultural heritage of the National Park that complements the natural beauty of the landscape.

Ireland's Ancient East 'Castles and Conquests & Vikings' Visitor Experience Plans The stories behind Ireland’s Ancient East’s Castles and Vikings are set to be brought to life through Fáilte Ireland’s long-term ‘Castles and Conquests’ and ‘Vikings’ tourism plans. Over 60 tourism businesses recently took part in a bespoke workshop at the Newpark Hotel in Kilkenny to develop stories and experiences, helping to create a more connected visitor experience in towns across Ireland’s Ancient East and, in turn, drive increased visitor numbers to the region. Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly, Tipperary, Waterford, Westmeath and Wexford have been identified as having potential to evolve as areas with a strong cluster of attractions that can draw international visitors.

Festival Masterclass Festival organisers from 40 national festivals across the country recently attended a Fáilte Ireland masterclass in Dublin to help with aim of developing world-class festivals to grow international visitor numbers with festivals motivating over 200,000 overseas visitors to Ireland and contributing €108m to the economy every year. New research into Fáilte Ireland funded festivals shows that 58% of festival attendees from across four of our key markets; the UK, US, Germany and France, are repeat visitors and almost 60% of overseas visitors attend festivals outside of Dublin. Festivals are crucial to the tourism sector, and were highlighted in Fáilte Ireland’s recently launched 2019 plans as a key component to continue to grow tourism, extend the season and spread tourism benefits across the country.

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fáilte industry news

Hotel Investment Needed for Key Cities A new report commissioned by Fáilte Ireland on the current and future availability of accommodation found that there is significant opportunity in Kilkenny for further bed capacity, while Galway also has scope for greater accommodation supply, following strong year-on-year growth in the number of overseas tourists coming to Ireland.

The report also found that there is a steady pipeline of new hotel stock coming on stream for Cork that positions it to take full advantage of future growth potential. The ‘Analysis of Tourism Accommodation in Cork, Galway and Kilkenny’ report was carried out by Fitzpatrick Associates Economic Consultants.

Student Tour Guides €1m Tourism Capital Funding Discover Kylemore Abbey & Killarney House Announced for Ireland’s First National Surf Centre in Sligo A series of networking events for student Tour Guides were held recently at Kylemore Abbey in Connemara and Killarney House & Gardens as part of a commitment by Fáilte Ireland to encourage and promote careers in the tourism industry.

Paul Hayden Head of Tourism Careers at Fáilte Ireland said:

“Tour Guides are a vital component in delivering brilliant visitor experiences for tourists. These events bring together key industry stakeholders, education providers and current tour guide students, studying the National Tour Guide programme and the Regional Tour Guide programme to provide an understanding and overview of the industry and the career and employment options available.”

Funding of just over €1m from Fáilte Ireland’s Large Capital Grants Scheme 2016-2022 to Sligo County Council for the development of a National Surf Centre in Strandhill was announced recently by An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar.

The project, which has also been awarded €615k funding under the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund aims to provide a high quality National Surfing Centre of Excellence on a central site along the beach promenade at Strandhill and will provide local surf schools, individuals and the local surf club with a safe and professional service and act as a focal point for surfing and other outdoor activities along the Wild Atlantic Way.

Further detailed information on the articles above is available at www.failteireland.ie H&RT DECEMBER/JANUARY 2019

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Sandymount Hotel

Best Hotel Employee In an era of OTA’s, reservation systems and VAT increases, Beatrice O’Donoghue, receptionist at Sandymount Hotel in Dublin, brings us back to what is most important in the hospitality industry, making the guest feel important.

In one of our favourite profile interviews, Beatrice reminisces about her early career and describes how in her eyes, she has never really worked a day in her life.

Beatrice, or Bea as she is known by regular guests to Sandymount Hotel, left Mayo aged 18 and worked in a shipping company in London for three years. “There was a major recession in Ireland when I left, there were no jobs in the country so I went to London. I came back to Dublin in 1979 and I thought I was coming to work in the bar but found there was no bar in the hotel! The hotel was called the Mount Herbert Guest House at that time and I was interviewed by George Loughran, John’s father and I got the job!”

The 4 star Sandymount Hotel has been run by the Loughran Family since 1955, celebrating 63 years as the largest family run hotel in Dublin. Sandymount Hotel owes its roots to George Loughran from Cookstown, Co. Tyrone & his wife Rosaleen from Downpatrick, Co. Down in Northern Ireland. Together they opened the hotel in 1955 under its original name: The Mount Herbert Hotel.

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

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Bea started straight away on reception and learned from the best, Rosaleen Loughran. “It was great right from the beginning. A lot of Americans came at that time. Mrs Loughran was absolutely amazing, everything I know I can put down to her. She worked at reception and she used to tell guests about local history, about Irish history and I learned all that from listening to her. I hear her now in myself when I’m talking to guests”.

“All enquiries came to the hotel by letter and each letter had to be answered so, typing skills were needed. The letters would come with a £5 deposit. Mrs Loughran would check the post and then I would answer the enquiries. We took payments with Diners Card or American Express but no Visa and no bookings were taken by card only cash”.

“There were no computer systems at the time but Mrs Loughran would hold bookings in her head. She always kept two rooms for Air Tours which was a travel agency at the time. We had regular customers who would come back every year and we’d hold rooms for them. You couldn’t dial direct to some parts of Ireland at the time so guests might just arrive without a booking, but she would know they would be coming because they came every year! It might be Horse Show week and guests might arrive and say ‘have you my room’! We had a book, you’d write the reservations in and if someone cancelled, you’d rub it out! It was that simple and there wasn’t a cancellation fee!”

“The room rates were £7.99 without bathroom and £9.99 with bathroom, always bed and breakfast. There was no such thing as room- only rates. Breakfast was all seated and you took orders. The same girls who served breakfast would then clean the rooms and

Sandymount Hotel

then they’d serve High- Tea from 5.15pm to 6.15pm. There was no such thing as a check-in time, when your room was ready you got your room”.

“After a few years, we got a small bar and Dublin was getting busier so we got more staff and a reservations office. As the guests’ needs change, you change. Breakfast is now from 6.30am mid-week and 7am weekends, at one time it was from 7.30am. Technology has moved on too.

Each time our reservation systems change, I get through each one. I tell the girls, it might take me longer but I get there in the end!”

But what does Bea see as the biggest change within the industry? “The biggest change I think was going from a guest house to a hotel. More staff, but we still managed to maintain a family atmosphere. You’d find staff might leave but then a few months later they’d come back! Rose in housekeeping is here 30 years, Conor in accounts is here 12 years, Maria Condron PA to John Loughran is here 20 years, there is a lot of staff that stay for years”.

