Hotplate - May 2023

May

2023 HOUSEKEEPING AND RECEPTIONIST AWARDS PLUS

TASTE OF TOURISM PHOTOS

MEMBER NEWS

REVALUING TOURISM AND MORE

AWARDS ISSUE WITH WINNERS AND PHOTOS

RECEPTIONIST AWARDS HOUSEKEEPING AWARDS

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

It’s difficult to believe that summer is here after a challenging winter of record inflation and an energy crisis; hopefully there is a busy and profitable season ahead for our local hotels and accommodation businesses. Reports suggest strong interest in visiting Northern Ireland from international visitors, a strong forecast for those coming from GB and a resilient staycation sector.

The Federation has returned to its normal calendar of events including the Housekeeping and Receptionist awards each of which were well supported with an excellent entry. The process is an arduous one and I was delighted to attend both award nights. Congratulations not only to the worthy winners but to all who entered and to the businesses that supported them. In an industry that is all about people, it was great to be able to celebrate our people, recognise the difference they make and highlight the best in the sector.

hoteliers, those in food service and artisan suppliers looking at trends, sustainability and showcasing the growing range of fantastic local produce. Guest Chef, Jack Stein who created a fantastic dinner for Taste of Tourism highlighted the similarities of his native Cornwall and Northern Ireland giving an entertaining account of running restaurants, the role they play in the local economy and thoughts on the future of the industry. I think I can speak for everyone one when I say that we were delighted to be back in person at the Culloden Estate and Spa to enjoy a vegan influenced menu and an inspiring conference programme. I’d like to my thanks all those who attended especially the sponsors and speakers who after a four-year break added to the collaborative and inclusive nature of the event.

EDDIE MCKEEVER President

THE RISING STAR AWARDS WILL BE LAUNCHED LATER THIS YEAR AND AWARDED AT HOSPITALITY EXCHANGE 2023.

ECONOMICS

P. 21

LEGAL UPDATE

P. 22

The Business Outlook Seminar highlighted the value of the sector, future hotels pipeline and expansion as well as an insight into the new promotional campaign from Tourism Ireland featuring the Derry Girls. Taste of Tourism brought together

We will launch Hospitality Exchange 2023 at our member networking lunch on 25th May at the Crowne Plaza. I am delighted that our events have been so well supported this year and realise the commitment that this requires from our members. The Federation continues to work with government, local agencies and the wider hospitality sector to create a better business climate for members and is working in collaboration with others to address

HOSPITALITY EXCHANGE

HOTPLATE

Northern Ireland Hotels Federation

The McCune Building, 1 Shore Road

Belfast BT15 3PG

Tel: 028 9077 6635 Web: nihf.co.uk

Email: office@nihf.co.uk

The Federation has announced the dates for Hospitality Exchange 2023. The leading conference for everyone in hospitality will take place on Tuesday 17th and Wednesday 18th October 2023 in the Crowne Plaza Belfast.

issues on skills, recruitment and costs. If you have a specific issue or would like NIHF to look at something that is a challenge for your business, please do not hesitate to reach out to the office team on 028 9077 6635 or email office@nihf.co.uk and they will be happy to assist.

HUNDREDS TURNED OUT TO THE WATERFOOT HOTEL FOR THE GALA AWARDS.

Celebrations and refurbishments from members across the country.

Photos from the Federation’s food and drink event in the Culloden Estate & Spa.

AN EXCITING NIGHT IN THE TITANIC HOTEL

New hotel legislation from McKee’s.

Andrew Webb on revaluing the industry and the importance of measuring accurately.

REVALUATION OF TOURISM INDUSTRY IS NEEDED

The hotel industry in Northern Ireland has invested over £1bn across two decades in new builds, expansion, and refurbishment of existing properties.

Pre-pandemic, there was a healthy pipeline in place which suggested that bed stock would have reached over 10,000 rooms by 2021. But expansion has stalled with limited openings in 2023. There are currently 9,423 bedrooms and a 2% increase in bedrooms is anticipated with The Ebrington Hotel, Derry/ Londonderry opening its first phase of 91 rooms in the summer and Room2 entering the market in Belfast with an estimated 175 rooms.

There are likely to be limited openings in 2024 with the possibility of increased activity in 2025. While over fifty projects are under consideration, not all of these

SKILLS SURVEY

HIGHLIGHTS STAFF SHORTAGES

In May 2023, the Federation surveyed members on their current job vacancies and the challenges of recruitment. 100% of respondents had at least one vacancy: a worrying situation heightened by the approach of a busy summer season.

