Hotel & Restaurant Times Feb/March '16

FEBRUARY/MARCH ‘16

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KINGSWOOD HOUSE HOTEL A WELCOME ADDITION TO THE MCGETTIGAN FAMILY

WORLD OF COFFEE THOUSANDS EXPECTED AT JUNE 2016 EVENT

EFQM THE LAKE HOTEL KILLARNEY MAKES HISTORY

LACK OF MARINA SPACE POTENTIAL SALES OPPORTUNITIES MISSED www.hotelandrestauranttimes.ie

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COVER: McGettigan’s Cookhouse & Bar at the Kingswood House Hotel

CONTENTS NEWS APPOINTMENTS + 1916 COMMEMORATION FÁILTE IRELAND NEWS WORLD OF COFFEE TOURISM IRELAND NEWS IRISH HOTEL BRANDS MORRISON HOTEL RAI NEWS SINK OR SWIM CONFERENCE REPORT EFQM IFSA NEWS KINGSWOOD HOUSE HOTEL GMIT NEWS BOOKASSIST INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY TALLAGHT FÁILTE IRELAND FOCUS SKILLS SHORTAGE IRELAND’S LACK OF MARINA SPACE FOOD & BEV LIVE REPORT LINKED FINANCE

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

Managing Editor: Cyril McAree (01-6285447, cyril@hotelandrestauranttimes.ie) Contributors: Pavel Barter, Caroline Leddy, Conor Power, Dr Des O Mahony, Susan Clarke, Holly Lenny, Fáilte Ireland, IFSA, Tourism Ireland, Restaurants Association of Ireland, GMIT Printing: Turners of Longford All paper used in the production of this magazine comes from certifiably sustainable forestry.

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

E-MAIL: editorial@hotelandrestauranttimes.ie WEB: www.hotelandrestauranttimes.ie H&RT FEBRUARY/MARCH ‘16

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Allowing tourism a wide berth As we go to press we enter a period of political uncertainty, given the election, but no real sense of what kind of government might be elected. This is perhaps ironic since we are celebrating the centenary of 1916. There is a multitude of planned events surrounding this commemoration, however, but how these might impact upon the Irish economy and tourism are as yet uncertain. We put some of these observations to John Concannon, Director of Ireland 1916, in an interview. He is adamant that the initiative has been supported across the country. Concannon knows the importance of listening to communities.

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“We went to every county and said, ‘In 2016 we’re going to remember our past. What do you want to do in this county? How do you want to reflect on the last 100 years?

How do you want to re-imagine the future?’ Every county put its own plan together.

Now there are over 2,600 events in total [across Ireland].”

Another exciting event happening this year is the World of Coffee, taking place June 23 to 25 in the RDS. Ten thousand people are expected to attend this showcase event.

Paul Stack, President for the Speciality Coffee Association of Europe (SCAE), is at the forefront in ensuring the event is a success. The organisation has been in existence since 1998, with prominent founding members such as Patrick Bewley influencing its inception. Green coffee lands in Europe’s ports, which is converted into the coffee roasted, ground and brewed - we know and love.

One overlooked faction in Ireland’s tourism growth is the sailing market. Our neighbours across the Irish sea perhaps engage more fully with sailing facilities. There are more marina berths in North Wales than in the whole of Ireland. Northern Ireland has more marina berths than we have in the Republic and there are more berths in one port in France (La Rochelle) than the whole of Ireland. Little Holland has about 20 times the number of marinas we have. While there are plenty of initiatives from existing marinas to get more people to take berths in their facilities, marine tourism seems to be well down on the list of priorities for our national tourism authorities.

“Ireland as a destination for sailing and leisure boating has not been extensively promoted by Tourism Ireland,” Mark McAuley of the Irish Marine Federation, told us.

“It’s a shame because there have been a lot of improvements to marina facilities in recent years.”

Hopefully given the success of the Wild Atlantic Way, maybe more focus will be directed now on the aspect of sailing and the many opportunities it offers.

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Cyril McAree Editor

NEWS

NEWS New professional network for chefs launched

Chef Network, an exciting new initiative connecting the 25,000-plus chefs working and studying in Ireland, launched at Food & Bev Live in Citywest, Dublin, in February.

An inclusive new professional network for Ireland’s chef community, Chef Network brings chefs from all sectors on the island of Ireland, at all stages of their careers, together to communicate, collaborate, share and innovate.

Developed in consultation with chefs across Ireland, with the support of the Irish Foodservice Suppliers Alliance (IFSA), Chef Network’s goal is to foster greater engagement and cooperation between chefs, focusing on education and training, business development and professional development.

Ruth Hegarty, Head of Community at Chef Network, explains: “The principal aims of Chef Network will be to attract and retain chefs in the industry, to improve standards of training and collaboration with the education sector, and to promote and maintain culinary skills. But most of all, Chef Network is about camaraderie encouraging chefs to work together, learn from each other and share knowledge, ideas and resources.”

Chef Network is supported by the website chefnetwork.ie, an innovative online platform that enables chefs to easily connect and collaborate with their peers. A social network, it allows users to create individual profiles, join groups and discussions, share and discover resources, access supplier directories, post and search for jobs, keep up-to-date with events and training opportunities, and learn from other chefs.

The network will inspire chefs to work together for the betterment of their industry, believes Jp McMahon, chef-patron of Aniar, Cava Bodega and Eat Gastropub in Galway. “Chefs have a responsibility to network with each other to make our food better. We can all inspire and learn from each other in different ways.

Chef Network provides a platform for chefs across Ireland to do this.”

Initiated and supported by IFSA, withsponsorship from Bord Bia, Chef Network was created to support Ireland’s vibrant culinary community. ‘Chef Network is an importantnew initiative to help us support our colleagues at the frontline of foodservice,’ comments IFSA Chairman, Larry Smith. “It will be a crucial tool for Ireland’s chefs, aiding them in the development of their careers and their industry.”

Chef Network is open to chefs at all levels, from student to executive, providing chefs with support through every stage of their careers. For more information, please visit chefnetwork.ie.

Return to sender 77% of tourists said they would visit Ireland again, according to statistics from Europcar Ireland. The Europcar Tourism Index also found that 25% of visitors to Ireland hailed from the United Kingdom, 15% from the United States. Dublin is classed as the most popular tourist destination followed by Galway and Cork, and 24% of tourists ranked the Irish landscape as their main motivational factor for visiting Ireland.

Raddison Blu gets energized

Angus Haverty, Facilities Manager in the Raddison Blu Hotel, Golden Lane Dublin, was among the Dublin businesses to find out about ways to cut energy costs, at a special energy efficiency briefing held by Energia. Cormac Mannion, Energy Services Manager, Energia commented: “Energia has developed considerable expertise in the area of energy efficiency training. We have helped to boost many businesses’ competitiveness by giving them the knowledge and tools that help them save money by reducing their energy consumption.”

Deirdre championed in Donegal

Deirdre McGlone has been named Donegal Person of the Year for 2015 at a ceremony held in Dublin. Deirdre has been part of the Harvey’s Point journey from the beginning, and has seen the hotel grow and develop, winning many awards over the years. Deirdre regularly promotes Donegal tourism during visits to the US & Canada and multiple locations in Europe including the UK, Germany and Switzerland. In recent times, her focus has been to promote the Donegal section of the Wild Atlantic Way, which has led in the publication of The Green Guide to Donegal and the North West, compiled by her husband Marc Gysling.

Deirdre is pictured here with Marc.

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NEWS

Heart of the Pavilion

Clean Sweep for The Tower Hotel There are celebrations at The Tower Hotel, one of Waterford’s most popular hotels, as they scooped two gongs at the Irish Accommodation Services Institute Awards 2016. The Tower Hotel and Leisure Centre was awarded the Gold Award for Excellence, for achieving exceptional standards across a broad range of accommodation services including, and they were presented the Supreme award, recognizing The Tower Hotel as the Best 3 Star Property in Ireland.

Bunzl McLaughlin recently sponsored Food & Bev Live 2016, showcasing ranges that included Brigade (Chefs clothing) Crème (crockery) Glacial (glassware), Twentyeight (cutlery). Other featured suppliers included Elia, Cupprint, SCA, ARC, Boumount & Grunwerg.

Bunzl McLaughlin provided the cooking equipment for the Euro-Toques Master Class Demonstration and Panel of Chefs Chef of the Year events.

Winter is coming

French connections A Canadian TV crew has been filming in Northern Ireland for a popular entertainment show called InnerSpace. The crew, invited here by Tourism Ireland in Toronto, has been filming at various locations associated with Game of Thrones.

Pictured is Morgan Hoffman, presenter of InnerSpace, filming at Dunluce Castle.

Pictured at the launch of Tourism Ireland’s 2016 marketing plans in France: Francis Gouhier, Vacances Transat; Monica Ramchandani, Aer Lingus; Serge Fonseca, Finola O’Mahony and Elmagh Killeen, all Tourism Ireland; Eoghan O’Mara Walsh, Irish Tourist Industry Confederation (ITIC); Florence Gourdon, Brittany Ferries; Caitriona Butler, Irish Ferries; Agnès Nicolas, Comptoir des Voyages - Pays Celtes; and Thomas Bergeal, Odigeo Group - Opodo.

Click and collect

IHF targets job creation The Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) pre-election tourism policy document has targeted the creation of 40,000 new jobs during the life of the next government. A Strategy for Job Creation and Economic Growth calls on the next Government to support tourism by addressing a number of key challenges, including: providing greater cost competitiveness within the Irish economy; restoring tourism marketing funding to 2008 levels to support long-term market growth; allocating additional funding for tourism product and infrastructure; investing in people, skills and training - including vocational and craft training.

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Pallas Foods, Ireland’s foodservice provider, has launched a Click & Collect portal (www.pallascollect.ie). This is a new online order and collect facility, providing foodservice and retail customers in the greater Dublin region with an ordering portal where they can pick-up their products at a time that suits.

NEWS

Tourism Ireland stumped

Limited edition gin released

Ireland cricketers (from left) Ciara Metcalfe, Lucy O’Reilly, Robyn Lewis, Isobel Joyce and Claire Shillington, at the announcement of Tourism Ireland’s sponsorship of the Ireland men’s and women’s teams for the ICC World Twenty20, at the Malahide Cricket Club in Dublin.

Galway girls and guys

The distillers of the international award-winning Shortcross Gin at Rademon Estate Distillery, Co. Down have launched a limited edition Cask Aged Shortcross Gin. Only 300 bottles of the new gin are available in Ireland through www.jnwine.com and www.celticwhiskeyshop.com for €50 (RRP).

Park life

Members of the award winning Clayton Hotel Galway team are pictured (l-r) receiving the award for Hotel Venue of the Year Connaught, for the second consecutive year at the national weddingsonline Awards 2016: Jessica Mavare, Weddings online; Nora Cafferkey, Duty Manager; Mat Bolanovsky, Head Chef; Mairead Melody, Sales & Marketing Manager; Karina Duffy, Wedding & Events Manager; Jonathan Bryan, MD weddingsonline.

Siva Nallan has been selected as Employee of the Year 2015 at Herbert Park Hotel. Along with the plaque, Siva receives a €1,000 cheque.

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NEWS

A marriage made in Hillgrove

Hillgrove Hotel, Leisure & Spa in Monaghan has been recognised as a winner in the Top 25 Hotels in Ireland category of the 2016 TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice awards. This Award is for hotels, ranking in the top 1% in the Country.

A catch above the rest

Outlander outstrips the competition

John Rooney, managing director, Flogas Ireland (2nd from left), makes a presentation to the winners of the Flogas Novice Steeplechase: Michael O’Leary, Megan O’Leary, jockey Bryan Cooper and Edward O’Leary of Gigginstown House Stud, and trainer Willie Mullins.

Flagging European tourists Niamh Kinsella, Tourism Ireland’s Manager Italy; and Barbara Wood, Tourism Ireland’s Manager Spain, at the launch of Tourism Ireland’s new strategies to boost tourism from Spain and Italy.

Distiller’s delight Michael O’Meara’s Sea Gastronomy: Fish and Shellfish of the North Atlantic has been nominated for Best Cookbook in the World in the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards 2016.

Sea Gastronomy has been shortlisted by an international committee in two categories: Best in the World in the Fish and Seafood category, and Best in the World in the Cookbook of the Year category.

Dalata adds 1,171 rooms to its Irish portfolio Dalata Hotel Group, Ireland’s largest hotel operator, is acquiring the leasehold of four hotels for €40,000,000. The hotels are the Gibson Hotel Dublin, the Croydon Park Hotel in Croydon, the Clarion Hotel Cork and the Clarion Hotel Limerick.

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The first bottle of Drumshanbo Gunpowder Gin was distilled last December at The Shed Handcraft Distillery in the small rural village of Drumshanbo, Co. Leitrim. 100,000 litres of the new super-premium gin will be produced at the distillery in 2016.

2015 a golden year for tourism Official data on overseas travel for 2015 showed an increase of over 1 million (+13.7%) overseas visits to Ireland for 2015 compared to 2014. There were 8,643,100 visits to Ireland in 2015. “The figures published by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) confirm that 2015 was a record breaking year for the Irish tourism industry and the fifth consecutive year of growth,” said Minister Donohoe. “To increase our overseas numbers by a further 13.7% is a great tribute to everybody involved in Irish tourism. It is encouraging that we are seeing strong growth from all of our source market areas. In 2016, we will be doing all we can to surpass this performance.”

NEWS

Ireland’s DNA Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Paschal Donohoe TD, alongside representatives from twelve of North Dublin’s most iconic attractions and destinations, has launched Dublin’s North side Attractions (DNA) Alliance, a new collaborative tourism initiative. The DNA Alliance is a cooperative marketing partnership of city centre attractions and experiences, created to highlight cultural heritage within the northside of Dublin.

Down chef on the up

Thinking caps on

Pictured at the recent HSMAI Think Tank, for Hotel Management Companies, at the Radisson Blu Portman London, is (l-r): Stephen Williams, Sales and Marketing Director, Windward Management; Juliet Howie, Commercial Director, NH Hotels Group; David Collins, Chief Operations Director, Great National Hotels and Resorts.

Fit for action

Sheraton Athlone Hotel recently launched its FIT Meetings initiative.

Call to action Jody Seed representing Southern Regional College, Newry, has been crowned KNORR Student Chef of the Year 2016 after a cook off hosted by Athlone Institute of Technology. Not only did Jody overcome a challenging theme set out by KNORR, he fought off a challenge from 14 other rising stars to claim the top prize.

Delightful deli design Zest! has opened a 70-seater café on the first floor of Casey’s Furniture at Raheen in Limerick with the help of fineline interior design.

Tourism Ireland welcomes +11% growth in 2015 Tourism Ireland has welcomed the figures for overseas visitors to Northern Ireland for the first nine months of 2015, issued by NISRA. According to the figures, we welcomed over 1.5m overseas visitors between January and September, up +11% on the same period in 2014. Holiday visitors accounted for almost half a million overseas visitors (+12%); and, revenue from overseas visitors to Northern Ireland grew by +9% during this period (£378m).