“The day I walked in here and got the job, I landed on my feet. Its lovely to do a job that you love doing and get paid for it! I crashed my car when I was 25. I had a mortgage, we hadn’t two pennies to rub together, we were just starting out and I didn’t know what I was going to do. George Loughran bought me a new car and I paid him back every week out of my wages without interest. He taught me to drive too. That’s the kind of family they are”.

“When I was here 30 years, John Loughran said he was taking myself and my family out for dinner. When we got to the restaurant all my friends were there, John’s siblings were there that I knew very well, all of them travelled to be there that night. So kind! Gerard Loughran, John’s son, wasn’t even born when I started here and now he’s just become a father to Olivia, born in December! That’ll be the fourth generation and I love them!”

Sandymount Hotel now boasts 190 bedrooms and went through a substantial renovation of all bedrooms, Whittys

Restaurant, Line Out Bar, meeting rooms and reception area and has achieved a 4 Star rating. Among the many accolades and commendations the hotel has received, it has won the prestigious ‘Europe’s Leading Green Hotel 2017’ and retained the title again in 2018 at the World Travel Awards.

Recently Bea also won an awardfor ‘Best Hotel Employee’ in Dublin. “I was shocked and delighted! John Loughran was sitting across from me at the table and he had to say ‘get up!’ I couldn’t move I was so shocked! I think he put me forward for it because I always come to work! I took full maternity leave when my daughter was born, I took three weeks after my son was born and a week after my youngest was born. Apart from that I’ve never been off sick!”

A celebrity among celebrities, Bea has many famous friends, guests who have become friends over the years. “Paul O’Connell is a regular visitor here and I have no interest in Sport, I don’t know anything about it. But my brothers are big sports fans and love Paul O’Connell. We were all down in Clare having lunch and Paul was sitting at a table across from us and he comes over and gives me a big hug and kiss and says ‘ah Bea, how’s it going?’.

Well, my brothers nearly choked!”

“Recently, people seem to be asking me am I going to retire?

But I think I would be so sad to leave here. Myself and John Loughran have a pact, I say to him if you ever see me not pulling my weight here or doing my job properly, just tell me and I’ll go quietly and he says ‘ok, but I can see you being here until you’re in your 70’s at that rate’!”

So, what’s the secret to Bea’s success? “Customers coming back just loved to be recognised! People love to be made feel important! And I love doing that. I love making sure they are ok and that they have a wonderful stay. People leave me comment cards and gifts and reviews on TripAdvisor! All I can say is I hope I’m still here in 10 years’ time!

Congratulations Bea on your deserved award and on a wonderful career in hospitality!

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Redbank House

Having blazed a trail in fine dining in the North County Dublin area since 1983, owner of the Red Bank Restaurant, Terry McCoy has now decided to step aside from the restaurant business and concentrate on running their adjoining 18 bedroom guesthouse in the centre of Skerries, along with his son Ross.

The Red Bank restaurant specialised in fresh seafood landed at Skerries pier with many of Terry’s signature seafood dishes named after local fishermen and today Terry thanked and paid special tribute to the excellence of local fisherman and farmers whose produce was the backbone of his cuisine.

Terry McCoy the end of an era

Renowned for fine dining in the North County Dublin area since 1983, owner of the Red Bank Restaurant, Terry McCoy has decided to step aside from the restaurant business and concentrate on running the adjoining 18-bedroom guesthouse in the centre of Skerries, along with his son Ross.

The Red Bank restaurant specialised in fresh seafood landed at Skerries pier with many of Terry’s signature seafood dishes named after local fishermen. The reputation and the awards grew steadily as the McCoy’s reputation for hospitality and fine dining grew nationally and internationally.

In 1989 Terry expanded into an adjoining butcher’s shop and created an 18 bedroom 4*guesthouse which will continue in the hands of Terry’s son Ross. The restaurant is being leased by former Chapter 1 head chef Cathal Leonard along with partner Sarah Ryan. Cathal who hails from Rush will bring his own exciting array of recipes to the restaurant and will be re-naming it “Potager” - as in kitchen garden and opening is planned for March.

We spoke to Terry about his career, his love of food and his plans for retirement when he hangs up his ladle.

Terry grew up in Tipperary town in the 1950’s.

However, his parents wanted him to have a co-education experience and he was sent as a border to Wesley College on Stephen’s Green in Dublin. “The food in the college wasn’t the best. Cooks weren’t trained in those days. We used to pass the Russell Hotel, it was on the corner of Stephen’s Green and you could see the chefs working in the

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Redbank House basement and the smells and aromas coming from the kitchen were wonderful! The same butcher who delivered the meat to the cooks in Wesley College delivered meat to the Russell Hotel and we used to say ‘one man’s meat is another man’s resoles!’”.

During the summers Terry worked in The Haven Hotel in Dunmore East. “I went up to the hotel to sell them the mackerel I had caught. Then one day they said to me to come in and do some of the wash up. Then they asked me to come in the morning to help out with breakfast and before I knew it I was assistant breakfast cook! The excitement of the kitchen hooked me from the start. I absolutely loved it”.

“My first official job was in the Intercontinental Hotel in 1964. I was seventeen and I was a receptionist. I might have been the first male receptionist in Ireland!

After that I went to The Great Southern Hotel Group in Parknasila. I was interviewed by Toddy O’Sullivan for the job and I was with them for three years. It was wonderful, they sent me to France, Germany, Switzerland. I had worked my way to Duty Manager when I finished with them”.

After his time with the Great Southern Group Terry spent some time in Knoxville Tennessee before returning to Ireland. “That’s what I would say to any young people coming into this industry; you can travel the world, it can take you anywhere”.

“When I came back to Ireland I thought about opening my own business. I had always felt I had got in at the wrong end of this business. I had been at the management end of Food and Beverage in a lot of my positions. It’s not an easy job. I always say, if you can solve the food end of things, the bedrooms look after themselves. So, in 1983 the old Munster & Leinster Bank in Skerries became available and we converted it into a restaurant”.

“The restaurants at that time only had a licence to serve wine. The Haughey’s used to come down to eat and they wanted Irish Coffee’s and gin and tonics, I used to say to Charlie Haughey, ‘you need to get this law changed so I can serve you an Irish Coffee!’.

So, myself and John Howard from Le Coq Hardi combined and did a lot of work on getting the law changed to allow restaurants to serve alcohol. We had a lot of opposition from the publicans and the hotels at the time but we’re all friends now!”