Fully staffed the sector supports 10,000 jobs. The results of this latest survey suggests that there are 1,000 unfilled roles in Northern Ireland’s 141 hotels, 10% of direct hotel employment.

Chefs are the most hard-to-fill role with 75% of respondents requiring chefs, ranging from the executive level and specialist pastry services to commis and everything

will come to market.

In 2019, the industry was understood to have broken the £1bn barrier in terms of visitor spend. However, many within the sector believe that the true value of the industry is much higher and needs to be re-assessed using a more robust process.

An exploratory piece of work unveiled at the Business Outlook in March suggests that the sector could be worth over £3.5bn. Andrew Webb, Chief Economist (Ireland) at Grant Thornton, extrapolated figures using Tourism Satellite Accounts (TSA) as a base. This methodology was last used in 2003. The TSA process is much more rigorous than the current system as it considers the wider indirect benefits the sector brings. It also considers the benefits to over 120 different sectors including retail,

in between. KPs, F&B staff and housekeepers also feature as roles that are proving difficult to fill along with spa therapists, green keepers, and heads of department.

A third of respondents had looked at recruiting from overseas but highlighted the considerable cost, paperwork and length of the process as concerns. For those who have not gone down this route, the visa process, sponsor licencing and the level of bureaucracy were stated as reasons not to proceed. The lack of roles on the shortage occupation list and the limits imposed by Brexit are exacerbating a difficult situation and could impact on the industry’s ability to service potentially high levels of business in the coming months.

The Federation will be submitting this evidence to the consultation run by the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) and calling for more assistance for hotel staffing.

JANICE GAULT Chief Executive

transport, and construction.

If the industry is to be recognised, it is imperative that we have the correct baseline supported by timely and credible data. A recalibration for 2019 using TSAs as a basis shows the sector supporting 5% of the Northern Ireland economy that year.

In the future, using revised and revolutionised data would see tourism elevated and being recognised as one of the major contributors to the Northern Ireland Economy and a real force to be reckoned with.

Andrew Webb explores this further in his own article on page 21.

100% OF HOTELS HAVE MORE THAN ONE VACANCY 75% REQUIRE CHEFS

1000 CURRENT VACANCIES

25% NEED HOUSEKEEPERS

E x c e l R e c r u i t m e n t , h a v i n g o p e n e d i t ' s B e l f a s t O f f i c e i n t h e s u m m e r o f 2 0 2 2 , a r e d e l i g h t e d t o i n t r o d u c e o u r s e l v e s t o t h e N o r t h e r n I r e l a n d H o t e l s F e d e r a t i o n a n d y o u t h e f e d e r a t i o n m e m b e r s

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Chefs/Cooks of all levels, Kitchen Porters, Catering Assistants Events Staff, Bar/Waiting Staff

For all areas of Northern Ireland, supplying staff on a temporary or

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FEDERATION GOLF DAY

GALGORM

WINNING TEAM.

» The winning team in the Texas Scramble competition was Bishop’s Gate with JP McCafferty, Michael O’Neill, Michael O’Hara and Joe McCafferty.

The event was held at the Hilton Templepatrick and was very well supported by trade and hotel members.

Members kindly donated 18 superb ballot prizes in aid of Aware. We will update the amount raised on our social media soon.

»Galgorm Collection has become the first hospitality group on the island of Ireland to achieve official Great Place to Work certification across its entire portfolio of hotels and restaurants.

NIHF MEMBER NEWS

» The team from Lough Erne Resort took third place. Playing were Barry McCauley, Roy Cathcart, Billy Reynolds and David Wilson.

RIVERSIDE HOTEL COLERAINE

The Riverside Hotel Coleraine was officially opened by Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, Councillor Ivor Wallace. The hotel, which is located at the Riverside Retail Park in Coleraine, was acquired by Andras Hotels at the start of the year and has undergone a refurbishment and rebrand as the Riverside Hotel.

SUPPORTED BY ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM

Director of Andras Hotels, Rajesh Rana, said: ‘It is great to be opening a hotel in Causeway Coast and Glens area after such a long period of being solely Belfast-based. This opening marks the start of a major investment by our company in the north coast, which is the epicentre of tourism in Northern Ireland’.