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Paschal Donohoe TD, and Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Michael Ring TD, have launched a Tourism Action Plan for 2016-2018.

The Plan contains 23 Actions which will be carried out in order to help achieve the overall policy objectives in the Government’s Tourism Policy Statement “People, Place and Policy Growing Tourism to 2025”.

Among the issues covered in the Tourism Action Plan are: • A restoration of overseas tourism marketing funds to pre-recession levels, and a commitment to improving the presentation of and access to State owned heritage and cultural attractions; • The extension to 2018 of a fund to encourage direct air and sea access to airports and ferry ports in the regions; • The preparation of a list of possible themes for a focused tourism marketing initiative (including a possibility of a successor to The Gathering) for decision by Government; • Fáilte Ireland to publish an analysis of hotel capacity issues in Dublin with recommendations on how to address any shortfalls; • A commitment to support the IRFU’s bid to host the Rugby World Cup in 2023; and • Enhanced collaboration between Fáilte Ireland and Bord Bia on the development of food-related experiences for tourists.

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NEWS

Leann to help Mount Charles growth

APPOINTMENTS PLUS

Ward of the state Jennifer Ward has been appointed Head of Marketing with the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF). Jennifer will have responsibility for all CRM and marketing activities, supporting the IHF’s online accommodation booking platform, Irelandhotels.com and the Be Our Guest Guide. Jennifer will also manage the IHF’s hotel marketing education programmes, while providing ongoing advisory support for members. Prior to joining the IHF, Jennifer was e-Commerce Manager with jewellery distribution and retail company BJ Fitzpatrick.

New chef on Suesey Street Suesey Street, a restaurant on Fitzwilliam Place, Dublin, has appointed Graeme Dodrill as head chef. Chef Dodrill’s first task at Suesey Street was to put together a new lunch menu. A veteran of high-end restaurants, such as One Pico, Mulberry Garden and The Greenhouse, Dodrill also worked at Michelin starred places such as Chapter One and l’Ecrivain.

Conrad’s €8m revamp The Mount Charles Group, Ireland’s largest indigenous food service and business outsourcing company, has announced the appointment of Leann Duffy as Group Director of Catering.

Leann joins the company from Marks & Spencer Plc, where she spent 3.5 years in various roles including Head of Hospitality Operations in Ireland, ending in her most recent role as Head of Bakery Operations for their instore hospitality department, managing 530 units across the UK and Ireland. Prior to this she was the Ireland Manager for Compass Group.

Her new position, which is an integral part of the Mount Charles senior team, will include responsibility for thecompany’s extensive portfolio of catering, beverage and vending operations.

Leann said: “I’m really looking forward to the challenge of this new role with the Mount Charles Group.

“It’s a homegrown, local company that prides itself on offering a personal, tailored service and that’s something that really appealed to me, as it’s unique in a marketplace crowded with large multinational firms.

“In my role as Group Director of Catering I’ll be leading business development, strategic planning, and team management across the division, but ultimately my goal is to further grow the catering division and improve our offering for clients.”

Amanda Costello-Harris has been appointed as Health, Safety and Environmental Officer, Angela Maguire has joined the company as an Area Manager to the Contract Catering Services Division and Barry McLean has joined as Procurement & Compliance Officer.

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Conrad Dublin, a five-star hotel in the capital, has begun a major refurbishment, citing the Iveagh Gardens and Dublin’s rich literary culture as design inspiration. The €8m renovation project includes a new design for all guest rooms and suites, including a full makeover of the Presidential Suite, lobby area and exterior façade, in addition to new dining concepts for the restaurant, ground floor lounge and bar.

Top of the glass A brand new hi-tech steam room has been unveiled at Monart Destination Spa. The custom designed and custom built steam room is one of the world’s first all glass designs and it is now available to guests at the Spa’s extensive Thermal Suite. Monart Destination Spa is an adults-only destination spa, located just outside Enniscorthy in County Wexford. Conde Nast Traveller has named it in the Top 3 Spa Resorts in the world.

For further details see Monart.ie

1916 COMMEMORATION

Hundred good reasons John Concannon, director of Ireland 2016, describes the upcoming events to commemorate the Rising and the rocky road of events that brought us to this point.

When John Concannon travelled the country as part of the consultation process for his new role as director of the government’s 2016 programme, he had no idea what he would discover. At one point he went to Longford, a county that laid no claim to signatories of the Proclamation or executed leaders, and where no historical events of merit occurred during the Rising.

“I was driving down thinking, who is going to show up? As it happened, Backstage Theatre in Longford was packed with young and old alike.”

Longford, like every other county in Ireland was keen to get involved and has since put together a programme for the 1916 commemorations. As one of main movers in The Gathering, Concannon knows the importance of listening to communities around the country. “We went to every county and said, ‘In 2016 we’re going to remember our past. What do you want to do in this county? How do you want to reflect on the last 100 years? How do you want to re-imagine the future?’

Every county put its own plan together.

Now there are over 2,600 events in total [across Ireland].”

Concannon, perhaps best known in his role as director of marketing and development for Failte Ireland, can barely contain his excitement when H&R Times meets him. Words pour out at breakneck speed as he illustrates the programme of events over the year ahead. But, as he says, this is a once in a lifetime event, so he has every reason to be jubilant. The programme is made up of seven strands, he explains.

State Ceremonial incorporates around 40 events - including a large parade in Dublin on Easter Sunday, children’s ceremonies, and a ceremony honouring the Good Friday Agreement. Ireland normally has around six of these events a year, so this is a huge undertaking. Historical Reflection is intended to take into account the historical and academic community, ensuring the commemoration is appropriate and respectful. As part of this strand, the GPO is building a new visitor’s centre that opens on Good Friday, telling

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the story of 1916. New facilities are being built in Kilmainham Courthouse.

Richmond Barracks and Cathal Brugha Barracks are also receiving new facilities.

Another strand will promote the use of the Irish language. Use Your Imagination, meanwhile is intended to get young people engaged. “We’re asking every school to write a new proclamation and publish it,” says Concannon. Cultural Expression will incorporate events on behalf of the Arts Council, Film Board, and RTE, and includes seven special nights in the National Concert Hall during Easter week. Community Participation incorporates 84 workshops across the country.

Global and Diaspora is intended to promote 1916 commemorations across the globe. “We sat down with our embassies and consulates and asked what we should do around the world. They have a programme of 1000 events in 100 cities all over the world. There are over 460 events across North America.” To illustrate his point he whips out his phone to read a text from the director of a heritage centre in Chicago about an upcoming event.

“In London alone there are 96 events. We’re taking over the Kennedy Centre in Washington for three weeks in May on seven stages.”

Ireland 2016 was not designed specifically for tourism, although Concannon insists there will be huge benefits to the country’s offering, not least because of the investment in facilities. “First and foremost the most important people in Irish tourism are the Irish people themselves. 78% [of business] is short breaks. On the international scene, it has given us a huge profile that wouldn’t have been there otherwise.”

Ireland 2016 involves a vast governing structure that begins with the Taoiseach and filters down to various government minsters, the OPW, and Dublin City Council.

Heather Humphreys, Minister for Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht, is lead minister with responsibility for the commemoration. Concannon reports to her. There is also an expert advisory group.

In its initial stages, however, the project was riddled with doubt. In 2014, after three years of consultative meetings, Humphreys’ department was criticised for being unclear about its plans. Relatives of people involved in the Rising claimed they had not been adequately consulted.

1916 COMMEMORATION

Concannon had previously advised the government over the visits of Queen Elizabeth and Barack Obama, and after his success with The Gathering, so the tourism official was the perfect match for the job - someone who could unify the diverse participants in the project. But before his appointment in autumn 2014, his initial proposal for the 2016 commemoration was rejected. This _11.7m initiative, which he titled Ireland Inspires, placed greater emphasis on the tourism and trade potential of the anniversary.

According to a briefing paper, released at the time under the Freedom of Information Act, the government rejected his proposal. When the final commemorations programme was released in November, 2014, the budget had fallen to _4m, and the tourism and trade aspects of the initiative were gone.

Concannon describes Ireland Inspires as “just a working idea”.

But there were further missteps. Ireland 2016’s first promotional video, launched that November, bizarrely included no reference to the events of 1916, prompting UCD professor Diarmaid Ferriter, an academic on the 2016 advisory committee, to label the video “embarrassing, unhistorical shit”.

Concannon shrugs. “At the initial stages of the project, the environment at the time wasn’t as receptive. We focused on the consultation and listened to people.

There was scepticism from historical circles, from relative groups. How serious is this going to be? Myself and the team spent six months talking to key historians, influencers, relative groups, and asked what they thought. From that consultation process, we produced the programme.”

During this consultation process, he learned that citizens were concerned about three aspects of the commemorations. The first was ensuring that the signatories

of the Proclamation and the executed leaders were treated respectfully. Secondly, people wanted the whole island of Ireland to be involved. Thirdly, they wanted the role of women in 1916 to be appreciated. “In the 50th commemorations in 1966, women were completely written out of it,” he notes.

“We’re looking back with the benefit of 100 years and saying, ‘There’s multiple readings of Irish history, multiple complexities in terms of the different stories and people involved’. We’re also saying that all lives are of equal value. In honouring the dead of 1916, we cannot be selective. Civilian lives, adults and children alike were lost. British Army, police personnel, many of them Irish, also died...

The narratives of everyone on the island of Ireland are included and heard.”

Various 1916 events are taking place outside the remit of the government.

Sinn Féin, for example is holding an exhibition in the Ambassador Theatre at the top of O’Connell Street. Concannon believes these rival initiatives can only strengthen the country’s desirability over the months ahead.

“At the start there was some scepticism,” he admits. “There was concern about this being done appropriately, respectfully, and thoroughly.

It was a big creative challenge to develop a programme. But there has been a strong collaborative approach. That sense of collaboration is one of the legacies that will come out of this as well.

“The Proclamation is a visionary document; an aspirational document.

Imperfect as the Republic is, we have a very strong country, a strong democracy.

This is a big responsibility for me, but I want people to look back and be proud of the centenary.”

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FÁILTE IRELAND NEWS

Google Trekker loan finishes with Ireland’s Ancient East

Fáilte Ireland and Google partner to put Ireland’s Ancient East on the map

Fáilte Ireland’s loan of the Google Trekker a mobile camera designed to document footage in remote areas that cannot be accessed by car - has just finished capturing the many inaccessible tourism beauty spots in Ireland’s Ancient East, ensuring they will be available to view on Google Street View.

The Trekker is a wearable backpack, with a camera system on that can be walked through pedestrian walkways or trails on foot, automatically gathering images as it goes. Over the last number of months Fáilte Ireland has used the Google Trekker to capture sights including Clonmacnoise, Lismore Heritage Centre and Wicklow’s Historic Gaol as well as other significant destinations such as The Hill of Tara, The Rock of Cashel and Glendalough Visitor Centre, and many more.

The specialised camera has already captured tourism experiences in Dublin and some of the breath-taking scenery of the Wild Atlantic Way last year, and these images, once processed will be published on the well-known Google site.

Speaking about the benefit of employing the Google Trekker along Ireland’s Ancient East, Paul Keeley, Director of Business Development, Fáilte Ireland emphasised:

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“Six out of ten visitors to Ireland last year cited the internet as an influence when choosing the country as a destination. Three quarters of visitors told us that they use the internet to plan their itinerary here before arriving. The use of Google Trekker is therefore a welcome addition to Fáilte Ireland’s significant engagement with digital and social media to promote Ireland.

“When finally captured and uploaded, we hope that millions worldwide get to explore narrow streets of medieval towns, the grounds of stately homes and iconic attractions in Ireland’s East and South through Google street view. We also hope that these images inspire many viewers to subsequently make the crucial decision to come over here to see the real thing.”

FÁILTE IRELAND NEWS

Winning business from online travel agencies and digital sales worth €126bn

Debbie Moran, Fáilte Ireland; Breffne McKenna, Castlemartyr Resort, Cork; Fiona Delahunty, Griffin Hotels, Kilkenny & Waterford with Martina O’Dwyer, Fáilte Ireland.

Top operators from the world of online travel came to Dublin this month to meet with key Irish tourism businesses at Evolve Ireland workshop in Croke Park.

Evolve Ireland is a new Fáilte Ireland event tailored to improve online marketing and give tourism businesses access to some of the biggest players in the online travel market such as Booking.com, Expedia and Lastminute.com. Evolve Ireland is the first in a series of events planned by the tourism authority during 2016.

Paul Mockler, Head of Business Development with Fáilte Ireland, said - “The European online tourism market continues to grow year on year and is expected to be worth over €126bn this year. However, with research highlighting that Ireland lags behind other markets in terms of fully exploiting digital sales Fáilte Ireland has developed a suite of workshops focusing on the online travel industry to ensure that Irish tourism businesses fully realise their potential via online travel platforms.”

Find more opportunities to sell your business to overseas buyers at www.promotionsireland.ie or for more tips and tools on working with Online Travel Agents go to Fáilte Ireland’s YouTube Channel www.youtube.com/failteirelandtv

Raquel Perni, Logi Travel, Spain; Ann Marie Murphy, Fáilte Ireland; Aoife Hickey, The Lake Hotel, Killarney; and Julie Copin, Voyage Prive, France.

The Irish Maritime Festival named Fáilte Ireland Best Tourism Initiative The Irish Maritime Festival, Drogheda, Co Louth was honoured with the Fáilte Ireland Best Tourism Initiative at the LAMA Community & Council Awards 2016 earlier this year.

The LAMA Community & Council Awards 2016, presented by IPB Insurance and LAMA, recognise and celebrate community and councils together. They provide a great opportunity to highlight and celebrate the work done within communities and to reward unsung heroes.

The Irish Maritime Festival is Ireland’s largest annual maritime, food and family festival. Taking place each summer on the quayside at Drogheda Port, the festival attracted over 40,000 visitors in 2015.

Speaking after the awards Jenny de Saulles Head of Ireland’s Ancient East with Fáilte Ireland said - “We were delighted to present this award to the Irish Maritime Festival in Drogheda which was a very worthy winner in a strong and competitive field. Our Ireland’s Ancient East initiative is

Picking up their award for Best Tourism Initiative Award from Jenny de Saules, Fáilte Ireland (far right) were (l-r) Cllr Oliver Tully, Miarim Roe Louth C.C., Mary T. Daly Louth C.C.

very much routed in Ireland’s history and stories - festivals, events and attractions are key to its success. The Maritime Festival is a perfect fit for the kind of asset we want for Ireland’s Ancient East - bringing local history and heritage alive through food, activities and an emphasis on Drogheda’s coastal heritage. Well done to all involved in such an innovative and successful event.”

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COFFEE

World of Coffee Dublin Ireland’s social and cultural schedule is already jam-packed for 2016 in terms of commemorating the past but also introducing new traditions that are set to take the nation in a new direction, coffee being one. World of Coffee Dublin will take place this 23rd-25th of June 2016 in the RDS, an exciting event based around competitions and training to be hosted in the country’s capital that thousands of people are travelling to, both nationally and internationally.