Terry’s genuine love of food, good produce and wonderful cooking is legendary but what are some of the trends he has seen in the industry throughout the years? “I’m in my 74th year and I have witnessed how much more processed and preserved and convenient food is. You must respect the produce you cook. If I am cooking fish I think, this fish has died for me to eat, I have to respect that”.

“Myself and chefs like Myrtle Allen and John Howard were doing something very different when we started out. I think people thought we were elitist because we were different. But I don’t believe food should be elitist at all. I just didn’t want to serve people mass manufactured food. I have never cooked chips and I have never had a deep fat fryer in the kitchen.

Cooking the way I did brought me great satisfaction.

At the end of a busy night I would go up stairs and think ‘well that was really enjoyable’”.

Cathal Leonard, former Chapter 1 head chef is taking over the restaurant and getting the right person was very important to Terry. “There will be some changes, but Cathal’s ethos around food is the same as mine

and that was very important to me. That whoever would take on the restaurant would continue to cook with the same beliefs around food as me. There’s new enthusiasm in the place, it’s a great room and I’m looking forward to seeing what he does” Apart from his obvious love of food and cooking, what have been some of the highlights for Terry over the years. “Really I think has been a place of important dates for people. People have made memories here, had celebrations, come here for special occasions and we have been part of that”.

So, with Terry’s son Ross taking over the accommodation side of the business now, what is Terry planning for his retirement. “Well, I’ll still be working with Ross in the business but I am partner in a sail boat called “Out and About” so I’m looking forward to enjoying some time on the water. People are always telling me I should gather up all my recipes and maybe do a history of food and ingredients through the years, so maybe there’s a book in me!”

“One thing I would like to make sure to do is to thank all the farmers and fishermen who supplied us with so much wonderful produce over the years and to all the customers who came to us and enjoyed the food”.

Congratulations to Terry on a wonderful career!

All vouchers bought will be honoured by the new management.

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What’s New, What’s Old ... and What’s Different When it comes to foodie trends for the coming year, it’s a pick and mix for choice. Rustic style with homey comfort or high-end plates dotted with edible bijouterie; ethnic tradition with Chinese, Indian or Tex-Mex overtaken by the wilder shores of Vietnamese, Hawaiian and Peruvian. And alongside the rush to seek out new flavours and gastronomic exotica there’s a stream of nostalgia for past times and the deliciousness of well remembered foods.

Last year’s kale crisps haven’t had the staying power of good old prawn cocktail that has staged a strong comeback, although it may now sport a twist of lime or dash of mango salsa with the Marie Rose. Fish and chips is high-street as well as gastropub; ditto the burger with cheffie accoutrements and the ten euro or so variation in price determined by the gastronomic rating of the eatery. Chips may be triple cooked, or for real one-upmanship, steamed and crisply finished in beef dripping.

Sunday roast lunch continues on an upward trajectory, with options for family style service and sharing platters replacing the old carvery. Suitably aged beef, lamb and chicken are the stars here, with provenance featuring, and traditional sides of roasties, creamy mash and buttery veg. Proper trifle with custard and lashings of cream is back, along with fruit crumble that still remains the nation’s top selling dessert.

Afternoon tea continues to gain ground as the social outing du jour with styles ranging from ICA recipe homely to Viennese patisserie jewels with prices to match. It’s a trend that serves well in adding an extra income stream and retaining useful staff in full time service. It’s only a matter of time until someone reinstates the thé dansant.

Morning traffic is cited for the rise in earlier opening times to accommodate the out-of-home breakfast market as commuters try to beat rush hour tailbacks. The fashionable smashed avocado is still around but joined by the healthy eater’s enthusiasm for seeds, grains and nuts. Porridge oats and granola are finding new fans with superfood additions of chia, sunflower, pumpkin or melon seeds and nutty toppings that range from almonds to macadamia nuts. Nut butters and “milks” replace dairy for vegans or the growing ranks of flexitarians -- part-time vegans who can’t quite give up the odd cheeseburger or fry-up.

In the ethnic food stream, Japanese influences are to the fore with familiar sushi and tempura joined by seaweed tastes for kelp noodles, nori snacks and seasonings of wasabi , gomasio ( sesame salt) and sonomomo ( vinegar). The

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loosely related Hawaiian poké bowls of raw fish / broth seem to have had their fifteen minutes of fame and gone the way of the fondue set.

Middle eastern and North African foods continue to grow in popularity as items like hummus, falafel, tabouli and tahini become mainstream. New ways with corn, grains and vegetables with spicy seasonings are finding their way onto menus as Ireland’s new arrivals from lesser known areas of Africa and the East set up kitchens and share recipes.

The constant search for new flavours has come full circle with the resurgence of foraging, smoking, pickling, preserving and fermenting -- all techniques born in neanderthal caves and perfected by cooks and grannies over the centuries. Foragers visit hedgerows to find elderflowers for lemonade and ices, elderberries and sloes for liqueurs, wild garlic and sorrel for butters, sauces and rustic loaves. Traditional smoked salmon, rashers and haddock now share the stage with arriviste smoked butter and cheeses, peppers and risotto rice. Trendy kitchens run to stovetop smokers for cook-to-order lamb, venison fillets and artisan sausages.

The pickling and fermenting that preserved foods in pre-refrigeration days is being re-discovered with everything from Korean inspired kim-chi to grandmother’s piccalilli, chutneys and relishes. Spiced and hedgerow flavoured vinegars give extra kick along with age-old ingredients like cider, mead and verjuice. Salt is a preservative or baking crust for root vegetables like beetroot, celeriac and jerusalem artichokes.

Top to tail eating brings more variety to the table, with good use of less than premium cuts, with slow-cooked lamb shoulder, oxtail, ham hocks -- even pig’s ears appearing in fine dining, along with organ meats like duck hearts. Marrow bones add drama as well as succulence to plates, and beef dripping is used as a flavourful cooking medium.

There’s something for everyone in the expanding world of food -- from new flavours and the exotic seasoning of far-off places to renewed appreciation of tradition and provenance. Influences from every direction are energizing kitchens and inspiring chefs to create dishes that please customers and bring them back for more.

by Marilyn Bright

Industry

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Industry

Choosing the Right Technology and the Power of Partnerships The relationship between hospitality and technology is a balancing act: Technology can add value, convenience and personalisation to a guest’s stay, but too much of it can undermine the human touch many travellers appreciate.

Whether you are an independent hotelier or part of a larger hotel group, no hotelier wants to buy 10 different hotel technology solutions. You need to spend your money wisely and invest only in those technologies that will add value to your business and, importantly, grow your profits. But how can you know which hotel technology will accomplish this?