KILLYHEVLIN HOTEL

The Killyhevlin Hotel has announced plans for the addition of 12 new luxurious self-catering Lakeview Studios following a £1.6m investment and the creation of 10 new jobs.

The new Studios at Killyhevlin Hotel, which currently comprises 71 guestrooms and 20 two bedroom self-catering lodges, are due to open in July. They have been designed specifically for couples looking for a luxury self-catering experience on the edge of Lough Erne with the added benefits of the adjacent hotel facilities.

Each one bedroom studio will boast large, front-facing glazing to maximise the stunning views, an open plan fully equipped kitchen, lounge area, bathroom and air-conditioning.

BUSHMILLS INN

The Bushmills Inn is celebrating after being crowned the winner of this year’s Food Lovers Choice Award for Northern Ireland in the 2023 Good Food Ireland Awards.

The winners were announced at a business lunch at The K Club, attended by Guest of Honour Simon Coveney, T.D., and some 300 guests including Irish and international chefs, buyers, food and drink writers, media and industry leaders.

Executive Chef, Gordon Mcgladdery said, “We are absolutely delighted to win this award as it is testament to the fact that we are so proud to endorse and promote the values of using local fresh produce.”

2ND PLACE (LEFT).

» Hastings and Drinksology Kirker Greer took the runner-up position featuring players, Stephen Meldrum, Neil Devlin, Niall Burns and Matthew Murtagh.

3RD PLACE (BELOW).

WINNERS ANNOUNCED AT GLITTERING DINNER

The winners of the 2023 Receptionist Awards have been revealed. After months of deliberation, the awards were announced by compere, Diona Doherty, at a glittering awards ceremony on 26th April in the Waterfoot Hotel.

The winner of the team category is determined by a mystery shopping process, while individuals competing for the receptionist of the year titles have to participate in a series of challenges set by Life Adventure company.

The winner of the ‘Reception Team of the Year’ was Crowne Plaza Belfast. Leonardo Hotel Belfast scooped the runner up prize and Killeavy Castle Estate in Newry was awarded third place.

Meanwhile, the winner of the ‘Most Promising Receptionist’ category was Tadhgán McCullough from Fitzwilliam Hotel Belfast. The runner-up was Stephanie Lowry from Killeavy Castle Estate and Sarah McCorry from Crowne Plaza Belfast was awarded third place.

The ‘Receptionist of the Year’ award went to Robyn McGarrigle from Bishop’s Gate Hotel in DerryLondonderry. The runner-up was Robyn MillarWilson from Crowne Plaza Belfast and third place went to Victoria Morrison from Killeavy Castle Estate.

The Receptionist Awards are supported by

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MORE MEMBER NEWS

The Savoy Hotel Limerick, CO. Limerick

The Ashley Court Hotel Cork, CO. Cork

VINCIS HOTEL

Da Vinci’s is the only “Dog Friendly” hotel based in the city of Derry/ Londonderry. Each dog receives a goodie bag when they check in and a one-off fee of £25 is required for the full duration of their stay, which is required for a deep clean of the bedroom after guest’s check-out. The hotel has dog exempt bedrooms to accommodate guests that may have allergies or who may not wish to stay in a room where a dog has stayed previously.

Dogs are permitted in their owner’s bedroom, hotel lobby and outdoor patio area but they are not allowed in the hotel’s bar and restaurant. Da Vinci’s welcomes a maximum of 2 dogs per allocated bedroom and all dogs staying at the hotel must be trained and well behaved.

The Merchant Hotel has launched their volume five cocktail book. This exclusive collection of 20 drinks aims to capture the zeitgeist of the cocktail scene, showcasing timeless favourites, Merchant signatures and innovative originals. Guests will notice familiar icons such as the Martini, French 75 and Mai Tai nestled comfortably beside the Champagne Negroni, Melancholy Punch and An Púca.

While aiming to provide a first-class experience for guests, the Cocktail Bar also remains mindful of the impact on the local and global environment by building a more sustainable offering. Each element of the drinks crafted here in the new cocktail book has a purpose; nothing is wasted. The garnishes, if present, are edible or a by-product of another drink.

INN

The Old Inn, Crawfordsburn, part of Galgorm Collection, has achieved AA 4-Star Silver status and been awarded a prestigious AA Rosette for Culinary Excellence 2023.