Paul Stack, President for the Speciality Coffee Association of Europe (SCAE) recently discussed a proactive approach Ireland is taking to get as much coverage out of the event, called the World of Coffee Ambassador’s Club. As many as 35 restaurants, hotels, and bars will showcase their skills through training and marketing initiatives in order to deliver an outstanding cup of coffee during these three days and into the future.

Paul Stack is the Operations Director at Marco Beverage Systems, a company that designs and manufactures hot water beverage solutions for brewing tea and coffee all around the world. In the past 30 years, the UK and Irish territories have been their biggest markets, dealing with customers on different scales, from the commercial to industrial. According to Paul, while double-digit growth made a comeback in Ireland last year, the previous four years in Ireland had been slow in terms of annual growth, “There were a lot of independents opening up their own enterprises, necessity being the mother invention. Ireland is a strong coffee market and growing. There is a lot of coffee consumed out of home in comparison to tea. In the drinks culture there has been a lot of substitution for coffee in pubs. The trend for coffee shop openings over the past five years has astounded everyone.”

Paul reveals. Although Ireland is microscopic in comparison to the UK market regarding size, there is a similar sense of growth and energy, just on a different scale.

“SCAE is about networking the community and the professionalisation of the coffee chain in terms of seed to cup.”

President Paul Stack explains. The organisation has been in existence since 1998, with prominent founding members

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such as Patrick Bewley influencing it’s inception. Europe predominantly focuses on the transformation process, where the green coffee lands in Europe’s ports, converting the green into roasted, ground and brewed. “SCAE’s members in Europe are about getting people together who believe in the excellence of the transformation from green to liquid. That is the core of bringing that community together. It’s an association of peers whereby people can join for a fee be that an individual barista or a corporate company. We have around about 4000 members in Europe.”

COFFEE

Paul Stack

In 2011, SCAE launched its Education Program, the Coffee Diploma System.

SCAE’s members trained and certified just shy of 30,000 people globally in 2015, evidence that there’s “an appetite for coffee professionals to validate their knowledge and have it recognized.” The Education Program is about standards and best practice when it comes to preparing coffee and that transformation from green selection to brewing it in the cup. Paul Stack reveals SCAE took some benchmarking advice from The Wine Society to create an infrastructure for their education outline, which consists of foundation, intermediate and professional levels. Another key motive was to create something to suit a working coffee professional, for example a Barista who may have certain working hours, sociable or unsociable.

World of Coffee Dublin will showcase new innovations and trends, both in coffee, machinery and ancillary products. The World Barista Championship will have 60 countries from around the world competing and the World Brewers Cup will have up to 40 national champions competing. The World Barista Championship focuses on the preparation of espresso based beverages, including cappuccino, with detailed attention on ratio of coffee to water and the milk chosen.The World Brewer’s Cup focusses on gravity brewing, or filter coffee, only.

According to Paul Stack, “there are many hotels and restaurants that look at coffee as a commodity that adds cost to a place rather than the potential value that can be added.” With the introduction of the World of Coffee Ambassador’s Club, the Irish Speciality Coffee community wanted to explore different mechanisms that would create and maintain a legacy after the event rolls out of town onto the next European city. “We devised an Ambassador’s club, whereby we wanted to take a representation of where coffee is served in Dublin, meeting the speciality coffee

standards,” Paul explains. “Members of the Ambassador’s club have to turn up to training days to understand the standards and in order to bring up the overall standards as a community. There are then independent auditors, who’re selected from outside the country, entering on to their sites to see if they’re meeting SCAE standards. Many certified Irish coffee professionals have given all the training for free, giving back to their community.”

Paul Stack, President of SCAE is adamant that the organisation is involved with sustainable projects, trying to increase the awareness in regard to farm level operations. Last year SCAE did an education festival in Rwanda that undertook teaching certification programs.

“A lot of the people on those courses were very skilled at cupping coffee. The focus was on something we in Europe are more skilled at, transformation. We want our consumers to be more aware about what is happening at origin because a lot happens behind the glitzy packaging. European consumers are not fully aware about the whole value chain and unfortunately, there isn’t equity in the value chain. If we get anybody moving toward the specialty coffee end in terms of selection, then inevitably the lot of the farmer goes up because they’ve a valuable product and there is a better return on their investment.

It’s about us trying to share back as a community,” Paul discloses.

The fundamental goal of World of Coffee Ambassador’s Club initiative is to have Dublin recognised as a quality coffee destination. This event is solely focused on the capital city rather the country as a whole, as it does with every location each year. However, Paul believes there is nothing stopping cities across Ireland from coming together as a community to create different events. For example, in January, Cork City hosted the Cork Coffee Weekend, “It was just the community in Cork deciding to do this thing for over a weekend in the city, celebrating the fact that it’s ‘Dry January’ and celebrate drinking great coffee instead of alcohol.

They had a wonderful array of events throughout mostly independent coffee shops in Cork. The community responded and it was solely the community driving it forward.”

Paul Stack and other members of SCAE are optimistic for World of Coffee Dublin this June stating that, “The exhibition space in Dublin is over 90% sold, our challenge now is to get people to turn up so it becomes an event full of energy, people and a buzz. I’m quietly confident it will be the best World of Coffee ever.”

Book Your Tickets - You can avoid the queues at World of Coffee by registering for tickets now on: www.worldofcoffee-dublin.com

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TOURISM

Tourism Ireland announces Global Greening lineup for St Patrick’s Day 2016

Brian Ambrose, Chairman of Tourism Ireland; and Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland, at the announcement of Tourism Ireland’s Global Greening lineup for St Patrick’s Day 2016.

The Colosseum in Rome will join Tourism Ireland’s Global Greening once again in 2016.

Tourism Ireland has announced that the Colosseum in Rome, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Sacré-Cœur Basilica in Paris, the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro and Nelson’s Column in London will go green this year to celebrate St Patrick’s Day, as part of the organisation’s seventh annual Global Greening initiative.

Tourism Ireland’s unique global campaign - which sees some of the world’s most famous attractions and sites going green to mark St Patrick’s Day - kicks off the organisation’s €21.5 million first half promotional drive to grow overseas tourism in 2016.

The Global Greening initiative has truly gone from strength to strength, with a number of new sites signing up to take part in 2016. These include 7 World Trade Center at Ground Zero in New

York, the famous Big Wheel on Place de la Concorde in Paris, Mole Antonelliana in Turin (the architectural symbol of the city), the light rail system in Addis Ababa (the first light rail system in sub-Saharan Africa) and City Hall in Tel Aviv. Also, the famous Boston Red Sox (baseball team) will wear green jerseys on St Patrick’s Day, for their spring training game in Florida. And their home ground, Fenway Park in Boston, will also join in the ‘greening’ fun - with the inside of the ballpark, the scoreboards and the ‘Green Monster’ (high left field wall) all set to be illuminated in green. In Brazil, five sites will be illuminated in green for the first time ever on St Patrick’s Day including the Amazon Theatre (an opera house in the heart of the Amazon Rainforest).

New strategies to boost tourism from Spain and Italy

New Tourism Ireland board meets for first time in 2016 The first meeting of Tourism Ireland’s new board took place today recently in Dublin. The board members took the opportunity to discuss the upcoming 2016 season and Tourism Ireland’s extensive promotional programme to highlight the isalnd of Ireland around the world and continue to grow visitor numbers this year. Tourism Ireland’s new board includes: Brian Ambrose OBE (Chairman); Joan O’Shaughnessy, Aramark (Vice Chairman); Ciara Burke; Howard Hastings OBE, Hastings Hotels; Stephen Kavanagh, Aer Lingus; David Lyle, LyleBailie International Limited; David O’Brien, Ryanair; Michael O’Sullivan; Shaun Quinn, Fáilte Ireland; Derek Reaney, Ulster-Scots Agency; David Rodway; and Trevor White, The Little Museum of Dublin.

Niamh Kinsella, Tourism Ireland’s Manager Italy; and Barbara Wood, Tourism Ireland’s Manager Spain, at the launch of Tourism Ireland’s new strategies to boost tourism from Spain and Italy.

Spain and Italy offer significant potential for Irish tourism, according to two new Tourism Ireland strategies. The strategies set out challenging and ambitious targets which will see the island of Ireland welcome almost 3.8 million Spanish and Italian visitors between now and 2020 - 825,000 visitors per year from both countries by 2020 - representing growth of +25%.

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Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland (front, right) with Tourism Ireland board members (from left) Michael O’Sullivan, Trevor White, Brian Ambrose (Chairman), Joan O’Shaughnessy (Vice Chair), David O’Brien, David Rodway and Stephen Kavanagh, in Teelings Distillery, Dublin.

TOURISM

Tourism Ireland launches 2016 marketing plans in France

Francis Gouhier, Vacances Transat; Monica Ramchandani, Aer Lingus; Serge Fonseca, Finola O’Mahony and Elmagh Killeen, all Tourism Ireland; Eoghan O’Mara Walsh, Irish Tourist Industry Confederation (ITIC); Florence Gourdon, Brittany Ferries; Caitriona Butler, Irish Ferries; Agnès Nicolas, Comptoir des Voyages - Pays Celtes; and Thomas Bergeal, Odigeo Group - Opodo, at the launch of Tourism Ireland’s 2016 marketing plans in France.

Tourism Ireland in France launched its marketing plans for 2016, at an event in Paris attended by 40 leading French tour operators and travel journalists. France is one of the top four markets for tourism to the island of Ireland and 2015 was the third record-breaking year in a row for French visitors to Ireland. In fact, last year we welcomed more than half a million French visitors for the first time ever.

In 2016, Tourism Ireland aims to grow French visitors numbers by +5%. Building on last year’s success and sustaining growth into the future is at the heart of the organisation’s strategy. A key factor working in our favour includes improved access, with a +5% increase in airline seats for summer 2016 and flights from 25 different French airports to the island of Ireland, as well as excellent ferry connections. Tourism Ireland will continue to target three key audiences in France: ‘culturally curious’, ‘great escapers’ and ‘social energisers’. Major promotional themes will include our spectacular coastal routes, including the Wild Atlantic Way; living historical stories and Ireland’s Ancient East; as well as city breaks.

A welcome Viking invasion!

Tourism Ireland unveils Ireland’s Ancient East in the Nordic Region Tourism Ireland unveiled Ireland’s Ancient East to some 50 top tour operators from across the Nordic Region. The tour operators were taking part in Tourism Ireland’s 2016 Nordic trade workshop - meeting and doing business with 19 tourism companies from the island of Ireland. Tourism Ireland also invited Eoin Colfer - best-selling children’s author and Ireland’s current Laureate na nÓg - to highlight Ireland’s Ancient East at a separate event in Copenhagen, which was attended by influential Swedish and Danish travel journalists,.

Eoin is the author of the Artemis Fowl fantasy series and he read some of his work and regaled the guests with tales and legends about Ireland’s Ancient East.

John Callely, Teeling Whiskey Distillery; Aileen Hickey, Tourism Ireland; Henrik Kolte, CCMG-Congress Consulting Management Group (Denmark); Finola O’Mahony, Tourism Ireland; Mogens Christensen, FDM Travel (Denmark), during Tourism Ireland’s Nordic trade workshop in Copenhagen.

1 million ‘Aussies’ see Ireland ads Tourism Ireland has teamed up with Etihad Airlines for a joint campaign, highlighting Ireland’s Ancient East and the Wild Atlantic Way. Some 1 million commuters are seeing eye-catching billboard ads for Ireland in key locations in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. The campaign aims to raise awareness of Ireland as a fantastic holiday destination for 2016 and to drive sales of Etihad flights to Dublin, via Abu Dhabi. It also includes email marketing to potential holidaymakers on the Etihad database; and Ireland also features on the ‘early bird’ section of the Etihad website - reminding Australians why they should put the island of Ireland on their holiday ‘wish-list’ this year.

Outdoor ads are highlighting Ireland’s Ancient East in Australia.

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HOTEL BRANDS

Hail and farewell Frank Corr examines the changing face of hotel brands in Ireland

The pehnomenon that is Dalata has focussed attention on the role of brands within the Irish hotel sector and particularly the impact of the recession and its aftermath on international and domestic brands operating in this market.

International brands are not new to Ireland. They have been here since the late 1950s when Intercontinental built and operated hotels in Dublin, Cork and Limerick. Then came a long hiatus until Conrad arrived at Earlsfort Terrace in Dublin in the 1970s. Then the big boys of international hotel-keeping lost interest again as the North erupted. An exception was Best Western, which has operated here for more than 40 years, principally as a marketing service to member hotels. It continues to do so, although its membership has dwindled from more tha 35 properties to eleven.

Just one strong brand emerged during the following decade- and it was Irish.

Jurys Hotels not only acquired the former Intercontinentals, but develped a brand image that was subsequently extended to its Jurys Inns budget hotels.

We had to wait until the ‘Bertie Years’ however before the major brands began to invade this market with strength and diversity. Frankie Whelehan was a pioneer of hotel branding when he brought the

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Choice Hotels portfolio here, but the number of Clarion hotels is now set to diminish with the sale of key properties to Dalata.

Developers and banks saw hotels as a sure fire investment and adding an international brand seemed to be a means of guaranteeing business. So, within a decade or so, along came Hilton, Marriott, Radisson, Sheraton, Crowne Plaza,Travelodge, Choice, Clarion, Quality, Ramada Holiday Inn, Days, Four Seasons and eventually, Ritz Carlton.

Most of these branded hotels suffered in the recession as operators struggled to pay the franchise fees and maintain brand standards. Eventually the Marriott brand was removed from Druids Glen, Ritz Carlton pulled out of Powerscourt, Sheraton withdrew from Fota Resort, Hilton moved from Mount Wolseley and Johnston House in Enfield and its sister brand Conrad was removed from Mount Juliet.

That said, the majority of the major branded hotels held on and are now enjoying the benfits of market recovery. Hilton introduced its Double Tree brand at the Morrisson and former Burlington and now has five hotels under these brands, plus the Conrad on Earlsfort Terrace. Travelodge, with nine properties remains numerically th biggest of the overseas brands followed by Radisson Blu which remains involved in eight hotels in Dublin, Galway, Athlone, Sligo and the Farnhamm Estate near Letterkenny. Holiday Inn remains in Dundalk, Killarney and Dublin where it has added the Holiday Inn Express Brand, Crowne Plaza is active on the Dublin market and of course Intercontinental has returned to Ballsbridge, with its sign this time over the former Four Seasons. Notable new arrivals have includede Red Carnation which bought Ashford Castle and ‘The Donald’ Trump who now owns Doonbeg Golf Resort.

The tenacity of the international brands in Ireland has been due to large hotel companies taking the long view that the market would return to growth and Irish management companies effectively keeping the doors lopen and the cash flowing on behalf of banks and receivers.

Enter Dalata.

The horrors of the recession were a joy to the accountancy profession as receiverships mushroomed and handome fees were to be earned for managing and eventually disposing of distressed properties, of which many were hotels.