A hotel Property Management System (PMS) should effectively be the lifeblood of your property, controlling and automating any number of hotel operations. Guestline, who are a global leader in hotel cloud-based property management systems, distribution and digital marketing technologies and have a reputation for offering award-winning solutions to hotels, are making waves since entering the Irish market just under 2 years ago. As the preferred global PMS system, if you were to look behind the IT curtain at many leading hotels, you will see a technology stack integrated under a single software provider.

That means a property management system, alongside a central reservation system, revenue management tools, a customer relationship system, business intelligence, F&B, sales, marketing and point of sale (and other functionality) all integrated with the same system, a new kind of PMS called Guestline Rezlynx PMS. Guestline’s Rezlynx PMS is a best-of-breed for in-house operations but is built on an open structure so that it can easily integrate with other best-of-breed 3rd party software via Application Programming Interfaces (API’s), helping

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you to make viable future technology investments. With an API integration, this enables Guestline to add value to the system’s primary offerings, which is a huge win for hoteliers.

By working with Guestline’s API, which other developers can readily connect to, hotels can incorporate other systems without limitations to the expansion of their platform. And, this implication for hotels is enormous. Instead of purchasing a huge stack of disparate systems, that all work independently, hotels can now select the perfect combination of software functionality that complements the property’s specific needs, is fully integrated and provides more value for money.

Guestline works with several partners across all hotel operations, including CBE, the provider of highend EPoS solutions. Kevin Greene, International Product Manager, Hospitality added, ‘When selecting the Guestline and CBE partnership, you are getting the best in class solution for both property management and food and beverage management. The solutions fully integrate with a single view of how your property is performing in every revenue centre. We can reduce effort in manual processes and have other common bi-directional interfaces with partners like ResDiary to deliver and share better guest information across your property.”

Most cutting-edge hoteliers agree that a PMS that can synchronise all your systems and provide a stable environment for guest data is imperative.

Industry

Adrienne Hanna - Founder and CEO at Right Revenue partners with Guestline to focus on boosting revenue and understanding business trends: “At Right Revenue, we are looking at when people are booking, how they are booking, what price point they are going to pay, and we are trying to help hotels make good decisions by forecasting and making revenue recommendations. But to be able to do that, we need all that data supplied to us from a property management system. In turn, what we are delivering back to the revenue department is vital revenue suggestions, buying habits, trends and insights to hopefully assist with revenue growth.”

Collating guest feedback data and using this to create personalised experiences for guests is something that in theory appears very simple but in practice relies on partnerships with companies like GuestRevu to enable such data collection to exist. Francine Heywood – Co-Founder and CSMO at GuestRevu talks about the power of the integration they have with Guestline and the importance of personalising communication with guests: “The first part of this partnership is that we get the check-out details of guests daily so that we can fully automate the process of sending the post stay questionnaires out to them.

We then take the feedback that we get from the guests and push it back into Guestline Rezlynx PMS so that the front of house staff immediately has access to what guests have said for when they return.”

As data specialists, For-Sight Guest CRM works in partnership with Guestline to take guest information and turn it into the most powerful marketing tool at a hotel’s disposal. When you know who your guest is and what they want, then you never miss an opportunity to give that guest a great experience, before, during and after their stay. Allan Nelson, Director at For-Sight, says: “To do this, For-Sight takes detailed automated feeds from Guestline Rezlynx PMS and other source systems in the hotel such as GuestRevu and applies sophisticated cleaning and matching algorithms to the data. The resulting ‘cleansed’ data allows the hotel marketer to understand their guest and add a very high level of personalisation to their communications.”

Integrating systems can provide more comprehensive management information, faster reporting and a truly comprehensive view of profitability. But it all starts with the selection of the correct PMS as a foundation.

A cloud-based, open platform will arm you with the flexibility you need to find the best solutions to optimise every aspect of your business. Intertwine with a powerful partnership strategy and you have the tools to successfully adapt, forecast, plan, report and personalise your business operations, services and customer relations.

www.Guestline.com

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Tourism

Fáilte Ireland

unveils range of measures to sustain tourism growth for 2019 National Tourism Development Authority sets out plans to overcome challenges that lie ahead Creating a series of long-term tourism development plans for specific geographical locations, developing new festivals to lengthen the tourism season, and promoting careers in the tourism sector – these are just some of the key initiatives Fáilte Ireland’s CEO Paul Kelly will outline today, as he sets out plans for 2019.

As the tourism agency looks to next year, Fáilte Ireland’s plans focus on sustaining the success of 2018 in the face of challenges on the horizon for the sector. At a major industry event in Croke Park today, a number of significant opportunities for the tourism sector will be identified to over 300 key industry members, including increased air access from regions such as the US, Canada and Europe; growth in the Northern European tourist market; as well as increased state investment in industry and tourist attraction development, and sales and marketing.

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Shane Ross T.D., joined Fáilte Ireland to launch the plans this morning. Welcoming the plans, Minister Ross said: “I’m delighted to launch Fáilte Ireland’s plans for 2019 today – they are robust and forward-thinking, not only setting out initiatives to tackle challenges such as the uncertainty caused

by Brexit, but also ensuring that we are on the front-foot in leveraging every opportunity that comes our way.

“In addition, the significant additional funding for tourism secured in Budget 2019 will play a key role in plans for the tourism sector next year, allowing Fáilte Ireland to continue to develop Ireland’s tourism offering and support the industry to both improve the visitor experience and diversify into new markets”.

Sustaining Success in the Year Ahead: Plans for 2019 Visitor Experience

Development Plans

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economic impact for a w creative campaign ers as well as services Ancient East with a ne a focus on season food and drink provid with erford Greenway to domestic visitors delivered on the Wat estival in Waterford extension and’s Deliver a Viking Fire F re Festival in Wexford rket and promote Irel iking Fi Continue to ma gh international Launch a new V s throu Ancient East oversea channels online Ancient r Experience digital activities and our d Visito line h share

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Meet the Team – Head Jenny De Saulles t East of Ireland’s Ancien Meath, Colm Breheny: Louth, Monaghan, Cavan ireland.ie colm.breheny@failte Waterford, Mary Houlihan: Cork, Wexford ireland.ie mary.houlihan@failte Tipperary, Carey: Kilkenny,

Justine Laois, Carlow land.ie justine.carey@failteire

w, Kildare, Derek Dolan: Wicklo Westmeath, Offaly land.ie derek.dolan@failteire Ward Carlow: Gráinne land.ie grainne.ward@failteire y Cavan: Shane Rafter ireland.ie shane.raftery@failte n Cork: Hilary Creedo ireland.ie hilary.creedon@failte Kildare: Fiona Moore land.ie fiona.moore@failteire

Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Brendan Griffin T.D., said: “2018 has been a great year for tourism. Fáilte Ireland’s focus on regionality and seasonality has made major strides with some welcome new initiatives such as Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands, a new regional experience brand for the Midlands, and new festivals such as May the Fourth Be With You in Kerry. On top of the wide range of supports and investment in the industry, the stellar growth we’ve seen in recent years is also testament to the hard work of a very robust industry. The plans launched today give us an opportunity to build on the success of recent years in a way which will ensure that tourism remains a vital indigenous economic sector in Ireland.”