The latest accolade sees the group awarded AA Rosettes for Culinary Excellence across its entire portfolio of hotel restaurants including Fratelli Ristorante at Galgorm, Hunter’s Bar at The Rabbit Hotel & Retreat in Templepatrick - currently AA Hotel of the Year for Northern Ireland - and now its newest offering, the restaurant at The Old Inn.

The AA 4-Star Silver status was awarded based on the property’s high standards across hospitality, service and cleanliness, as well as the quality of its food and dining offering.

DA

OLD

MERCHANT HOTEL

The Wyatt Hotel, Westport CO.

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SHOWER-OVER-SHOWER

MAKE IT HERE

NEW CAREERS INITIATIVE TO GET MORE PEOPLE INTO EMPLOYMENT

A Tourism NI campaign aimed at encouraging more people to consider a career in the tourism and hospitality industry attracted more than 30,000 visits to its website in less than one month.

The `Make It Here’ multimedia programme was launched in a bid to build on ongoing initiatives by industry bodies to change perceptions of careers in the industry.

However, it will also ensure that the many benefits of working in the industry are understood. There were around 30,726 visits to the new website, makeyourcareer.co.uk, in March. Of these, more than 11,300 people proceeded on to the linked recruitment sites in search of jobs in the tourism and hospitality industry. While tourism accounts for one in every 12 jobs, the sector has faced a significant

skills shortage in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic. Research undertaken by Tourism NI last year found that recruitment and retention were the biggest challenges cited by employers in the industry, alongside the cost of doing business.

The `Make it Here’ hopes to address those perceptions and highlight the positive aspects of working in the industry. The campaign will target new entrants to the job market, career switchers and part time or seasonal workers, such as retirees considering a return to work.

The campaign is being led by Tourism NI and supported by key industry bodies such as Hospitality and Tourism Skills (HATS) network, Hospitality Ulster, Northern Ireland Hotels Federation, Northern Ireland Tourism Alliance, Springboard, Bus & Coach NI and a

range of employers.

Eimear Callaghan, Head of Experience & Industry Development, said: “The campaign was designed to start to change perceptions of careers in the tourism and hospitality sector, showing the great many benefits of working in the industry.

“Along with industry partners, we are looking forward to launching Phase Two which will feature targeted digital media and an improved toolkit to help tourism and hospitality businesses be better employers”.

EIMEAR CALLAGHAN Tourism NI

THE FIRST AWARDS OF THE YEAR WENT OFF IN STYLE AT TITANIC HOTEL BELFAST

The Federation celebrated the Housekeeping Awards at Titanic Hotel Belfast in March. Hosted by Barra Best, the event celebrated the winners and runners up, after another record breaking year of entries.

Hotels with under 50 Bedrooms

Winner: Killeavy Castle Estate (Newry)

Runner-up: The Harrison (Belfast)

Hotels with under 100 Bedrooms

Winner: The Merchant Hotel (Belfast)

Hotels with under 150 Bedrooms

Winner: Radisson Blu Belfast (Belfast)

Runner-Up: Titanic Hotel Belfast (Belfast)

Hotels with 150 Bedrooms and above

Winner: Leonardo Hotel Belfast

Runner-Up: AC Hotel by Marriott Belfast

Competition Supported by Category Sponsors

Additional Support from

MORE PHOTOS

»See lots more photos and the assessment video at nihf.co.uk.

We give hoteliers the confidence to achieve their boldest ambitions

NEW TERRACE

AC HOTEL BELFAST CELEBRATES 5TH BIRTHDAY AND OPENING OF A NEW SPACE

The AC Hotel by Marriott Belfast launched its waterfront hotel on Belfast’s Maritime Mile five years ago, and the hotel has marked the milestone by investing £300,000 into a new outdoor Terrace.

Speaking about the milestone and the opening of The Terrace, David Anderson, Divisional President - Aimbridge Hospitality EMEA, said:

“It’s fantastic to see the AC Hotel by Marriott Belfast’s impressive alfresco dining concept come to fruition. The Terrace’s waterfront location and outstanding views, coupled with its uniqueness in terms of what’s already on offer in Belfast’s city centre, means it’s a recipe for success.

Developing The Terrace is part of the continued investment by Belfast Harbour Commissioners into maintaining the excellent standards at the AC Hotel by Marriott Belfast, which was built to the highest specification just five years ago.