HOTEL BRANDS

Accountants of course are not hotel managers and so were happy to engage specialists like Pat McCann, who could do the job. And so Dalata began operations as a hotel management company working mainly for banks and receivers. And it did a superb job, effectively operating hotels until a suitable buyer could be found. The business was, of its nature, self-liquidating, so Dalata opened a second business channel of leasing or buying its own hotels, until it became the biggest hotelier in Ireland- and it is still gathering momentum. At the time of writing, Dalata owns, leases or manages 40 hotels in Ireland and the UK with a total of 6,500 rooms. It owns 19 of these properties mainly on long leases. Several new purchases have been agreed including Clarion Hotels in Cork and Sligo and the group also has an expansion programme in the UK. Last year Dalata spent €559.2m acquiring 17 hotels including €452.3m spent on buying the nine Bewleys hotels. The company has achieved this rapid growth without incurring undue borrowings. Instead it has raised funds on the stock market in exchange for shares.

Dalata has also created the first two serious Irish hotel brands since Jurys in the 1980s. It has branded its hotels a,s ‘Clayton’ (corporate) and Maldron (leisure) and those brands are now appearing on hotels (including former Clarions and Bewleys) in Ireland and the UK. Indeed Clayton and Maldron are currently the only two Irish ‘hard’ hotel brands, alongside Jurys Inns, which continues to prosper under its new owners Amaris, with 36 Inns in Ireland, UK and the Czech Republic. Outside of this, Irish hotel ‘hard brands’ are thin on the ground. Talbot, with four hotels in Dublin, Wexford, Carlow and Midleton has emerged since the recession, but most of the other group-owned hotels trade under their own name with the group name as a tag-on. The biggest of these is Great National Hotels, which grew out of the former Lynch Hotel Group.

Based in Ennis, it offers a call centre, on-line booking engine marketing services and group buying to member hotels of which there are currently 17. These hotels trade under their own name however, with the line ‘A Great National Hotel’ appearing on signs and marketing collateral. This is also the case with familyowned groups like The Doyle Collection which owns the Westbury and Croke Park hotels in Dublin, the River Lee in Cork, four hotels in London and one in Washington.

McGettigan Hotels, which was in the news when its Regency Hotel in Dublin became the scene of a gangland shoot-out recently, is interesting in that all of its nine hotels in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Letterkenny, Bray, Bunclody and Dubai, trade under their own names, with the pubs branded as ‘McGettigans’. The company has gone some way towards establishing a distinctive Irish hotel bar brand which could

be rolled out throughout the group, or possibly franchised.

Several other Irish hotel families have also successfully built small groups. They include Liam Griffin with hotels in Wexford and Kilkenny plus ther Monart spa, Brian McEniff, whose family has six hotels, the Flynn family which operates four properties, Treacy hotels which has three and a few others operating two to four hotels. Insurance companies and travel operators also have hotel interests but act as investors rather than operators.

One intetresting group which tends to operate under the radar is White Hotels which owns nine hotels in Donegal,Tralee, Emo and Lisdoonvarna, to which it brings thousands of visitors annually through its own and other coach tour operations.

Another higly succesful group with a low profile is Tifco, headed by Enda O’Meara, whose properties include Clontarf Castle, two Crowne Plazas in Santry and Blanchardstown and the Kilmainham Hilton. It also operates hotels in Cork, Athlone and Killarney under management contracts.

Since the early Seventies, ‘soft brand’ have been a feature of the Irish hotel sector.

These are primarily marketing groups which represent member hotels at tourism workshops and on group sales trips. They also offer members a logo directory and increasingly on-line reservations. By far the most successful and enduring of these is ‘The Irish Country Houses and Restaurants Association’, known as ‘The Blue Book’.

Established in 1974 with 11 members who owned guest houses in period residences, ‘The Blue Blook’ now has 46 members strategically spread around the country.

The group is quite conservative about accepting new members and the current list includes founder members like Ballymaloe, Cashel House,Longueville House, Marlfield House, the Park Kenmare, Rathmullen House and relative newcomers which include the Merrion Hotel Dublin.

‘The Blue Book’ is a strong brand in its target market of upscale independent visitors.

Manor House Hotels, which came into being through a Bord Failte (now Failte Ireland) initiative has 28 member properties, Irish Countrywide Hotels has almost 70 properties on its roster while Select Hotels represents 18 hotels.

As some calm, returns to the market following the upheavals of the recession, brands seem to be again gaining momentum on the Irish hotel market.

Somewhat surprisingly most of the international brands which arrived in the Celtic Tiger years, have retained a presence here while Clayton and Maldron may yet emerge as the most successful hotel brands to be born here since Jurys opened its first Inn.

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4 STAR HOTELS

The Morrison Getting the balance right between individuality and franchise.

Patrick Joyce is going into his 4th year as General Manager at the Morrison Hotel in Dublin since joining the property following its purchase by its current owner. The Morrison hotel was the first Double Tree by Hilton franchise in Ireland, so how has the transition been? “It’s been a positive rollercoaster - we are experiencing a strong positive market at the moment and we’re delighted,” says Patrick.

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The purchase of the hotel did raise some eyebrows and questions were asked as to whether this would mark the demise of the Irish Hotel Sector, but Patrick answers any doubts. “Well, there was 88 staff employed when the property was bought and we now have 120 working here, our rates have increased and all management via the OpCo is now done locally - we have a great sense of autonomy here. We try to buy locally and do any business locally so that we are keeping the business in the country. The owner Mrs Elena Baturina’s belief is, if you’re employed to run the business, then do so as you see fit and to date she is satisfied with the hotels performance.”

The property underwent a €7 million refurbishment, which included a bar and grill

4 STAR HOTELS

Hotel

style restaurant, the Morrison Grill and Quay 14. “We get a lot of hoteliers in to see it and we are seeing a great return from the investment. We have also introduced some quirky offerings which are proving very popular. We offer Afternoon Tea but also Gentleman’s Afternoon Tea, which is going down well. We have been first to market with a lot of things. We installed a ‘Breakfast Barista’ in February this year, so guests can have freshly brewed hand-made coffees delivered to their table at breakfast. This may seem like a big investment but we get a very good return on our premium for it.”

So what does Patrick see as the primary factors causing the shift to such positive growths in the industry? “Well, in the last 15 months the Euro has been weak

against the Dollar and Pound, I can’t stress enough the difference that has made. The expansion at the airport and outside investment into properties here as well as people seemingly having a little more money locally, all these things have also contributed”. But is there a danger that the bubble could burst again? “Dublin is still in the mid-tier price range for a European City and we still offer really good value for

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4 STAR HOTELS money; in the next 12-18 months we’ll see what happens on the development front, but we don’t want to end up with a huge over supply like Barcelona or Vienna.”

While there appears to be a consensus in the industry at the moment that hotels are experiencing a growth, particularly in Dublin and other cities around the country, there are differing opinions about what will help us sustain that growth. How does Patrick believe this growth can be sustained? “In 22 years doing this, 2015 was one of the strongest I have seen to date. We likely won’t see that level of growth again but predictions are that we should see a 6-7% increase in visitors and that in turn will bring healthy growth. In terms of rates, we have a three tier rate system here and we don’t believe we are in a danger zone within those tiers. People want value and there is great value to be had. Generally, between November and April there is no real rates issue and you can get a really nice hotel for €140-€180 per night in Dublin City. At peak times there may be more of an issue and there will always be a pinch point we cannot go beyond in order to keep attracting people.

Until we get more rooms into the city we may well continue to see an appreciation in rates.”

As well as the €7 million refurbishment budget, the hotel has made many positive changes and additions in terms of their staffing, food offerings and wedding packages. Patrick explains, “it has taken us 12-18 months to get our core team in place and we are very proud of the calibre of people working with us. We invested in our mid and top management - hiring the right attitude and believe we can train a skill where needed. We have great camaraderie on the team with thankfully very little turnover of staff. We have the might of the Hilton Group behind us and all the international exposure and experience that offers our staff but we are a franchise so we can retain our own personality and offer local experience too.”

Patrick Joyce

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As well as the overseas market which is 70-80% of the hotels’ market, the Morrison benefits from a substantial footfall regardless of how many rooms are booked. “We have developed great business from the locality, the Courts, the IFSC as well as passing trade.” Another aspect of today’s hotel business which the Morrison has adapted to its benefit is social media. Patrick says, “we have a strong internet and social media presence and we make it work for us. Recently we had a guest staying with us who couldn’t turn off the light in his room. Instead of picking up the phone and calling, he tweeted, ‘how can I turn this light off’. It was 1am in the morning and a member of our sales team saw the tweet and contacted the front desk, who contacted him. It’s just an illustration of how important social media is!”

The Morrison has also developed its place in the wedding market and again, used all the unique aspects to their property to their advantage. “In 2012 we had 11 bookings for weddings, this year we have 40+. We are in a great location, in all our feedback we are complemented on our staff, our property and our location and weddings are a great part of the business for us and we love doing them. We offer an edgy, urban style that is different to the traditional approach to hotel weddings and it’s been very successful.”

Having invested 1.25 million into the now 145 bedroomed property, last year, is there any more room for expansion looking ahead to 2016 and beyond. “Well, we have our ear to the ground and if the right project came along we would likely have a look at it!” The team at the Morrison Hotel have proved any doubters wrong, being a franchise hotel in a competitive city marketplace still means you can retain uniqueness, personality and first rate hospitality.

CONFERENCE REPORT

Bookassist’s ‘Sink or Swim’ event urges hotels to invest in online distribution

“There is a sea of opportunity out there for hotels to increase profit,” this is according to Dr. Des O’Mahony, CEO of Bookassist. Bookassist is a triple winner of the world’s leading book engine technology award and employs thirty staff in it’s Dublin office. The company hosted the ‘Sink or Swim’ conference on hospitality distribution and revenue management in the Intercontinental Hotel in Dublin last month. Over one hundred and twenty hotel professionals attended, an indication perhaps of the changing mindset of the hotel industry when it comes to online distribution.

Dr. Des O’Mahony spoke about the challenges for hotels in acting on this change of mindset and on implementing key online site management strategies. “2015 was the fastest moving year in travel technology by a long shot, but who is taking the profit from the industry?” he asked. This question was one of the main themes of the conference. Other leading international experts on hospitality distribution and revenue management advised Irish hotels of the growth in online opportunity, while warning against the threat of losing profits to online-travel agents (OTA’s), another important theme throughout the conference.

Mr. Yahya Fetchati, CEO of Bookassist began the day with a review of some of the developments in the industry in 2015 and pointing out some of the opportunities in 2016 for hotels to maximise profits through direct bookings. He said, “hotels are not good at providing an easy booking experience for customers and they are not good at getting customers to book directly. Whoever owns the customer relationship, owns the customers”, he warned. Mr. Yahya Fetchati went to say that everyone is chasing direct bookings as that is where the heart of any profits lie. So, he said the key for hotels is to provide an easier booking route for the customer.

Mr Yahya Fetchati pointed out that traditionally OTA’s have dominated meta searches, however he maintains that independent hotels can compete and he used the example of the Citizen M Hotel in London. This hotel has created a community of customers who can only get deals directly from the hotel.

Some other key issues raised by Dr. Des O’Mahony, CEO of Bookassist included; hotels needing to be sure that they are in charge of their profit margin, using bookings to expose your hotel’s online presence and maximising conversions with each click. Dr. Des O’Mahony said that a lot of hotels he speaks to say that they don’t have the budget for an online strategy as well as a long-term data strategy plus brand advertising etc. However he warned, “hotels need to react, up- skill, strategise and invest or the industry path will get away from you.” He also pointed out “it’s not what you spend, but how you spend it, hotels actually do have the cash, you just need to know how to kick-start the process, especially when it comes to controlling your distribution and seeing the profits.”

Dr. Des O’Mahony was keen to stress the importance of investing in your business, online and offline. He said, “your hotel must have the best web and mobile presence you can buy and you must consider your distribution routes as one holistic strategy”. He went on to say the when it comes to revenue strategy tools, “it is about seeing, understanding and using your data.”

Dr. Peter O’Connor of Essec Business School spoke about the choppy waters of distribution management in a lively and engaging presentation with plenty of audience participation! One of his main points for hotels to consider may sound simple but in today’s highly competitive online market it can be very difficult. He asked “if hotels want to increase their direct bookings, as that is where profit lies, then how will customers find your site?”

Dr. Peter O’Connor pointed out that according to Google; customers consider 28 sites before making a booking. Another interesting statistic he pointed out was that less than one-third of customers search for your hotel by name. Therefore according to Dr. Peter O’Connor, “content drives searches and content causes conversion.

So with the right content you can get found in a search. It’s all about detailed, unique, organised, topical content.”

The conference heard that once a customer has found your website, you have four seconds to convince them to book. Therefore Dr. Peter O’Connor told us, your website quality, your booking path and your one click booking system must be the best possible. He said OTA’s can be a useful tool if used correctly, but meta search is going to become a much more powerful tool and at the moment, hotel representation on meta search is very low.

“There is chaos in hotel distribution right now, this brings danger but also opportunity. You have opportunities but you are in danger if you stick your head in the sand,” concluded Dr. Peter O’Connor and indeed this appeared to strike fear in the hearts of some professionals present and excitement in the hearts of others!

The conference provided an informative and in-depth analysis of coming trends and possible strategies for hospitality distribution and revenue management in the coming years. It is a fast moving area of the business and the key elements to take from the conference are; you need a high quality website with extremely good content, you need to change every click into a sale, you need to leverage OTA’s and you need to drive repeat guests directly.

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EFQM

A unique product The Lake Hotel, Killarney, makes history in achieving prestigious European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) Business Excellence 5* Award.

The Lake Hotel, Killarney, Co Kerry, a Huggard family-owned and managed hotel, has achieved the prestigious EFQM Business Excellence 5-star Award at an event organised in Dublin by the Centre for Competiveness in association with EFQM Europe. The Lake Hotel has the distinction of being the first hotel in Europe to achieve EFQM Business Excellence 5* Award at its first application under the EFQM Business Excellence Framework in Ireland, making history for the EFQM organisation.

The Huggard family has been involved in the hotel and tourism industries in Ireland for over a century. In 2012, they celebrated 100 years since the first hotel was established in Waterville by their grandparents, Martin and Mary Huggard who in turn set up the first family chain of hotels in Ireland with interchangeable facilities between them. “Our grandmother was also a founder member of the Irish Tourist Board, now Fáilte Ireland and our grandfather supplied product to many hotels in Dublin during WW2. We are steeped in a heritage that we want to preserve,” said Tony Huggard, Managing Director.

The Lake Hotel has been owned and operated by the Huggard family since 1940. Its lakeshore location and proximity to Killarney National Park ensure its yearround popularity with guests seeking

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unrivalled peace, award-winning food and service and all the attractions the region has to offer.

Tony Lenehan, Executive Director of EQFM in Ireland, says that the achievement of the Lake Hotel in securing 5* EFQM accreditation is enormous: “This distinction is only awarded to organisations that achieve and sustain outstanding levels of performance that meet or exceed the expectations of all their stakeholders” General Manager, Niall Huggard said: “The achievement of this EFQM 5* Award is amazing! The journey to excellence was an exciting and stimulating process for the team to experience and every member of staff bought into it. The programme made us look at every aspect of our business - what we do; how we do it; what is critical to the business; what are our goals and how to achieve them, and we engaged all our stakeholders to ensure the best possible chance of success.”