As well as the potential impact Brexit could have on the influx of visitors from Great Britain and Northern Ireland, cost pressure for tourism businesses; the softening of Ireland’s reputation as a value for money destination; and a shortage in labour supply were outlined by Mr. Kelly as some of the imminent barriers to the tourism sector’s continued growth.

Speaking about the plans, Paul Kelly, CEO of Fáilte Ireland, said: “2018 has been an exceptional year for tourism. Our latest estimates now show that we will have welcomed over 9.6m overseas tourists and 9.8m domestic trips this year, generating €7.8bn in revenue. There is now an impressive 260,000 people estimated to be employed in the sector, an increase of 20,000 since 2017. The tourism industry is vitally important for Ireland, particularly when you consider that this growth in revenue and jobs is generated in many parts of the country where many other major industries do not exist.

“Therefore, we cannot become complacent. There are many challenges ahead. The return to the 13.5% VAT rate will be a significant commercial challenge for tourism businesses, and the resulting upward price pressure could damage our international competitiveness. Similarly, Brexit and the

e Ward Kilkenny: Gráinn land.ie grainne.ward@failteire er Laois: Sarah O’Dwy land.ie sarah.odwyer@failteire er Louth: Martina O’Dwy teireland.ie martina.odwyer@fail O’Dwyer Meath: Martina teireland.ie martina.odwyer@fail Raftery Monaghan: Shane ireland.ie shane.raftery@failte mack Offaly: Marie McCor lteireland.ie marie.mccormack@fai O’Dwyer/ Tipperary: Sarah Deirdre Cole land.ie / sarah.odwyer@failteire land.ie deirdre.cole@failteire Fitzpatrick Waterford: Sarah eireland.ie sarah.fitzpatrick@failt Dowling Wexford: Aileen eireland.ie aileen.dowling@failt McCormack Westmeath: Marie lteireland.ie marie.mccormack@fai Wicklow: Ivona Carr nd.ie ivona.carr@failteirela

Tourism potential wide-ranging implications it may bring pose a major challenge for 2019. However, despite these challenges, there is still lots of cause for optimism in the sector; continued long term global growth in tourism; new market opportunities; our industry’s excellent international reputation; new accommodation capacity and tourism attractions coming on stream; increased government investment in the sector and, critically, further improvements to direct air access forecast for next year.”

visitors to come to Ireland, and contributing €108m to the economy, a series of new festivals will be developed to drive growth in the off-peak seasons, including a major new Halloween festival to take place in Ireland’s Ancient East. A new ‘Month of Food’ programme will also be developed, which will offer immersive food tourism experiences, showcasing the quality of Irish produce and driving increased visitor numbers and revenue, particularly in the off season.

Tourism Careers – A New Hospitality and Tourism Careers Oversight Group will be established to address labour supply and skills developments issues which are currently affecting growth for tourism businesses. Chaired by Fáilte Ireland, members will include industry representative bodies, education providers and state agencies. The group will design and implement a tourism career promotion campaign.

Mr. Kelly set out some of the key initiatives planned for 2019, which will leverage these growth opportunities and help the industry to overcome the challenges that lie ahead, including:

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

Mr. Kelly continued: “Our aim is to deliver another record year in 2019 and we forecast that growth of as much as 5% could be achieved. For tourism to continue to grow, it will need to be planned in a sustainable way for visitors, industry, communities and the environment. Our plans for the year ahead focus on how we can both meet the challenges and leverage the opportunities facing the industry to keep the current growth momentum going, by spreading visitors across the country, and growing business in the off-season months, to make sure Ireland remains a high quality destination, which provides good value for our visitors.”

Visitor Experience Development Plans in the regions – Working with local stakeholders, tourism businesses and communities, shared long-term tourism plans will be developed to drive visitor numbers to lesser known areas and attractions such as the Inishowen Penisula on the Wild Atlantic Way or attractions that bring to life specific themes, such as the ‘Castles & Conquests’ theme in Ireland’s Ancient East. These plans aim to increase dwell time and revenue, while complementing the environment and culture of the region.

New festivals and events to drive growth in the off peak season – With festivals motivating over 200,000 overseas

THE YEAR AHEAD – SUSTAINING SUCCESS IN 2019 Looped Drives

sustainable growth, As part of our strategy to drive Wild Atlantic Way looped we are creating a series of e visitors to explore other drives which will encourag parts of the region.

ment Plans

Visitor Experience Develop

ent Plans

e Developm The following Visitor Experienc including: will be progressed in 2019, Inishowen Peninsula Sligo Coast Clew Bay North Kerry Loop Head Peninsula and b) Haven Coast (Kinsale to Ballydeho

Masterplans for Signature

Discovery Points

for Wild Atlantic Signature A number of Masterplans is the first of 10 routes The Shannon Estuary Drive on visitor management n.

Discovery Points focusing identified and is nearing completio for specific locations, following drives in will be developed in 2019 In 2019, we will develop the s: authoritie including: ties and local partnership with communi Head Malin , Peninsula n in 2019 Inishowe Burren Drive - due to launch 2019 Peninsula Fanad launch in Mulroy Bay Drive – due to Keem Bay commence in 2019 for North Cork Drive – work to launch in 2020

MEET THE TEAM Miriam Kennedy Head of Wild Atlantic Way T: 091 537736 M: 086 772 6640 nd.ie E: Miriam.Kennedy@failteirela Joan Crawford – Donegal Team Manager T: 074 9160027 M: 086 0443803 .ie E: Joan.Crawford@failteireland Máire Aine Gardiner – Donegal Projects Officer T: 074 9160026 M: 086 6057313 nd.ie E: MaireAine.Gardiner@failteirela

Fionnán Nestor - Mayo Projects Officer T: 098 51502 M: 086 0481877 d.ie E: Fionnan.nestor@failteirelan

Kerry Josephine O’Driscoll – Cork/ Team Manager T: 021 4233213 M: 086 8099330 land.ie E: Josephine.ODriscoll@failteire Declan Murphy – Kerry Projects Officer T: 064 6638311 M: 086 1739543 nd.ie E: Declan.Murphy@failteirela