General Manager Paula Stuart added, “AC Hotel by Marriott Belfast enjoys a stunning riverside location on the Maritime Mile and we really wish to capitalise on this location with our unique outdoor Terrace.”

“I would like to thank our staff, all 94 of them, some of whom have been with us from the beginning. We look forward to seeing what the future brings.”

FUTURE TALENT

HASTINGS

HOTELS LAUNCHES 2023 MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME

13 Trainee and Assistant Managers from Hastings Hotels have been appointed to undertake the group’s Management Ambassador Programme which has been developed in association with the Ulster University.

Now in its ninth year, the

programme is based on the vision and values of Northern Ireland’s leading collection of hotels and gives participants the opportunity to obtain a Level 4 Accredited CPD qualification.

The Management Ambassador Programme aims to deepen the participants’ understanding

of the management of customer service and staff teams within the hospitality environment, develops understanding of the role of Key Performance Indicators across all operational areas and facilitates the continuous professional development of key management skills.

James McGinn, Managing Director of Hastings Hotels said: “As a group, we are very passionate about investing in our employees. The main aim of the Management Ambassador Programme is to support the continuous development of our managers as we know this helps with the success of their career and indeed the overall success of Hastings Hotels.”

After a four-year break, the Federation was delighted to run the Taste of Tourism Summit at the end of February.

Attendees at this year’s Summit had the pleasure of meeting pro chef and chef director across the Rick Stein restaurants, Jack Stein. Born in Cornwall, Jack is best known for a love of fresh, simple seafood and he sees many similarities between Cornwall and Northern Ireland.

Jack created a menu showcasing great local produce which ensured that the dinner was not only unique but seasonable and sustainable as well.

Popular writer and broadcaster, Stefan Gates, who is renowned for his love of quirky culinary quests and extraordinary food adventures outlined the key issues facing the global food community. He even brought some live creepy crawlies to show the delegates.

Founder and Chair of All-Ireland Sustainability, Danielle McCormick, discussed the impacts of food waste on businesses. The Hospitality and Food Sector (HaFS) across the UK and NI wastes approximately 1.1 million tonnes of food per year, costing the industry a shocking £3.2 billion each year, with 75% of that food being perfectly edible. Not only is this severely impacting the bottom line of businesses across the region but is releasing enough greenhouse gases (GHG) into the atmosphere that make it the third largest emitter of GHG after China and the US.

There were also presentations from award-winning journalist Joanna Blythman, top food blogger Niamh Shields, Slane Castle’s Carine Conyngham and head of sustainability at Frylite, Sally O’Kane.

Industry panellists on the day included chefs Andy Rea, Paula McIntyre and Suzie Lee, Causeway foodie Geri Martin, chef turned producer Paul Cunningham and tourism consultants Sharon Scott and Julie O’Brien.

The full-day event included a sumptuous breakfast and lunch as well as curated artisan food and drink at an Artisan Marketplace throughout the day. Delegates helped with the sustainability by filling their own bags of takeaway produce from the event displays at the end of the summit.

The Taste of Tourism Summit was supported by

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Webb Wonders

BIGGER THAN WE THOUGHT?

Size matters. We often hear of sectors pitching themselves as ‘fastest growing’ or noting their importance to the economy through their total GVA. Why does size matter? Simply, because government takes more notice of you if you are a major employer and contributing to their economic ambitions.

On that point, I think tourism is a sector that is bigger than is currently measured and it is time to rebuild the evidence to support that view. We already know that over the last two decades, hoteliers have invested over £1 billion in new and upgraded stock. The result is a vibrant, diverse industry which supports over 15,000 jobs with a direct payroll of around £250m in 2023.

Moving beyond hotels, current estimates suggest the whole tourism industry is worth about £1.2 billion. However, back in 2007 a report called ‘Tourism in the Northern Ireland Economy’ took a forensic approach to measuring the impact of tourism across the whole

economy. The approach, known as Tourism Satellite Accounts, was counting a total tourism spend of £1.3 billion.

So, that has got me thinking – despite some knowledge of the current size of the tourism industry, there must be more to it than we think.

My ambition is to complete a full re-run of the work that was done in 2007. For now, my economics team has been able to establish a good approximation of the 2007 approach using current data (annoyingly ‘current’ means 2019 with tourism data). On this basis, we believe total expenditure related to tourism in Northern Ireland could be £3.5 billion, more than double what it is being counted as.