“What is even more astonishing is this achievement by a family hotel competing against all the hotel chains that are international brands. It demonstrates that

The Huggard Brothers (from left) Niall, Tony Joe and Colman.

EFQM

EFQM

Photograph of Mary Huggard (co-founder of Huggard hospitality) with Walt Disney who added an inscription “To Mrs Huggard, thank you for a wonderful Thanksgiving, sincerely Walt Disney”

Huggard family traditions (a brand in itself) can be married with international success and ably compete on a level playing pitch. That gives us great confidence moving ahead, knowing we can have pride in how we deliver our unique product to our guests both local and international.”

Niall was quick to acknowledge the unequivocal support he got in driving the programme from Tony Roche, Financial Controller, Sarah Mannix, Human Resources Manager, Aoife Hickey, Marketing Manager and Ashley Purcell, Reservations & Revenue Manager. All of the team played a pivotal role with the one common goal in mind as did each member of staff.

Niall outlined one radical change that resulted from the programme: “In the past, our primary focus was on our customer. Having completed the EFQM programme, the focus now also includes our people. Once each member of our staff is recruited, trained, motivated and cared for, their professionalism in the workplace will automatically transfer to our guests.”

The Lake Hotel has many repeat customers down through the years, a lot of whom remained steady throughout the recession. All who visit receive a warm family welcome, be it their first or a return visit.

Many of the loyal staff have been with the Huggards through the years and know the regulars well which adds to the warmth of the welcome. There are many who have been with the business for over 15 years, 20 in some cases and have witnessed the hotel move through the decades. Many of the visitors are Irish but the guest list straddles the five continents.

Through this new distinction, The Lake Hotel joins 30,000 large and small organisations in the private, public and voluntary sectors who have used the world class EFQM model as their blueprint and driver for excellence. This achievement has given the Huggard family, the Lake Hotel management and staff a great fillip.

“Starting the 2016 season, we are moving forward with new vigour and intend to wear the EFQM pin with pride. It opens so many new opportunities for us and equips us to continue the Huggard hospitality in the future,” Niall added.

The EFQM is a renowned management and business framework, with application to small and large organisations in the Hospitality and Tourism Sectors. It is designed to improve existing management and operational performance, processes and standards. It can be applied at basic, intermediate or advanced level depending on the size, strategy and maturity of the business.

EFQM initiatives and awards are managed through the Centre for Competitiveness, (Ireland) as the EFQM Country Partner for Ireland.

The Centre, with offices in Dublin and Belfast also provides a business diagnostic service, management training programmes, consultancy services, accreditation services, as well as a suite of strategic innovation and business solutions- all designed to improve business performance and management techniques in Tourism.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, contact the Centre for Competitiveness, CityWest Business Campus, 1305, Lake Drive, Dublin 24.

Telephone 00 353 1 5312841, or 00 353 87 2242575 www.cforc.ie Email: Tony.Lenehan@CforC.ie

Tony Lenehan of EFQM re-iterated this by adding - “The business benefits for the Hotel are substantial as the EFQM provides an International symbol and benchmark of Excellence. Regardless of sector, size, structure or maturity, the EFQM framework is a powerful management tool providing tourism organisations and their management with a keen sense of what needs to be done while establishing robust management and business systems through its powerful logic and practical help. It does this by measuring where they are on the Excellence road map; helping them understand the gaps and applying innovative solutions.” www.lakehotel.com

JUST ANNOUNCED, and in line with their strive towards excellence, The Lake Hotel has achieved the accolade of 2 AA Rosettes. Led by Head Chef, Noel Enright, the 2 Rosettes were achieved for their seasonal menus, using only the freshest and finest local foods, with an appreciation of culinary traditions and presented in a modern style.

The Lake Hotel Management Team with the Award (from left) Aoife Hickey, Marketing; Tony Huggard, Managing Director; Ashley Purcell, Reservations and Revenue; Niall Huggard, General Manager; Sarah Mannix, Human Resources and Tony Roche, Financial Controller.

Congratulations to the entire team.

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IFSA NEWS

Supporting Ireland’s Chefs - Chef Network launched at Food & Bev Live

CATEX 2017 BOOKINGS NOW OPEN! CATEX, Ireland’s largest and most i n f l u e n t i a l foodservice event, CATEX, is taking place again on the 21st 23rd February 2017 at the RDS, Dublin.

Running for more than half a century CATEX is Ireland’s d e f i n i t i v e Pictured L-R: Caoimhe Gleeson (CATEX Operations), Larry foodservice event Smith (IFSA Chairman), Niamh Kenny (CATEX Sales), Margaret g a t h e r i n g Andreucetti (CATEX Sales). hundreds of suppliers, stakeholders and competitors at the RDS Simmonscourt to meet, inspire, entertain and most importantly, do business with over 10,000 top hospitality operators and food service buyers. The IFSA & CATEX team is now taking bookings for participation at the event. Over 10,000 visitors attended CATEX 2015, with 96% finding it very worthwhile and, 91% of visitors saying they will visit again in 2017. This show is a must for all in the foodservice and catering sector and preferential booking rates are available to IFSA members. Contact margaret@eventhaus.ie today for more information.

Halton Foodservice Completes the Circle!

With the launching of the widest range of Air Handling Units specifically designed for the ventilation of professional kitchens, Halton completes the technology circle and provides the most efficient solutions for all stages of kitchen ventilation systems, from capture, extraction and discharge of the air to atmosphere, through to providing the cleanest and healthiest replacement air.

Halton was already providing the most comprehensive ventilation solutions and doubtless the most advanced ones, including PolluStop exhaust units, at the vanguard of emission control technologies. To complete the circle, only one link was missing: Supply Air Handling Units. This last step is now crossed. Halton Launches: - A new generation of PolluStop exhaust units, now boasting a highly efficient and self-cleaning Electrostatic Precipitator. Increased lifetime for downstream filters by 80%, particles and moisture control brought to the highest levels complete the portrait of the most efficient exhaust unit with pollution control for professional kitchens.

- A brand new range of supply units called Aerolys. Benefitting from pure and hygienic air inside the kitchen thanks to its “Urban Pack”.

Aerolys also works in perfect concert with PolluStop. It prevents any cross contamination due to uncontrolled air transfer inside the kitchen.

- A brand new range of combined exhaust & supply units called Extenso. Benefitting from the best of PolluStop and Aerolys units, with a much smaller footprint for the air handling plant. It also offers both air to air and air to water heat recovery within a single compact unit.

Enjoy the way Halton completes the circle and designs comprehensive solutions, fully matching your requirements and with a unique set of benefits.

For more information: Mobile: (+353) 87 141 6189 Email: paul.james@halton.com

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Pictured at the launch of Chef Network at Food & Bev Live were (l-r) Michael Quinn, Chef Lecturer, WIT; Larry Smith, Chairman, IFSA; Stephen Holland, Executive Sous Chef, Lough Erne Resort; Julianne Forrestal, Executive Craft Chef, Sodexo Ireland; Ruth Hegarty, Head of Community, Chef Network and Niall Quinn, Executive Chef, The Butlers Pantry

Chef Network, the new professional network for Ireland’s chef community, launched at Food & Bev Live in February. Developed in consultation with leading chefs, Chef Network is an initiative of IFSA, providing support to the 25,000-plus chefs working in the foodservice industry on the island of Ireland. Its focal point is the online platform, chefnetwork.ie, where chefs can create individual profiles, join groups and discussions and share ideas, resources and news.

Education and training, business development and professional development are the bedrock to Chef Network. Its goals are to: • Attract more people and improve retention in the industry • Raise standards of training and encourage great collaboration with the education sector • Promote and maintain culinary skills • Expand the knowledge base of chefs • Create a strong community of chefs where they can work together, learn from each other and share knowledge, ideas and resources.

The development of Chef Network has been initiated and funded

by IFSA. Chairman Larry Smith explains: ‘Chef Network will play a crucial role in supporting the thousands of chefs working in our industry. By facilitating greater collaboration and communication, Chef Network will provide an essential platform for chefs to build their careers and their businesses, and help drive a vibrant foodservice sector’. For more information about Chef Network and to contribute to its development, please visit chefnetwork.ie.

Modern Labelling & Printing Your Silent Salesperson Your label should help to sell your product, convey your message to your customers and maintain your professional image in the market-place.

MLS Labelling and Printing Systems offer a comprehensive labelling service, from concept, artwork and design right through to the finished label. We control all aspects of the labelling process, ensuring maximum efficiency and quality control, to provide you with cost-effective work of the highest standard. If you wish to print your own labels we also stock printing equipment suitable for a wide range of business applications, this gives you, the customer, full autonomy over all your labelling applications and requirements.

Visit our website www.mlslabels.com for more information or contact us on 044 93 43746

IFSA NEWS

At Excellence we are very proud of the great service we provide to the Irish Catering Industry and also of the portfolio of products we have to offer.

We have been involved in the catering and hospitality industry in Ireland for over 40 years, during that time we have built our business offering quality choice and value with all of the brands that we supply.

Enjoying such market-leading brands as Schwartz, Bicks, Noëls, and our ownbrand offering, Newforge, we offer a one-stop shop when supplying products to the foodservice industry. We are continually investing in our operations to ensure we maintain our service levels and we talk directly to our customers, the people that use the product therefore establishing key relationships with chefs up and down the country.

What we can offer are products that offer fantastic taste, quality and value; for a fraction of the cost of assembling from scratch, offering a larger mark up for the customer. Flavour profile is very important to our customers and using one of the many quality Schwartz, or Newforge products ensures you only need to use a little to get a lot of flavour!

Our customers understand that our products go a long way in helping to deliver consistency and quality on a plate time after time.

We source our range of products worldwide from our global manufacturing partners, all of whom hold premium BRC and IFSaccredited manufacturing standards, with approved HACCP systems, ensuring the highest quality and standards are accessible to our customers.

We have recently achieved one of the most highly recognised industry accreditations of quality management, ISO 9001. This provides a framework of globally recognised principles of quality management and shows that we are continually striving to improve our customer service on every level.

Scanbox

ScanBox Thermo Products was created with the mission of developing flexible production methods for the manufacture of insulated transport boxes. These production methods meant we could offer customised and cost-effective solutions for distributing food in the catering industry.

ScanBox Food Transport Systems, used for the distribution and holding, of hot, cold, and ambient food, are constructed using aluminium - making each trolley lightweight & highly impact resistant, with exceptional insulation properties.

With an adjustable LED display on each of our products, temperature control and monitoring is hassle free. We offer a number of accessories to improve ergonomics in order to make daily operations easier.

Our wide range of upright & side-by-side product combinations provide an ideal solution for transporting food within every catering environment including hospitals, hotels, schools, prisons, large banquets, events...

ScanBox products can now be found all over the world!

Please contact us E: info@scanboxuk.com W: www.scanboxuk.com Tel: +44 (0)28 2589 2122

PEL Waste Reduction Equipment PEL Waste Reduction Equipment is a leading manufacturer of refuse bin compactors, cardboard and plastic balers and glass bottle crushers which save on waste disposal costs.

The company’s glass bottle crusher portfolio spans the ‘Baby Jaws’ patented ‘under-the-counter’ BB01 machine which is the only one of its kind on the market, to the volume fed ‘Mega Jaws’ product capable of crushing 680 bottles in 10 minutes.

There are four machines in the PEL range of balers; the PEL 200 baler is the smallest machine producing a 25kg bale and is suitable for cardboard and plastic wastes. The other balers in the family produce bales of increasing weight with the PEL 5500 Mill Sized baler being the largest with an output bale weight of 400-500Kg dependent on the material being baled. All PEL Balers reduce waste volumes by up to 90%.

There are three products within the PEL Bin Compactor portfolio each capable of compressing bin waste by a factor of 3:1. The machines are suitable for 240 litre, 360 litre, 660 litre and 1100 litre bin sizes and save customers money by reducing the number of waste bins required to manage their wastes, cut the handling costs associated with those bins and allow smaller, cleaner and tidier waste storage areas. All PEL Waste Reduction Equipment products are designed, developed and manufactured in Ireland, are compliant with the ISO9001 Quality Standard, are CE Certified and are available on both rental and purchase terms. Call Tommy on 087 205 4300 for details.

Wireless Solutions Come in Number 4 your Order is Up!

If you’re not ready to give your customers the full Wireless Waiter experience from the tables then you may be interested in the Chef-to-Waiter package that speeds the flow of food to your tables. A button for each table group or waiter is operated by the chef to notify that the orders for his customers are ready.

Needless to say, this ensures that the food is served in a timely fashion at the optimum temperature while freeing up limited space at the serving counter and preventing those annoying buildups!

A lot of restaurants install chef to waiter as a stepping stone to the full wireless waiter service because it is a low cost discreet service that improves efficiency. The big benefit, of course is in the productivity of your waiters, who are freed from the need to hang around the kitchen door waiting for the nod (should that be roar). They can roam helpfully throughout the tables attending to your customers in the knowledge that they will not miss the call that plates are ready.

How? A comfortable and discreet watch is worn on the waiter’s wrist. When the Chef signals, the device vibrates and indicates the table number, allowing the waiter to respond quickly and efficiently to the call. More and more restaurants are making the move to technology to give their customers a better experience.

Sold as a service with a monthly fee and no up-front cost. See www.wireless-solutions.ie or email deirdre.griffen@wirelesssolutions.ie or call us at 01 8441100.

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REFURBISHMENT

A perfect location Kingswood House Hotel McGettigan’s is a renowned and influential name in the hospitality business, with prime locations in Ireland the Middle East, Europe, Asia and the USA.The McGettigan Empire has recently started expanding their venues across Ireland. As of December 2014, McGettigan’s purchased Kingswood Hotel and Kingswood House, a property that was in receivership, located on the Naas Road.

Brian McGettigan, Chief Executive of The North Star Hotel, was optimistic from the outset stating, “We immediately went about achieving a four-star standard. We undertook a large investment for upgrading the hotel and thereafter were classified as four-star in May 2015, which was brilliant.”

Prior to the takeover there was approximately 20 staff or less, however, now that figure has increased to 65 employees. Brian reveals his prime objective was to upgrade the property from a 3 star establishment to 4 star. “By upgrading to 4-star you’re entering into

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another market with a higher yield customer and I felt that the 3 star market was far too competitive.”

Another immediate goal was to improve the menu as good quality food is a focus for Brian McGettigan. Adding more choice to the breakfast menu, and opening a lunch and dinner menu where before there was just a snack menu.

Brian McGettigan says the Kingswood Hotel’s target market is that of corporate clients during the week and leisure guests during the weekend. “We took some quality groups during the summer and with the pickup of things in Dublin city, there’s a good overflow thing going on for us. We have the Luas and bus outside our door; and we’re located approximately 20-25 minutes from the city centre. A key asset here is the roundabout; there is easy access if you’re travelling from the south or Dublin city centre by simply taking exit 2.”