John Neary – Sligo Projects Officer T: 071 9159672 M: 087 4144035 E: John.Neary@failteireland.ie

/Dingle Danielle Favier – Killarney Projects Officer T: 064 6638310 M 087 6667706 .ie E: Danielle.Favier@failteireland

Margaret Jenkins – Galway/ Limerick/Clare Team Manager T: 091 537772 M: 086 3555587 nd.ie E: Margaret.Jenkins@failteirela

Tom Conneely – Donegal Projects Officer T: 071 9194203 M: 086 6002292 .ie E: tom.conneely@failteireland

Marie Healy – Cork Projects Officer T: 021 4233216 M: 087 9140877 e E: Marie.Healy@failteireland.i

Eva Costello Sligo/Mayo Team Manager T: 071 9194206 M: 086 0455055 E: Eva.Costello@failteireland.ie

Letitia Wade – Galway Projects Officer T: 091 537751 M: 087 6362858 E: Letitia.Wade@failteireland.ie Siobhan King, - Clare/ Limerick Projects Officer T:061 403806 Mobile: 086 868598184 e E: siobhan.king@failteireland.i

BRAND PROPOSITION “Explore the green heartlands of Ireland’s natural rural beauty where activity and relaxatio centred around rural commun n are ities and their lifestyles, that can be discovered across a lattice of land and water trails showcas work ed by the iconic River Shannon and the Beara Breifne Way.” Ireland’s Hidden Heartland

s Experience Brand Logo

Fáilte Ireland welcomes your use of the official regional experience brand logo within your business for tourism promotion. It is importan t that tourism business es in Ireland’s Hidden Heartlan ds embrace the brand, present it consistently and deliver on its promise . The purpose of the brand guideline s is to help you produce communications material that is consistent in look and feel and ensures we present Ireland’s Hidden Heartlan ds in an engaging and motivati ng way collectively.

We would encourage all of our tourism partners to use the new logo on their websites and other marketing material s to help build brand awarene ss among our domestic and international visitors.

To request a copy of the Brand Guidelines and logos, please log onto the Fáilte Ireland website: http://www.failteireland.i e/IrelandsHiddenHeartlan ds The link to the brand guideline s is here: http://www.failteireland.ie /IrelandsHiddenHeartland

s.aspx

MEET THE TEAM The Ireland’s Hidden Heartlan ds team will be active on the ground, engaging with local businesses and stakehol ders on development plans and promoting local offerings as part of the regional experience brand.

Ireland’s Regional Experience Brands

If you have any queries, please contact the team:

o

rt

h

C

h

a

Northern Ireland

D on e g a l B a y

Atlantic Ocean

Paddy Mathews Head of Operations Paddy.Mathews@failteirel

N

n

n

e

l

Derry

Belfast

Sligo Blacksod Bay

and.ie

Dundalk

Clew Bay

Dundalk Bay

Mark McGovern Manager Mark.McGovern@failteirel

Iri sh Sea Athlone

Galway

and.ie

Tony Dawson Programme Officer Tony.Dawson@failteireland .ie

Dublin

Galway Bay

Republic of Ireland Limerick

Tralee Bay

Sarah McCarthy Programme Officer Sarah.McCarthy@failteirel

Tralee Dingle Bay

and.ie

Waterford

Killarney

Wexford

St George's Channel

Cork

Fiona Henshaw Administrative Support Fiona.Henshaw@failteirel

Wild Atlantic Way Route Wild Atlantic Way Region Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands Ireland’s Ancient East

and.ie

Dublin Northern Ireland Overlaps

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Industry

By Conor Kenny

‘I Really Like Your Hotel …. But!’ “Nowadays most people die of a sort of creeping common sense, and discover when it is too late that the only things one never regrets are one’s mistakes.”

- Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray

The principal reason we stay in a hotel is because we can’t stay in our own bed that night. Naturally, this is sometimes a choice and sometimes it’s not. But when we stay, the most important thing is that we get a good night’s sleep and more. Read on....

It would be great if we all ran our businesses as well as we should but sometimes our energy, interest or emotions get in the way. Now, first of all, I’d like to say that Hotel Managers are brilliant managers because they know more about managing people than most. They work long hours.

They certainly are not overpaid. They have to be experts in architecture, wine, food, mattresses, budgets, HR, law, licencing, spreadsheets, how to make a bed and much much more. In fact, they can be so good at these fine arts that they might just forget that everything comes down to 3 things; People, People and People. Your impact, your words, your attitude and your approach.

Bernard Murphy, Chief Executive of Gleneagles in Scotland, really sums this up in ‘Dancing at the Fountain’ by Conor Kenny (www.dancingatthefountain.com) when he said; “Are you doing something to me or are you doing something for me?”

So, I wonder if it might just be time to look at some very simple thoughts that might move great hoteliers away from spreadsheets and into the mind of a guest.

Here are my thoughts on how you can make my experience and stay far better and without going to the Bank.

The Promise

“We go the extra mile”. Well, unfortunately, if your marketing makes this promise, then you don’t. The ‘extra mile’ is a surprise and it happens without mention. If you plan to do more of this, you’ll leave a warm glow.

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The Phone Call

“Call us, always happy to help”. A standard slogan but far too many people might just say “You need to call the 3rd Party” but here’s what we hear “It’s your problem. I won’t be fixing this. There’s not a lot I’m going to do for you. I’m within my rights”. Sure you are but isn’t that like winning the battle and losing the war?

The Welcome

What hotel doesn’t say “We are really welcoming”? But are you? When a hotel is busy and front desk executive under pressure then this isn’t always true. Thing is, I will remember the promise.... and the reality.

The Journey

Most of us have made a journey by the time we arrive at the Front Desk.

If that was our arrival home, what would we do? Sit down, have a cup of tea, feel happy to be there, unwind? Does your hotel acknowledge this is how I’m feeling? My need? (Or is yours the opposite?).

The Photo

I loved what you said on your website. Then, I raced into your gallery to look at what ‘my’ room would be like. It looked great, really great and I was especially drawn to the beautiful tray with the gorgeous teapot, fine china and luxurious looking bed. But “Oh Dear”, that wasn’t quite the reality. A well-worn carpet, a bed with a dip and the slightly off white mugs were missing the beautiful matching teapot.

The Truth

I know your Boss wants to extract as much from my stay as possible.

That’s fine, that’s fair. But, that’s not my need, my focus or my intention.

