The National Tourism Development Authority in Ireland is hosting a series of nationwide workshops as part of ‘Taste of Place’ programme bringing together visitor centres, attractions and distilleries to highlight how providing visitors with locally sourced food can drive revenue growth.
The first of the workshops took place last month in the Tannery Dungarvan cookery school, Waterford. The second workshop took place on Oct 31 in the Airfield Estate, Dundrum with Distilleries from all over the country attending followed by the final workshop at the Good Things Café Cookery School in Skibbereen from Tuesday, 6th November until Thursday, 8th November next.
“Taste of Place is a certification programme that recognizes tourism attractions that are committed to sourcing local Irish food and drink… Since its inception, Taste of Place has worked with over 70 visitor attractions all across Ireland to advance the local offering, making a significant impact on visitor satisfaction and revenue growth,” Sinead Hennessey, Food Tourism Officer at National Tourism Development Authority said.
The programme includes an introduction to how food motivates the visitor with participants discovering the latest in tourist trends and culinary concepts together with best practice examples of where local authentic food offerings drive revenue growth in business and enhance value perception. They will also get a variety of cookery demonstrations from industry leaders and take part in working sessions to inspire change and deliver a renewed food and beverage offering.
Food and beverages are integral to the overall tourism experience in Ireland. National Tourism Development Authority research shows that 80% of visitors believe it is an important part of their visit and has a significant impact on their overall satisfaction levels in a destination.