McGettigan’s Cookhouse and Bar is the cherry on top for the new property, a standalone building that came with the Kingswood House, surrounded by beautiful garden space. “We’re the City West side of the motorway and the area has a very limited choice of good food eateries,” Brian says. In the surrounding area of west Dublin there is a population of 800,000 people, making McGettigan’s Cookhouse a welcome addition to the community. In total the restaurant holds about 120-130 people and with an investment of €1.8 million, Brian believes it was worth every penny. The interior of the Cookhouse has exposed steelwork, wooden rafters, and an overall sense of an American loft.

The Locke Suite upstairs is styled with similar features - “It’s a great event space that will market weddings, all the corporate events and functions. This room has its own outdoor terrace that’s about three meters wide. We also have a very generous garden space,” Brian reveals.

REFURBISHMENT

Ciara McGettigan, Brian’s wife, is also involved in the business. “With me working in the hotels for a long time, she couldn’t resist getting involved,” Brian confesses. Ciara does a lot of research around the world when it comes to looking at other hotels. As glamorous as it sounds, she is responsible for driving the interior with her great eye for detail. “The trick is she knows what she wants and it is her that has helped create this brand. We’re all about best quality, best price.”

An important aspect for the McGettigan’s Cookhouse is sourcing fresh and Irish produce and this is why only Irish ingredients that are natural and raw are used. “We’re very fussy that it’s home grown food and cooked fresh. We have employed a very good team headed up by Chef Pat Brophy (formerly owner of the Storehouse Restaurant in Naas). We know him over the years, he worked with us out in Dubai and I met him in Donegal and asked him if he’d be interested in this.

Pat’s expertise, skills and creativity are excellent,” Brian admits. The Cookhouse opens at 12 noon, the dinner menu starts at 3pm and last orders are 10:30pm. As for pricing, there is no drastic difference between the pricing for lunch and dinner.

“I don’t think people should be penalised depending on the time of day they eat.

There is a good choice of starters, main courses, and a very good choice of deserts for lunch and bigger again for dinner. Including that there are three or four specials daily. There is a sandwich bar too and we have three or four gourmet signature sandwiches. Everything is good quality and service at a competitive price.”

As for competition in the surrounding area, establishments such as Lyon’s Estate and Tankardstown are top competition. However, Brian is confident in the fact that Kingswood Hotel and Kingswood House is perfectly situated in area that connects Dublin to the surrounding counties on the motorway. “It’s a perfect location for a Dublin wedding without having to go too far down the country, yet there is all the ambience of a country wedding. Then in the hotel there are 120 bedrooms where all the wedding party can all stay. We have 130 carparking spaces in the basement of the hotel, which makes it very secure. We also have an onsite car park that holds about 70 cars that is for Kingswood House and the Cookhouse.”

In regard to the future, McGettigan’s is currently in its second generation and

of ten children, there are currently seven directly involved in the family business.

Having started out young, it’s safe to say the McGettigans know what they’re doing.

Looking into the future the focus for Kingswood Hotel and McGettigan’s Cookhouse and Bar will be promoting the hotel and restaurant, to increase sales and grow the business.Focusing on growing weddings and the corporate market will be two primary objectives. When it comes to further expansion, Brian is optimistic stating, “Absolutely, we’ve our eyes on other properties. We want to put our own stamp on the hotel and for people to identify the McGettigan’s brand.”

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GMIT NEWS

GMIT College of Tourism & Arts hosts annual Hospitality and Tourism Careers Fair - Wednesday March 9 The College of Tourism & Arts (CTA) at GMIT will host its annual Tourism Career’s Fair on Wednesday, 9 March, at the Galway campus on the Dublin Road. Over 60 tourism-related organisations from Ireland, mainland Europe, and the US will take part in the event.

Hotel groups and employers attending from the US will include The Hotel Hershey and Mount Olympus Resorts. European based Tourism service providers will include Carlzon Rezidor, Jurys Inn, (UK & Ireland),Quinta Do Lago group, and Emirates Airlines will also be in attendance.

Cáit Noone, Head of College of Tourism and Arts explains why this annual event is of such huge importance to students: “Most courses in the College of Tourism and Arts stipulate that students engage in accredited work placement in years one and two. These modules are developed with the help and dedication of our industry partners, ensuring that students, upon graduation, are prepared for the exciting challenges the world of work will bring to them.”

GMIT’s College of Tourism & Arts has approximately 1400 students studying a range of courses in Hotel Management, Tourism, Culinary Arts, and Restaurant & Bar studies. Each year more than 500 students seek accredited internships as

part of their chosen course of study.

This year’s Tourism Careers Fair welcomes students and graduates from GMIT, as well as students and graduates from all Institutes of Technology in Ireland.

the CTA and staff here at GMIT. This annual event has proven to be a fantastic opportunity for students to meet potential employers. Many of our graduates are in full time employment thanks to connections made at our Annual Careers Fair and most of our current students secure work placements before facing into their final exams.”

The 10th Annual Tourism Careers Fair at GMIT is open to the public and all are welcome to attend. The event will take place in the Café Foyer of GMIT on Wednesday 9 March, from 1.30 pm to 4.30 pm. Attendees are encouraged to bring along several copies of their CV. For further details please contact the LINKS office at the College of Tourism and Arts at 091 742565 or via email at: ctaevents@gmit.ie

Ms Noone continued on to say: “The Careers Fair at GMIT provides an excellent platform for our industry partners to meet students, consider candidates for work placement or for graduate employment opportunities. The event also provides them with an opportunity to network with

College of Tourism & Arts - New BB in Tourism Management Programme 2016 Dublin Trip to Airbnb European Headquarters & Holiday World Show 2016, RDS

By John Carty & Maria Murphy, College of Tourism and Arts, GMIT The revised new Bachelor of Business in Tourism Management Level 7 degree got off to a great start in September 2015 with the intake of an enthusiastic and positive bunch of students. The new programme involves two 12 week placement opportunities in year 1 and year 2, so in order to get familiar with the industry, a number of lecturers took the students out and about on exciting field trips across the region. Between September and December they visited the Cliffs of Moher, Burren Perfumery, Dan O’Hara’s Homestead in Connemara and had an enjoyable cruise on the Killary fjord.

The new year got off to a quick ‘tourism’ with a trip to Dublin in January, organised by Co-Programme Chairs and Tourism Lecturers, John Carty and Maria Murphy. An early start ensured the arrival in the heart of the Dublin Docklands for a morning visit

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to the Airbnb European Headquarters. GMIT were greeted in the innovative design-led building by Airbnb staff. The reception area features a horseshoe-shaped Irish bar using three different styles of tile found in various surrounding Dublin pubs, as well as some old fashioned Irish telephone boxes.

The visit entailed an office tour and explaination as to the various roles carried out by the 480 staff in the Dublin office.

Employees are encouraged to treat their work place as their ‘home’, and they operate a canine friendly environment where staff can bring their dogs to work! An adorable Golden Retriever and Labradoodle roamed freely! All staff work in a ‘hot desk’ environment and they freely interacted with the students as we walked around, asking them to engage and ask questions. Whilst some staff were intently engaged on their laptops or tablets,

☞

GMIT NEWS

GMIT to host international Cook Serve Challenge (15 & 16 March) Tickets now available for unique culinary and dining experience Third-level students from Ireland and France are to gather in GMIT in mid-March to compete in the GMIT International Cook Serve Challenge, a two-day public event showcasing the kitchen and restaurant skills of full-time students in culinary and hospitality programmes. The challenge will consist of the preparation and service of a five-course tasting menu with matching beverages and wines.

Members of the public can attend this unique event by purchasing tickets for the lunchtime and evening challenges which take place in the Institute’s College of Tourism and Arts at the Dublin Road (Galway) campus on Tuesday 15 and Wednesday 16 March at 12.15pm sharp (lunch) and 5.30pm sharp (dinner). A limited number of tickets are available at the exceptional price of €30 each. Please email restaurants@gmit.ie to book your place before 29 February 2016. Parking is available for free in the large car park (north entrance/hill), or alternatively at the pay & display area.

GMIT’s College of Tourism and Arts has an excellent and long established record in national and international competitions.

Students and staff won the top title at Catex 2015 - one of the biggest national culinary competitions and networking events in the Irish foodservice industry, taking home the coveted Gold Medal and Overall Winner title last year.

This new event, the GMIT International Cook Serve Challenge, will see five teams competing from four Institutes of Technology, namely Athlone, Cork, Galway and Waterford in Ireland, and a visiting team from France - the Lycée Hôtelier de La Rochelle. The students, with their tutors’ support, will have to plan, cook and serve a culinary feast for their restaurant guests. High profile personalities from the culinary world will be on hand to adjudicate their efforts. The winners will be announced on Wednesday, 16 March.

GMIT is delighted to have training company Gréasan na Meán of the national Skillnets Network on board to film the event, capturing both Front of house and Kitchen scenes, and showing student, judge and guest interaction.

Maria Griffin, Manager of Gréasan na Meán Skillnet, says “We are delighted to be involved in the GMIT Cook Serve International Challenge event in March and will run a training course to produce

a web based magazine programme to run for the duration of the GMIT Cook Serve event aptly named ‘Cook Serve TV’. It will be available to view on GMIT’s website during the event. The project will be led by industry professionals including Justin McCarthy, Freelance Producer and Editor; Niamh Guckian, Freelance, RTE and The Irish Times; and Barbara Collins, Freelance Radio Journalist, Food writer, critic and blogger.”

In addition to the Cook Serve challenge, all visiting teams will have the opportunity to savour Galway with an exciting package of food trails in Galway city, coupled with Master Classes hosted

by GMIT. Gerry Talbot, Head of Dept, CTA, says: “The objective of the event is to challenge the students to bring their skills, traditions and innovative vision to an international audience. It will highlight the highest standards in international hospitality services.”

“We look forward to welcoming all - students, tutors, industry and the general public to Galway and our campus in March, and hope to build on this inaugural event and create an exciting and entertaining annual event to be held in Galway”.

For more information on programmes in GMIT’s College of Tourism & Arts, see: http://www.gmit.ie/college-tourism-andarts/college-tourism-arts

others were swinging in hammocks or lounging on the bean bags!

Each of the three floors have their own dedicated dining facilities and snack areas for the staff to enjoy all day, complimentary! The top floor even has its own trained barista and they kindly made all of these facilities available to our very ‘happy’ students.

Following the tour, a number of presentations were made on the hospitality ethos pursued by the company, trust and saftey issues of running an online business and on recruitment and the roles on offer at Airbnb. The opportunity for work placement for GMIT students is a very positive possibility that has come out of the visit. The group left in very high spirits and hopeful to return to Airbnb when they open their new offices on the North side of the Liffey later in 2016, either as guests or possibly as employees!

Personnell have also been invited to attend the College of Tourism and Arts Careers Fair taking place in the college on March 9th.

Following a busy morning in Airbnb the group moved on to the RDS Simmonscourt for the Holiday World Show 2016, which is an annual event organised on behalf of the Irish Travel Agents Association. This was a great opportunity to view and interact with

exhibitors who were grouped into distinct regions: Home holidays, Africa and the Middle East, Europe and the Mediterranean, Caribbean, The Americas, Asia and the Pacific, Cruise lines and Ferries, Adventure travel, Tour Operators, Caravan & Motorhomes.

Each exhibitor had lots of information about their destinations or products and students had opportunites to see how organisations sold themselves to the crowds of people in attendance.

The GMIT Team who won the top Cook Serve award at Catex 2015 , L to R: GMIT lecturer Diarmuid Ó Conghaile, students Marek Hajduk, Shane Austin, Patrycja Sadowska, Aisling Lee, GMIT lecturer Frank O’Connor, student Cezary Sodel and GMIT lecturer Brian Morrissey.

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ONLINE MARKETING

Hotels must act to avoid profit erosion Des O’Mahony Rate recovery isn’t everything The recovery in Irish tourism continues into 2016 on the back of record numbers of visitors in 2015. Most sectors are reporting a strong opening to the year.

At Bookassist, our hotel data for the first 6 weeks of 2016 shows online booking numbers up almost 14% year on year, with associated revenue up by more than double that figure. This indicates a welcome rise in direct online business coupled with a continued rise in average daily rate (ADR). Additionally, occupancy has reached strong levels in Ireland, with in excess of 82% being recorded in many Dublin hotels and healthy RevPAR. Rate has largely recovered to 2006 levels, and caution is being urged to not let rate get out of control. But the reality is that hotel costs have risen significantly in the interim, so hotels are not nearly reaching 2006 margin levels despite the rate recovery. All the more reason that hotels need to be extremely careful to focus on where their room profit is really going and how they can take their fair share of it and put it to good use.

You need profit At the risk of stating the obvious, the hotel sector needs its profit. Working capital is the only way to prepare the sector for the future.

As a whole, the sector needs to deliver more capacity into the country, in Dublin in particular, to cope with and capitalise on the growing opportunity. To not accelerate development of new properties is to risk supply-demand problems that will ultimately make the market uncompetitive in the coming years and potentially reverse the recent recovery or drive more and more incoming guests from the hotel sector and into the sharing community exemplified by Airbnb. However, property developers see much more profit per square foot from developing office space than low-margin accommodation right now. Unless the margin on hotel rooms can increase, this is likely to remain the case and constrain capacity. We all know this - but driving up rate is not the only solution to delivering that better margin.

On an individual hotel basis, stock needs to be continually improved. Maintaining rate requires renovation, modernisation of properties. Even more critically, maintaining

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your business for the long haul means continually improving service levels and holding reputation, a key driver of modern online business. This means real and ongoing investment in property quality, staff training and management. All of which are increasingly costly outlays today - but driving up rate is not the only solution to generating the required cash.

ONLINE MARKETING Your fair share A buoyant market with higher occupancy should be generating greater margin. Yet what Bookassist has seen in other recovering markets in Europe in which we operate is that hotels themselves have been the slower ones to capitalise on the renewed buoyancy, with a disproportionate share being ceded too quickly to online travel agents (OTA). The result of this is that while occupancy levels and ADR have risen, the associated profit generated is increasingly moving out of the hotels and into the pockets of distributors. In Ireland this is already happening and is in danger of accelerating as capacity is squeezed in 2016 and onwards.

This is particularly apparent in the “red herring” debate around rate parity, ostensibly one where OTAs do not want hotels to be selling lower on their own websites. In reality however, the OTAs are the ones merrily breaking parity by requiring discounted rates in their “private clubs”, clubs which are anything but, since anyone can sign up. These discounted rates are the fastest growing area of business for many OTAs, not surprisingly. Viewing OTA costs in commission rather than hard euro terms can often disguise what is really happening to your profit figure - remember that discounting €10 on a €100 room rate in order to make a private club sale means -€10 straight to your bottom line but a reduction of just €2 or less in the commission paid to the OTA on the €90 sale (assuming commission rates of 20% or less). That’s €10-€2=€8 more in cost of sale to you on a €100 room.

Put simply, getting your distribution strategy wrong can still fill your hotel at a reasonable room rate, but it will bleed your profit line in cost of sale terms. The same occupancy and rate skewed towards direct online business to your website will result in a significantly lower cost of sale and therefore real and substantial profit gains - profits needed to build your business for the future, profits generated without driving your rate to unsustainable levels.