Let’s say I’m there to relax, unwind and eat really good food knowing your town has some of the best restaurants around. Fair enough? So, I ask you for a recommendation and you tell me your restaurant is the best in the area. I buy it, I believe you, I book, and I eat. The next night, I want to go out but you are still insisting I should stay in. This time I don’t believe you. This time, you’re not really thinking about me. Are you?

Industry

The Noise

At the start of this article I said the purpose of staying in a hotel is ultimately to sleep. Yes, I might admire the clever interior design, the cool crisp sheets and even the latest TV. But.... No, I don’t admire the cheap flimsy door with the ill-fitting gap below and I certainly don’t much like hearing every loud neighbour guffaw as they pass my door ... at 1:30 am. Great doors mean peace and quiet but if you keep skimping on them, I’ll know.

Breakfast

Now I know that many hoteliers find breakfast a necessary inconvenience, and it shows. We have all spotted the breakfast Chef empty a gallon of bacon on to the limp remains of the earlier onslaught. We have heard the clock ticking and noticed the servers speed up in a sprint to the finish. The stacking of plates gets louder until it’s time to say “Sorry, Breakfast is over”. The best hotels turn breakfast into an art form. After all, what do you want my last dining experience with you to be? It’s your choice.

Celebrate My Bill

Not long before my Dad left this Earth, I wanted to take him to some places that were special to him. I did to thank him for everything, I pushed the boat out and picked a fine hotel. At the end of our stay, I quietly went to pay the bill. With a slight dizziness and dry mouth, I gulped at the figure about to rush out of my account. Still, it was a great trip for my Dad and that was the point but not the final memory. As I fought the credit card in my wallet, I was convinced it deliberately didn’t want to leave because it had seen the bill before it. The girl at the Front Desk didn’t hide her impatience and a steely stare was followed with a well-practised folding of the arms.

I was nearly there but the card was still kicking and screaming. Her impatience moved to level 2, the most serious level. Now, the arms unfolded and her finely tuned nails started their noisy tap tap tap on the polished desk. I felt I was blushing. When she had processed my card she looked at me with one of those highly irritated smiles and said “Thank you, have a nice day”. Hardly. You see, if there had been a tiny bit of empathy, a hint of “Wow, it is a big bill” and even a little mutual celebration of what had been spent and achieved then.... well, this memory wouldn’t be here, now would it? (But it is)

Goodbye

Nathalie Seiler-Hayez runs the world class and fantastic Beau Rivage Palace Hotel in Lausanne, Switzerland. Before that, I met Natalie on a few occasions, when Natalie ran the equally marvellous Connaught Hotel in Mayfair, London. I wanted to interview her for ‘Dancing at the Fountain’. I’m glad I did. Natalie explained the difference between being efficient versus being effective and the difference between a very good hotel and a luxury hotel. I got to stay in both her hotels too and I understand the reality versus the theory. When I was leaving The Connaught, even though I’m forever observing ‘service’, I genuinely, honestly and really really believed the staff were sorry to see me go. I felt honoured, respected, valued and even important. In hindsight, that was what Natalie was telling me all along and then, I ‘felt it’. How would you like me to feel as the final act in our short term relationship? Maybe, before you answer, think on this;

Freud

Freud said “Life’s significant moments always have the word ‘Goodbye” How true. Remember, your guests have a choice and inevitably, it’s how you make me feel that decides if I’m coming back.... or not.

Conor Kenny is the Principal of Conor Kenny & Associates, a professional development, training and direct consultancy company, (Best Professional development Consultancy 2018 – Irish Enterprise Awards) specialising in sales, marketing, strategy and management skills and focused on helping you get the best from your people and business.

He is the author of 3 books. Sales Tales (2014) Dancing at the Fountain (2016) – Irish Examiner Best Business Books of the Year.

It’s Who I Am (2017) – Irish Times Best Business Books of the Year.

His new book, ‘Stepping on Toes’ is due out in Spring 2019 www.conorkenny.com

H&RT DECEMBER/JANUARY 2019

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Industry

Top Trends on the Table at

CATEX 2019 CATEX

, Ireland’s largest foodservice and hospitality event, returns to the RDS, Simmonscourt from Tuesday 26th – Thursday 28th February 2019, and with upwards of 12,000 visitors expected to attend, it’s one of the most eagerly anticipated industry events of the year.

Registration for the three-day event is now live and free via www.catexexhibition.com

Sean Martin, Sales Director with Bunzl; Margaret Andreucetti, Sales Manager CATEX; Mariana Landin, Waitress, The Gibson Hotel and Oliver Kenny, Sales Director with Calor Gas

For those looking to source the newest, most innovative food and drink products or simply keep their fingers on the pulse on the hottest trends, next year’s event promises to serve up solutions, innovative new business ideas and will combine quality produce with world-class features and masterclasses across the three days.

Commenting on its support for CATEX, Oliver Kenny, Sales Director with Calor Gas states: “Following on from a successful CATEX 2017, we are really looking forward to the show returning early next year. It’s incredibly important for us to not only see all the sector’s latest trends and equipment under one roof, but it is a huge opportunity for Calor to meet and engage directly with our customers and also introduce new products to the market.

Supported by industry stalwarts, Bunzl and Calor Gas, CATEX 2019 is brimming full of fresh new exhibitors, a reflection of the growing foodservice market in Ireland that is set to grow by 6.1% to reach a value of €8.2 billion, according to a recent Bord Bia survey.

“Calor have had a long-standing partnership with the Irish foodservice and hospitality sector and are very proud that the majority of Ireland’s chefs choose to cook with Calor Gas. At the CATEX 2019 event, we hope to continue to educate customers on BioLPG – our new 100% renewable energy solution for businesses that are committed to reducing their carbon footprint.”

Commenting on the importance of show support, IFSA Chairman and General Manager with Total Produce Foodservice, John Cunningham comments: “As an industry we all want to see the thriving foodservice market continue to innovate, excite and grow. We’re investing more than ever to ensure we have the right features and exhibitors that guarantee visitors leave the show with the relationships, insight and products they need to drive their business forward. And, of course, we’re putting incredible ingredients at the heart of the show, because great food starts with great ingredients.”

New and returning exhibitors, such a show stalwarts Bunzl, Bewleys Ltd, BWG Foodservice, Calor Gas, Henderson Foodservice, Hugh Jordan, Lynas, Pallas Foods and Total Produce, will be offering up solutions, showcasing their innovative products and highlighting the latest food trends to the expected CATEX audience, which now accounts for over 11,500 industry professionals.

Avonmore Irish Barista of the Year at CATEX 2017, Niall Wynn

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Sean Martin, Sales Director with Bunzl, adds: “CATEX is a tremendous show, and one which we’ve been supporting as a business for many years. What makes CATEX so important for Bunzl is the opportunity to meet with show visitors and to foster the relationships we have with our customers. We look forward to welcoming them to our stand across the three days and showing them how our skills and expertise can help serve quality to their businesses.”