As we are all painfully aware, the trading environment for tourism has been exceptionally difficult over the past couple of years. We don’t have the full picture of that due to the lag in data but what we do know is that the hotel sector returned to full trading in March 2022

and occupancy levels, which fell to 33% in 2020 were back up to 71.5% - rates that are slightly ahead of 2019 levels.

This should be a good news story for the sector but the energy crisis, wider inflation and ongoing staff shortages have made trading very challenging. It would be a mistake to think the industry has stagnated over the past three years. The NI Hotels Federation’s latest Hotel Market Report notes that there have been several high profile sales and, even with limited openings predicted for 2023, the sector will invest in the region of £100m over the course of the year between construction, sales, and refurbishments.

Despite the challenging trading environment, tourism and hospitality acts as one of our key economic drivers, and one that creates economic activity in every corner of Northern Ireland. It might even be considerably more of an economic driver than we thought.

ANDREW WEBB ON TOURISM’S GROWING IMPACT

LEGISLATION CHANGES

SUMMARY OF RECENT CHANGES TO HOTEL LAWS

There are two new legal developments for the hotel and wider hospitality sector.

Martyn’s Law – a new legislative framework also know as the “Protect Duty Bill”

This bill is aimed at protection for people against the threat posed by terrorist attacks in the UK. The proposed Bill would apply to hotels and other public premises specified in the Bill which include premises used for the sale of food or drink, as a nightclub, the provision of entertainment, as a sports ground and for recreation, exercise or leisure alongside others.

The Bill proposes a two-tier approach, which will consider the occupancy, location and the activities of the premises, with the possibility of designating premises as ‘standard duty premises’ or ‘enhanced duty premises’. Those hoteliers or other persons who are in control of the qualifying premises will be required to undertake activities such as training staff and providing security measures in order to improve security preparedness and processes to safeguard any public attending the qualifying premises. Further updates should become available as this Bill progresses.

The Licensing (Northern Ireland) Order 1996 - the final changes of this act have come into force. For the hotel and those in the serviced accommodation sector who are licensed, you can no longer include alcohol in any reward or loyalty programmes or schemes.

The new Article 57ZB prohibits

hoteliers and other license holders from operating a membership scheme which provides rewards to its members when purchasing intoxicating liquor and allows the members to redeem the rewards to reduce the price of intoxicating liquor or receive it free of charge. It does not apply to other areas where loyalty schemes may apply such as food, accommodation, spa treatments etc.

Hoteliers should be aware of the change, as it may require a change in the operation of their business. This prohibits all types of liquor licence holders from operating a membership scheme which provides rewards to its members when purchasing intoxicating liquor and allows the members to redeem the rewards to reduce the price of intoxicating liquor or receive it free of charge. This prohibits the award of points from the sale, or the redemption of points towards the purchase of intoxicating liquor in all licensed premises in Northern Ireland. Operating such a scheme carries a fine of up to £5,000 and conviction may affect your ability to renew your liquor licence.

If you have a loyalty scheme in your hotel or other licensed premises, you should take steps to ensure that it is compliant with the legislation. You should ensure that any loyalty scheme you offer does not allow the collection of points on the purchase of alcohol by customers, or the redemption of points for the purchase of alcohol by customers. Care should also be taken to ensure that you do not inadvertently breach the legislation by, for example, offering a type of package that includes alcohol and allows the

collection of points on the purchase, or the redemption of points against the purchase of it.

Any liquor with a strength not exceeding 0.5 per cent does not fall within the definition of “intoxicating liquor” in the legislation, and therefore points can still be collected and redeemed on such beverages. The legislation does not apply to soft drinks.

Loyalty schemes generally remain legal, but you must remove intoxicating liquor from the scheme entirely. Therefore, you may continue to offer a loyalty scheme on other services such as rooms, food, spa etc.

This latest update is very recent and we have not yet observed the enforcement of the prohibition on loyalty schemes. It is important that those hoteliers and operators of serviced accommodation seek legal advice where there are any doubts surrounding their existing or proposed loyalty schemes.

For further information on the legal services offered by McKees go to mckeeslaw.com or call 028 9023 2303.

LINUS MURRAY McKees

WE’RE HERE FOR YOU

The Federation exists for its members. We provide advice, help you market your business and train your staff.

We lobby governments on issues that affect you and speak up on things that are relevant to the largest sector of the tourism industry.