Creating versus servicing demand OTAs do an excellent job and are a critical part of your distribution mix. But as a hotel, you must realise that OTAs should be a secondary part of your strategy, not a primary one. OTAs are excellent at helping you to reach that customer that you could never reach on your own, and can justify high fees to do so. But OTAs should not be used to service existing demand, at least not at the rates they currently charge.

In situations where occupancy is breaching 80% levels, it is an absolute nobrainer to be channelling that demand towards your lower cost direct-to-web channel online and adjusting distribution strategy generally to redistribute towards lower cost channels.

In the booming market that Irish hotels are experiencing, hotels would do well to

note that OTAs do not create demand. The tourism influx is happening anyway, driven by the excellent strategies of Tourism Ireland, the value for money available in the tourism sector nationally and many other positive contributors to Ireland’s image abroad.

Hotels need to be tapping into that influx directly with proper online marketing strategies, quality websites, high conversion booking capability and strategic customer relationship management. These people are coming regardless, why aren’t you reaching out to them directly?

Long-term strategy Hotels need to act now to appreciate the danger of what this movement of profit out of the sector means for them long-term.

Continuing to focus your hotel KPIs on occupancy and rate only and being oblivious to real cost of sale and profit blinds hotels to the reality of what is happening in a fast-moving marketplace and will result in hotels sleepwalking their way into a permanent low-margin business through OTA reliance.

It is a fact that some hotels are currently losing money on the channels they use, possibly without even knowing it. F&B may not be able to make up the difference, particularly in city hotels where guests want to be out and about and may spend little or nothing more in the property itself.

As we have long advocated at Bookassist, cost of sale needs to be looked at forensically by hotel FCs to see where real margin potential lies and where the bleed is really occurring. Investment in the direct channel is a clear win, but takes effort to kick-start.

Hotels of course “appreciate the ease” of doing business via OTAs and often view the effort in growing direct business as onerous. But OTA costs per booking do not fall with volume, while a successful direct strategy will result in an ongoing reduction in acquisition cost per direct booking and a consequent profit growth per room.

Remember, if Irish hotels get it right and improve their retention of profit, they can develop the sector for a sustainable future where rate can be justified and held. But if they allow the profit to bleed out disproportionately to distributors, then the inevitable rising rates to counter lower margins over the longer term will hit the sector hard while the distributors can just move on to other cities and countries.

Dr Des O’Mahony is CEO and Founder at Bookassist (www.bookassist.com), the multi-award-winning technology and digital strategy partner for hotels worldwide, and is a HSMAI “Top 20 Extraordinary Minds” recipient.

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CULINARY ARTS

Continuous Professional Development for chefs at IT Tallaght Continuous professional development (CPD) helps to enhance knowledge and skills, keeping you up to date with current practices and standards. The pace of change is probably faster than it’s ever been, for many this is a feature of the new norm in which we work. If you stand still you will get left behind, as the currency of your knowledge and skills becomes outdated.

Continuous professional development helps you keep pace with change and ensures that your knowledge stays relevant to current trends and directions in your profession. Focused CPD opens you up to new possibilities, new knowledge and new skill areas.

IT Tallaght provides opportunities for practising chefs in industry, who wish to continue their culinary education on a parttime basis. We take pride in our continuing professional programmes for culinary arts.

The approach used in the delivery of the modules on our programmes is an applied approach, linking module content to the workplace as much as possible, showing its relevance and application to the everyday operation of a food business.

Studying part-time also offers the learner the opportunity to apply the new knowledge in the workplace as they gain it, to reflect on it, which in turn results in enhanced and deeper learning. The value of learning from this experience has long been recognised and here we are reminded of a famous line from Benjamin Franklin “Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.”

The two continuing professional development programmes on offer at IT Tallaght are 1. BA in Culinary Arts - one day a week over two years 2. MSc in Applied Culinary Nutrition- two evenings a week over two years

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CULINARY ARTS MSc in Applied Culinary Nutrition This new unique masters is specifically designed for practising chefs interested in bringing the current trend of health and nutrition into their food offering. It focuses on taking an applied approach to linking science and research with the kitchen, making it relevant to day to day food business operations and the creative and confident provision of healthful options on menus.

BA in Culinary Arts This programme is run on a day-release basis over two years and is suitable for qualified chefs, sous chefs and head chefs working in a food business.The overall aim of the programme is to enable learners to develop, produce and evaluate complex and artistic culinary products of the highest quality, underpinned with the application of advanced culinary science, gastronomy and quality management.

Subject modules include • Creative Cuisine • Creative Desserts & Bakery products • Advanced Culinary Science & Food Technology • Food Product Development • Culinary Management & Training • Gastronomy • Food Media and Communications • Synoptic Study • Work Based Learning Course begins in September 2016, applications open from April 2016 For further details see www.ittdublin.ie

Subject modules include • Flavour Science • Human Nutrition • Culinary Nutrition Professional Practice • Nutrition Assessment • Culinary Nutrition Research Studies • Strategic Marketing for the Contemporary chef • Applied Food Science • Food Regulatory Affairs • Applied Research Project Course nights are Monday and Wednesdays 6-10pm Applications now open for September 2016, early applications are advised For further details and to apply: Email: Annette.sweeney@ittdublin.ie

Culinary Nutrition - Trend Corner Bord Bia Consumer Lifestyle Trends 2015 • Pure and natural products are the order of the day. There is an increased desire for raw ,natural and clean products • Consumers are seeking solutions to suit various energy needs and optimise well being throughout the day • Consumers are proactively defending the body against future disease and illness • There is an increased focus on engaging children in sourcing and cooking with healthy foods Healthful kids meals and ancient grains have been identified as two of the top twenty trends for 2016, by the American Culinary Federation

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FÁILTE FOCUS

Ireland’s Call answered by Fáilte Ireland’s Conference Ambassadors Almost 80 Conference Ambassadors were honoured last month at Fáilte Ireland’s inaugural Conference Ambassador Recognition Awards ceremony which was held in the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham late last month.

Hosted by comedian Dara Ó Briain, the event acknowledged that the Ambassadors, nominated by the Irish conference and meetings industry, delivered a collective total of almost 73,000 international delegates to Dublin between 2011 and 2014, injecting over €101m into the economy.

Speaking at the event, Fáilte Ireland CEO, Shaun Quinn emphasised - “More than half of all international conferences in Dublin would not have been won without Conference Ambassadors. Therefore, we are recognising them not only for their significant contribution to the local economy but also for the part they have played in building Ireland’s reputation as a compelling and attractive destination to do business.

“Last year was a very successful year with Fáilte Ireland supporting international conferences and events worth a total of €128m and bringing 91,000 international delegates to our shores. This year, we are already pushing harder to win even more conferences and we will invest €5m in the sector this year with to target €140m worth of business and deliver 100,000 future delegates to our shores.”

Three individuals, who have had a significant impact on international conferencing in Ireland, were also singled out with special awards at the ceremony.

The Conference Ambassador of the Year Award was presented to Brian Stapleton, Managing Director of Periploi Aviation, for his role in delivering a total of seven International Air Transport Association (IATA) conferences to Dublin valued at €5.6m to Irish economy. Brian also has another five future conferences in the pipeline with an estimated value of €5.4m.

Dr. Pearse Lyons, Founder and President of Alltech, picked up the award for ‘Outstanding Contribution to Business Tourism during the Gathering’ after hosting eight international Alltech business events in Ireland during 2013 bringing a total of 3,000 international delegates to Ireland.

Also honoured for his ‘Outstanding Contribution to Business Tourism Industry’ was Matthew Ryan, Director of the Grand Hotel in Malahide and Marine Hotel in Sutton. Matthew has chaired the Business Tourism Working Group since its inception, a key Fáilte Ireland group of business tourism industry leaders, since 2007.

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Conference Ambassador of the Year, Brian Stapleton (centre) pick up his award from Fáilte Ireland CEO, Shaun Quinn, Dara Ó Briain, Miriam Kennedy and Fáilte Ireland Chairman, Michael Cawley

A group of Medical & Health Science professionals received their Conference Ambassador Recognition Award at the recent Fáilte Ireland ceremony in The Royal Hospital Kilmainham. Pictured were (l. to r.): Front row: Tara Mathews, on behalf of Dr Pat Mathews, Autism Ireland; Miriam Kennedy, Fáilte Ireland; Marie McCourt, Saint John of God Hospital. Back Row: Paul Leaney, on behalf of Des McKernan Aspire Ireland; Jean Evans MCI Ireland, on behalf of Fergal Hickey, Emergency Medicine; Dara O’Briain, MC; Bill Quinlan, Irish Orthopaedic Association; Ann Hogan, Irish Anaesthetic & Recovery Nurses Association and Raphline Harris on behalf of Prof. Hillary Hoey, National Children’s Hospital Ireland.

Find out more about Fáilte Ireland’s Conference Ambassador Programme at www.meetinireland.com

FÁILTE FOCUS

€1.8m has been allocated to 23 key national festivals and events Funding will ensure visitor growth throughout the country in 2016

Minister of State for Tourism & Sport Michael Ring TD recently announced that funding of just over €1.8m has been allocated to 23 key national festivals and events by Fáilte Ireland, under its 2016 National Festivals and Events Programme.

This is the first phase of national funding with a second phase to be announced in February. Each of these events has significant international appeal and will take place during 2016.

Minister Ring explained the significance of such funding: “Festivals and events are the essence of tourism and are very often what drives visitors to choose to come to Ireland. To guarantee that we will have a rich variety of spectacle and experiences throughout the country, and particularly to generate activity offseason, I am pleased to announce that almost €2million will be used to ensure there is plenty for visitors to enjoy in Ireland in 2016.

“This funding will play a significant part in growing tourism over the next 12 months and, additionally, I look forward to being in a position to announce another round of funding for smaller and regional festivals in the near future.”

The approved festivals being funded by Fáilte Ireland under its National Programme for Festivals and Events includes: • St Patrick’s Festival €1m • Dublin Horse Show €125,000 • Wexford Festival Opera €110,000 • Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann €100,000 • Tradfest €50,000 • Cork International Choral Festival €50,000 • West Cork Chamber Music & Literary Festival €50,000 • Sea Sessions €40,000 • Rory Gallagher International Tribute Festival €40,000 • Earagail Arts Festival €35,000 • Ireland BikeFest €30,000 • Bloomsday €25,000 • City Spectacular €25,000 • Rock n Roll, Dublin Half Marathon €20,000 • Galway Film Fleadh €20,000 • Listowel Writers Week €20,000 • Waterford Spraoi €15,000 • Dublin International Film Festival €10,000 • Tattersalls International Horse Trials & Country Fair €10,000 • Donegal Rally €10,000 • Challenge Galway €10,000 • Cúirt International Festival of Literature €10,000 • European & World DTL C’Ship €5,000

As well as attracting visitors, festivals are important in terms of generating employment and community engagement.

The objective of Fáilte Ireland’s 2016 National Festivals Programme is to drive growth from key overseas markets through compelling experiences that are attractive to our target audiences and to generate additional overseas visitors across the country and across the calendar year.

Shaun Quinn, CEO of Fáilte Ireland, stressed the importance of festivals for Ireland and the tourism sector: “While recent tourism performance from overseas markets has been encouraging, we are determined to build on this momentum to drive and sustain economic growth.

Ensuring that Ireland is offering compelling reasons for overseas visitors to choose Ireland, our festivals offering plays an important role in achieving this and guarantees that we have a full menu of things to see and do for tourists.

“The Festivals we are supporting today will provide the backbone to this year’s tourism event calendar and add to our ability to grow overseas visitors and revenue.”

Find out more about Fáilte Ireland’s National Festival Programme at www.failteireland.ie/festivals

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SKILLS SHORTAGE

Pay them, train them, respect them Frank Corr has a solution to the skills shortage The report of the Government’s Expert Group on Future Skills Needs is welcome and timely.

Following six years of recession, the hospitality industry is back on a growth curve and employers are finding it difficult to recruit staff. Their response has been predictable- a campaign to introduce more State-funded training and protests about the decision to raise the Minimum Wage.

A decline in the numbers being trained for the sector has been obvious for some time following Failte Ireland’s withdrawal from direct training, although the Tourism Development Authority does continue to fund some 15,000 college hospitalityrelated places every year. The new industrial training body SOLAS has also promised a new apprenticeship scheme for chefs, but it has yet to materialse and meanwhile the chef shortage grows more severe.

If the industy is to come to terms with labour market conditions, it must first realise that it exists in an economy which is once again growing rapidly and in which unemployment is falling an an equal pace.

It is also enedavouring to hire and retain staff from a labour pool which is better educated, more ambitious and more mobile than it was even seven years ago when the economy all but imploded. Every few days now, the media is reporting job creation in the private sector and even the most basic jobs being offered, in call centres or retailing, for instance, can be more attractive to young people than making beds or waiting on tables. If hospitality employers are to attract staff, therefore, they must be competitive in terms or pay, conditions and career opportunities.

The report of the Expert Group demonstrates clearly that this is not the case.

On the basic issue of pay the report says: “Average hourly earnings rates in the Hospitality sector are ranked at the lower end of the range of sectoral categories monitored by the CSO. Average hourly earnings declined in both the accommodation and the food and beverage services sectors from 2008 to 2014.”

In other words, the industry pays its employees poorly and will struggle to compete with even other low-pay

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employers in attracting staff. The report does not reveal just how many hotel and restaurant workers are on the Minimum Wage, but judging from the reaction of the RAI and IHF to increases in this floor wage, it is likely that there are many. In competing for staff, the industry must also now benchmark against the growing number of employers, including supermarkets, paying the ‘Living Wage’ of around €11.50 per hour. If this becomes a new ‘minimum’ as Joan Burton has suggested, the gap between existing hospitality pay and the ‘going rate’ will widen with an inevitable further loss of competitiveness.

Hospitality employers might manage to successfully maintain a low pay environment if they could offer working conditions which are exceptionally attractive. If, for instance, low pay at entry level was likely to lead to a well paid career, then young people might find that to be a worthwhile investment. The Expert Report finds however than the exit rate from the industry is high and that many employees see their catering jobs not as a career, but merely as a stop gap on the way to something more promising.

The Expert Group interviewed a cross section of industry stakeholders and found

SKILLS SHORTAGE

that they “related a number of common perceptions of the sector, including, for example, the idea that jobs in the sector are only a ‘stop-gap’ while studying and that working in hospitality is not considered by some as a viable career choice.

There is also a societal and family focus on CAO points and getting a third-level education and some peer pressure to pursue non-hospitality careers. This is influenced by parental judgement and by the advice of some school guidance counsellors.”

Coupled with the finding in the report that only 60% of hospitality employees work full time (compared to 77% in the wider economy), the inevitable conclusion of the report is that hospitaity has a poor image as an employer and does not enjoy the confidence of key motivators such as parents and career guidance teachers.

It is worth considering why this is so. As the report points out: “It is important to recognise that the sector provides employment opportunities for a range of skills.