Industry

Derek Reilly, Culinary Director with Aramark; Patrick Brady, President of the Panel of Chefs and Brendan O’Neill, Vice President of the Panel of Chefs

Created and owned by IFSA (Irish Foodservice Suppliers Alliance) CATEX is an opportunity to see first-hand the innovative and emerging trends that are set to shape the Irish food and drink industry over the coming years.

Returning to host a stand for the third year at CATEX is Redmond Fine Foods. Director, Rocky Redmond says: “We are thrilled to be exhibiting at CATEX next year, as it really is the one show that connects us to the decision makers in the foodservice and hospitality industries, and it gives us the opportunity to showcase our range of products to the Irish market.

“This will be our third year exhibiting at CATEX and we return alongside many other exhibitors who clearly see the benefits of having a stand at the show. Across the three days our team can catch up and speak with our current customers and also meet so many new clients, all under one roof, which is fantastic. We want visitors to our stand to know the support they can expect when they work with Redmond Fine Foods.

This offering is central to our business and CATEX is the perfect platform to showcase this.”

International competitions will be at the heart of the show, including the 2019 Irish Barista Championship, the 2019 Irish Cocktail Championship and Chef Ireland 2019 Culinary Competitions. Added to this mix is a huge number of networking opportunities, a melting pot of new products and ideas, and the introduction of many solutions-based services and concepts –three unmissable days at CATEX 2019.

National Cocktail Champion at CATEX 2017, IIario Alberto Caparo

If you are in the foodservice, catering or hospitality industry then CATEX is your most important date of the year! Make sure you’re a part of it. Registration is now open, and you can register for FREE at www.

CATEXexhibition.com/registeration

Free to attend, registration is now open. To secure your tickets, or to find out more information visit:

www.CATEXexhibition.com

H&RT DECEMBER/JANUARY 2019

41

ITIC

It is high time that the Government matched the Irish tourism industry’s ambitions Eoghan O’Mara Walsh, CEO, Irish Tourism Industry Confederation

It is unusual that an industry that has just enjoyed a record year of value and volume enters into the new year with a degree of trepidation and wariness as to what lies ahead. However, that is where the Irish tourism and hospitality sector finds itself this January. External factors, such as Brexit, have to be faced by tourism together with all other sectors of the economy but it is difficult to understand or to justify why the Government has chosen this very time to pull the competitiveness rug from underneath one of our most exposed economic sectors.

2018 was a stellar year delivered by the Irish tourism industry with the sector valued at over €9 billion for the first time and almost 10 million international tourists coming to our shores. The industry returned a whopping €2.1 billion to the exchequer in direct tourism-related taxes and now employs 270,000 people throughout the length and breadth of the country, an increase of 10% on the previous year. These findings, and many more, are from the annual review by the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation (ITIC).

And crucially the customer, in the form of the tourist, is very happy. Exit interviews conducted

by Fáilte Ireland show that over 95% of those surveyed found their holiday experience matched or exceeded expectations. That is a testament to the quality of the Irish tourism product.

And so if tourism can’t be out-sourced or offshored why the trepidation as we enter the new year? Well remarkably instead of supporting and consolidating such a key indigenous sector the Government has since January 1st hiked the applicable Vat rate by 50% thereby imposing a tax of €466 million on the industry. This cost will have to be passed on to consumers which risks damaging demand or borne by businesses thereby eating into modest profit margins. Neither option is attractive. Furthermore, the Vat increase comes into effect at the very time that Brexit - be it hard or soft - is about to happen. Irish tourism is very exposed to Brexit with Britain by far our single largest source market for tourists. Fáilte Ireland estimate that a

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hard Brexit could cost Irish tourism €390 million in its immediate aftermath with a drop in British visitors, weakened sterling and aviation disruption. Any semblance of a border would be anathema to tourism which is the very definition of the free movement of people.

January also sees the minimum wage climbing again which seriously affects a labour-intensive industry such as tourism.

Government is quick to point out that tourism budgets have been increased by €35 million this year. As welcome as this is, it only now brings tourism budgets back to 2008 levels. That’s been a long decade of under-investment. And it doesn’t require an accountant to work out that an investment of €35 million against a tax burden of €466 million is skewed in only one direction.

The Irish tourism industry is fortunate that it is run by many positive, entrepreneurial business people. ITIC estimates that the sector will continue to grow in 2019 in the region of 5%-7% helped by increased air and sea access by carriers. Although numbers from Britain are likely to be challenging, tourism flows from North America and Europe should remain strong and healthy. Tourism Ireland have a new global advertising campaign and Fáilte Ireland are doing solid work on the ground assisting with new tourism experiences.

It is now high time that the Government matched the Irish tourism industry’s ambitions. Government and Ministers must take their tourism responsibilities more seriously. ITIC estimate that over the next couple of years €2.5 billion is being committed by the Irish tourism private sector in new aircraft, hotels, ferries, and visitor experiences as businesses invest in their capacity to meet projected demand. However, such growth plans must be enabled by pro-tourism Government policies.

Regionality is a political buzzword at the moment and writ large in Ireland 2040 and yet, with the stroke of a Ministerial pen, the tourism Vat hike has undermined much of the momentum behind spreading tourism’s economic benefits more equitably.

At a minimum the tourism Vat increase should be deferred by 12 months allowing the industry to adjust and Brexit, in whatever shape, to come to pass. At this crucial time Government should be striving to consolidate competitiveness rather than diminish it.

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So it’s no wonder that Flogas is the choice of so many chefs, including Neven Maguire of MacNean House & Restaurant in Blacklion, Co. Cavan.

Remember, there’s much more to Flogas than cooking. It can also provide you with instant, economical central heating, hot water, gas fires, and even gas tumble driers... wherever you are.

Discover how we can transform your business: Republic of Ireland T: 041 983 1041 | E: info@flogas.ie | www.flogas.ie Northern Ireland T: 028 9073 2611 | E: info@flogasni.com | www.flogasni.com

Wherever you are

Your ticket to new ideas and opportunities Get your ticket to keep up to date with the latest trends and developments in Irish foodservice, meet with the industry’s top suppliers, source new products from over

26 - 28 February 2019 RDS Simmonscourt, Dublin catexexhibition.com

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H&RT DECEMBER/JANUARY 2019

200 exhibitors and check out the action in top chef, cocktail and barista competitions at CATEX 2019.

Register now for your free ticket at catexexhibition.com