This includes skilled professionals and entrepreneurs, people with high levels of customer service and customer-facing skills, and technical skills in areas such as marketing, accountancy and specialist services, as well as junior entry-level kitchen and front-of-house staff.”

This is indeed the case and many employees do in fact enjoy good pay and conditions- so why is the brand image of the sector so poor ?

An initial answer may exist in the finding that 40% of all catering industry employees work part-time compared to 29% in the wider economy. As part timers are less likely to see their jobs as a career, this very probably reflects on the over image of the sector as an employer. Hospitality also employs more non-nationals (31%) than industry generally (15%) and while it would be difficult to quantify the impact of this statistic on overall image, it certainly should not be ignored.

Equally interesting is the finding in the report that there is ‘a significant number of skilled persons on the Live Register registered with Intreo employment services, who are seeking employment in hospitality occupations. The question must be asked why these are not being hired by hotels and restaurants reporting staff shortages.

The Expert Group identified high rates of exit/replacement among certain occupations in the sector, notably among waiters/waitresses and bar staff, at 25% and 20%, respectivel in contrast to the 4% reported for chefs. This is a telling statistic as it I dicates that while chefs tend to remain within the industry (and by implication see their jobs as a career), other categories, notably waiters and waitresses, do not. Tbhe report does not pursue this topic further, but it seems obvious that the de-skilling of dining room service and the demotion of waiters with carving and silver service skills, to mere plate carriers, must be a powerful factor.

The report says that “a challenge for the sector is the need to retain staff by providing appropriate education and training, and attractive career paths for individuals that wish to make hospitalitya long-term career choice.” That challenge

must include a return of real skills to the diningroom if the career of waiter is ever to be attractive again.

In interviews with the researchers compiling the report, the main reasons stated by stakeholders for the skill gaps in the Hospitality sector are insufficient numbers of people in Ireland with the appropriate training and the right level of experience. Also relevant are the relatively poor reputation and perception of the sector.

The report concludes: “…the reputation and perceptions of the sector should be improved based on systematic investment by business establishments in further skills development, enhanced HRM processes and other initiatives to further professionalise the sector and continue to build employee respect, loyalty and retention.

“In relation to training, some of the reasons suggested for skills gaps included an imbalance between academic and hands-on training, a need for basic and specialised practical skills, and for the provision of greater numbers of accessible and flexible continuing professional development, apprenticeship and career traineeship schemes.”

Fine words indeed, with a ring of truth to them. But in essence, if the hospitality sector wants to compete in a tight labour pool in the future, it must at least match pay rates in comparable employments, it must create a skill base that will offer long term attraction to trainees and it must create and maintain a culture within which staff are valued, appreciated and nurtured.

In other words - ‘Pay them, train them, nurture them’.

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45

MARINAS

Plain sailing?

Even though Fáilte Ireland makes strong use of the sea in the images created to entice people to come to our country, one of the huge holes in the tourism offer has been the lack of facilities to entice marine tourists.

We are a strangely anti-water island nation: We gave away (not, as is often argued, “negotiated away”) 92% of our territorial fishing rights as part of our accession to the EU; we have a very low ratio of competent swimmers; we have a low (but growing) appreciation of seafood; we have very low boat ownership rates (considerably less than that of our waveruling neighbours in the UK and one third of the rate of the French) and we’re not an island that welcomes the marine tourist.

There are more marina berths in North Wales than there are in the whole of Ireland.

Northern Ireland has more marina berths than we have in the Republic and there are more marina berths in one port in France (La Rochelle) than there are in the whole of Ireland. Little Holland has about 20 times the number of marinas that we have.

“The modern way that people go boating is to have an 80-kilometre gap between

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marinas,” says editor of Afloat magazine David O’Brien. “When you have that kind of set-up, it encourages tourist sailors to have day sails between destinations. You have to make it easy for people to come here: It’s the sea-based equivalent of people coming to a town and finding no hotel for them to stay. Look at Greystones Marina, for example: it started three or four years ago and it’s now nearly full because there is a demand for this - even in recession.”

The Royal Cork Yacht Club has a 200-berth marina in Crosshaven. On the back of their own promotional activity in the UK, they now have a growing list of British clients who base their yachts in Cork because they find that it’s cheaper to do so than having their boat on, say, the South Coast of England. With the direct flight connections, the time involved in accessing their boat is often the same.

While there are plenty of initiatives from existing marinas to get more people to take berths in their facilities, marine tourism seems to be well down on the list of priorities for our national tourism authorities.

“Ireland as a destination for sailing and leisure boating has not been extensively promoted by Tourism Ireland,” says Mark McAuley of the Irish Marine Federation.

“It’s a shame because there have been a lot of improvements to marina facilities in recent years.”

“Where were they at Boot Düsseldorf (the Internationale Bootausstellung Düsseldorf; one of the world’s premier boat shows)? At the London Boat Show?” asks O’Brien of two major boat shows held at the end of January this year, saying that Tourism Ireland doesn’t even make serious attempts to market the underdeveloped product that we do have to offer.

Surveys have consistently shown the strong knock-on values that marinas have on the local coastal communities. For every euro spent on berthing fees of a visiting vessel, it’s estimated that ten times that figure is spent in local businesses from chandler services to cafes, pubs, restaurants and supermarkets or other local tourism facilities.

MARINAS In other words, marine tourists are the very kind of high-yield tourists that Fáilte Ireland have been bending over backwards to entice for several decades now.

Fáilte Ireland’s own research tells a somewhat different tale, however. They are not convinced that overseas marine tourists want to come to Ireland and even for those that do, facilities such as marinas are low on their list of priorities.

“For us, we have to ask questions like ‘Where is the demand?’ and ‘What is the product that people are looking for?’” says Mary Stack, Manager of Investment and Innovations at Fáilte Ireland.

They polled sailors in France, the UK and Ireland in a market research survey carried out in 2014. The answers that came back suggested that their primary preferences were for warm sunny climates. Sailing to Ireland didn’t figure high on their wish-list and for those that were thinking of coming, they didn’t seem to care whether there was a good marina structure or not.

“It was mostly from the home market that there was any wish for a better marina structure,” says Mary, “but there was evidence of interest from people wanting to sail in Ireland once they got here by other means.”

Yacht charter business in Ireland is underdeveloped not only because of the lack of marina facilities but also because we happen to have some of the most restrictive passenger boat licensing laws in Europe.

Of course, it’s not everyone that wants to sail in the Mediterranean and many of our competitor countries have a much better developed marine tourism product on offer. But when it comes to priorities, the result of that 2014 survey convinced Fáilte Ireland that there was better potential to be found in other “softer” activities, such as walking and cycling.

The economic arguments for a marina are still strong: As well as bringing highyield tourists to an area (from both home and abroad), they spawn multiple smaller industries to service those who use the facility - from boat repair businesses to

sailing schools and the all the normal service industries too. These are all jobs that stay in the coastal community, enhance the local tourism product and which cannot up sticks and leave like a taxavoiding foreign multinational.

One of the largest obstacles is the Foreshore Act of 1933. This makes planning regulations on the water fraught with obscurity and uncertainty. Perhaps there is simply nothing much that Fáilte Ireland can do under the circumstances?

Maybe they should put their chips on prospects with a better chance of return?

“They should hatch a plan,” says O’Brien, “just like they hatched for the Wild Atlantic Way - for Maritime Ireland so that people can see the benefits coming to Ireland and having a maritime aspect to their holiday.

“We’re on the 20th biggest island in the world - it makes sense to have some kind of maritime dimension to the holiday experience. It’s one of our unique selling points. We shouldn’t be ignoring it, we should be embracing it.”

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FOODSERVICES

Winning talent and the best in the foodservice business The Irish Foodservice Suppliers Association (IFSA) success story, Food & Bev Live, came to Citywest Events Centre on 16th and 17th February and for those in attendance, it proved to be a hugely valuable experience.

Brought to you by the organisers of Catex, over 2,150 visitors attended which exceeded all expectations and it proved once again how buoyant this industry is.

For those who work in the hospitality industry or for students eager to get a head start, Food & Bev Live was the place to be.

One hundred exhibitors reaped the benefits as they had the opportunity to meet many industry professionals, while visitors accessed the latest innovations, services, products, upcoming trends and learn about what really matters to customers.

Larry Smith, Chairman IFSA: “We were delighted with the quality of exhibitor and the attendance figures demonstrate what an exciting industry this is. There was a great buzz for the two-day event and both visitors and exhibitors benefitted greatly whether it was learning about a new trend, sampling the latest products or gaining extra business. This event provides a platform for foodservice excellence and proves that when people come together, business is conducted and industry positivity is created. As the industry continues to grow over the course of 2016, we are really looking forward to the next big event in the hospitality calendar.”

Top Class Talent Food & Bev 2016 is also the only event in the calendar which features the National Skills Finals and there was huge excitement for the various championships.

• National Barista Championships is organised by the Irish Chapter of the Speciality Coffee Association of Europe, SCAE Ireland.

Six of the best baristas from around the country took part but there was only one winner...Natalia Piotrowska! Natalia, of Coffee Consultancy Events, was also the 2015 Irish Barista Champion. Natalia will have the honour of representing Ireland in the World Barista Championships in Dublin’s RDS at the World of Coffee in June 2016.

• Brewers Cup - also organised by SCAE Ireland, took place on Feb 17th and out of thirteen entrants, the overall winner was Rashel Winn will also have the honour of competing in the World Brewer’s Cup in Dublin’s RDS at the World of Coffee in June 2016.

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• Chef Ireland Culinary Competition, organised by the Panel of Chefs of Ireland, was another highly anticipated event and the standard was high.

There was a great turn out of chefs from all over the country competing to win the coveted Aramark Chef of the Year Competition and Stephen McDonnall, Head Chef of Allianz, was thrilled to be announced the overall winner. Stephen will represent Ireland on the National Culinary Team for the Culinary World Cup in 2017

FOODSERVICES The Best of the Rest • The launch of Chef Network Also at the event, IFSA launched Chef Network a new and exciting initiative connecting the 25,000-plus chefs working and studying in Ireland. An inclusive new professional network for Ireland’s chef community, Chef Network brings chefs from all sectors on the island of Ireland, at all stages of their careers, together to communicate, collaborate, share and innovate.

• Euro-toques Live Stage Following on from the success of the Eurotoques area within CATEX 2015 and the feedback from the many chefs who sat in on both demonstrations and master classes, Euro-toques and IFSA repeated this unique culinary information exchange for Food & Bev Live 2016. Some of the chefs who took part included Eric Heiling, Kevin O’Toole, John Fitzmaurice, Robbie Krawczyk, Barry Liscombe, Bryan McCarthy, Katie Lawlor and Cooks Academy Cookery School.

Sean Martin, Sales Director of Bunzl McLaughlin said: “Bunzl McLaughlin was again delighted to come on board to sponsor Food & Bev Live 2016. We are a committed member of IFSA and we believe that our role is to stimulate the hospitality industry and support foodservice operators in every way we can. Events like Food & Bev Live, provide a great platform to source new products, meet suppliers and showcase skills and this is the reason we have been involved in Food & Bev Live since its inception in 2012. It’s a very exciting event for the community and we are proud to see it grow into one of Ireland’s best foodservice events.”

Keep an eye out for upcoming details for CATEX 2017! www.catexexhibition.com

• Contract Caterers Competition, also organised by the Panel of Chefs of Ireland, witnessed the best in the contract catering business take part for the honour of winning this covetable accolade. The Mount Charles Group came out on top!

• Irish Cocktail Championships organised by the Bartenders Association of Ireland, also took place at Food & Bev Live. These championships are the best opportunity in Ireland for bartenders to demonstrate their cocktail making skills and their creations were second to none. The overall winner was Ariel Sanecki of the Cliffhouse Hotel, Waterford, who will compete at the World Cocktail Championships taking place in Tokyo later this year.

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49

LINKED FINANCE

Crowd-funding success for Cornucopia Restaurant

Dublin’s Cornucopia Restaurant is one of the latest in a series of Irish food businesses to successfully use crowd funding to expand its business. The popular vegetarian and wholefood restaurant recently secured a €50,000 loan through Linked Finance to invest in two projects aimed at growing sales and brand loyalty.

Founded in 1986, the 120-seat restaurant has become part of the fabric of Dublin, having served over 5.5 million customers to date. Cornucopia produces home-cooked vegetarian and vegan friendly food seven days per week, catering for increasing numbers of health-conscious customers.

Linked Finance, Ireland’s leading peer-topeer crowd lending platform, offered Cornucopia the perfect platform to raise finance for its planned expansion. The company brings SMEs together with members of the public who are looking to lend to businesses at a competitive interest rate return. With over 10,000 members registered to lend on the platform, the company is projected to reach €250m in lending over the next two years.

Cornucopia’s first project involves the renovation of the restaurant’s self-service food area, providing improved ease-ofservice while significantly reducing the queuing during peak lunch and dinner times.

Part of the funding is being used to purchase of a newly designed service counter including hot holding counter, soup Bain Marie, salad serve over and digital display blackboards - all designed to enhance the customer/guest experience.

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The remainder of the funding is being used to develop a range of cold press juices using HPP (High Pressure Process) technology to produce a nutritious, highquality product with a shelf life of over four weeks. The juices are being sold through a new food company called “Food For Living Life Limited”, (www.foodforlivinglife.ie) set up specifically to develop a range of healthy retail products under the Cornucopia brand - bringing together a team of highly talented individuals who are passionate about health and well-being.

Deirdre McCafferty, owner of Cornucopia, says: “We’re experiencing a significant increase in demand for our food produce as people become more conscious about healthy eating and living. Thanks to our large and loyal customer base, we now have the opportunity to invest further in our restaurant experience and develop a new range of healthy retail products under the Cornucopia brand. It’s a very exciting time for our business and we’re delighted to have raised funding for our expansion in a way that brings so many people on board as partners in our growing success.”

Commenting on the rapid growth of peer-to-peer funding in Ireland, Peter O’Mahony, CEO of Linked Finance, said that the model provides an attractive funding option for businesses that are growing and seeking to take advantage of opportunities in their markets. Businesses from across all 26 counties have successfully secured loans through Linked Finance lenders.

Mr O’Mahony states: “There is very strong appetite among lenders on our platform to provide finance to SMEs that are growing and in need of working capital. We’re now looking at facilitating a further €10m in business loans this year, which is a fantastic position to be in. It’s an indication of the phenomenal response we’ve received both from SMEs looking for additional capital and lenders looking for investment opportunities to maximise returns,” states Mr O’Mahony.

Commenting on the success of the company’s lending platform, Mr O’Mahony says: “SMEs are finding that traditional banks are slow to respond to their needs and are therefore increasingly exploring other options for finance, such as peer-topeer lending. An added attraction is that lenders and borrowers become partners it’s often the case that a number of lenders will already be customers of a business and will have an active interest in their success.”

The type of borrower Linked Finance’s lenders seek to provide finance to are business in operation for two years or more, with a turnover of in excess of €100,000 and that are growing and in need of working capital. To date, the average loan value provided through the platform is €28,000, typically over a three year term.