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Virtual Mission to Netherlands -Belgium

Tourism Ireland’s virtual sales mission in the Netherlands and Belgium kicked off this week, with twenty-two tourism businesses from Ireland set to take part over the next two netherlands1121 weeks.

Pictured (top l to r) are Eef Belckx and Alexandra O’Byrne, both Tourism Ireland; Terry O’Toole, Love Connemara Cottages; Jenny Hanna, The Green Holiday Cottages; (middle l-r) Shane Smyth, Portbeg Holiday Homes; Lauren Van Bever and Toon Teugels, both Galtic; Aoife Fee, Tourism Northern Ireland; (bottom l-r) Martina Canty and Karolette Mulligan, both Fáilte Ireland, during Tourism Ireland’s virtual sales mission in the Netherlands and Belgium.

The tourism companies from Ireland are engaging in a number of virtual ‘boardroom’ style sessions, to showcase and sell their product or experience to the influential Dutch and Belgian travel professionals. The aim of the sales mission is to highlight the many experiences and attractions on offer here to influential tour operators from the Netherlands and Belgium, to remind them about the many reasons for their clients to choose Ireland as their next holiday destination.

Blue Book adds Three

Ireland's Blue Book has added three new properties.

Cashel Palace Hotel in Tipperary, Browns Bonds Hill in Derry and private rental property, The Wicklow Escape in Wicklow were added, bringing to 59 the total number of properties in the collection.

.Incoming Blue Book chairperson Joe O’Flynn warmly welcomed the new additions

The five-star Cashel Palace Hotel, a regal manor dating back to 1732, is a luxury hideaway in the heart of Ireland. Spectacularly located by the Rock of Cashel in Co. Tipperary, Cashel Palace Hotel will offer elegant bedrooms, suites, perfectly pruned gardens, a world class Spa, exceptional dining, and a convivial Guinness Bar. Under meticulous restoration since 2017, Cashel Palace Hotel will proudly open its doors to guests in March 2022. Commenting on the inclusion in the collection, manager of Cashel Palace Hotel, Adriaan Bartels, says “As a previous member of the Blue Book the Cashel Palace is absolutely delighted to have the honour of being a member of this prestigious collection once again”.www.cashelpalacehotel.ie

Restaurants flock to QR

Almost half of restaurant and takeaway owners have adopted new technologies since the start of the pandemic, according to new research by Irish food ordering software qr1121 developer Flipdish.

44% of those businesses invested over €1,500 to do so.

The most popular technology adaptations were website ordering and QR code table ordering technology.

The research reveals that consumers are also in favour of restaurants and bars continuing to use such technologies after the pandemic.

70% of Irish adults surveyed said they would like pubs and restaurants to continue to offer QR code table ordering technology when Covid-19 restrictions are fully lifted.

Interestingly, 78% of females would prefer this technology remains, opposed to 60% of males.

Donnybrook Fair plans 120 jobs

Food retailer Donnybrook Fair is to create 120 jobs as part of a €8m investment and expansion strategy for the business. donnybrook1121

Donnybrook Fair is set to open its new flagship store at Dundrum Town Centre next month, which will employ about 70 people after a €4.5m investment in the new location.

The Dundrum store will join the company's five food stores at Donnybrook, Stillorgan, Malahide, Greystones and Baggot Street in Dublin city centre.

An additional €3.5m investment in its production facility - Donnybrook Fair Central Kitchen in Clondalkin in Co Dublin - will lead to the creation of a further 50 jobs at the company.

Donnybrook Fair was bought by Musgrave in 2018 and has recently launched its exclusive 'DF in SV' concept at a number of SuperValu stores as part of a significant expansion phase for the business.

Donnybrook Fair's Managing Director Des O'Mahony said that since the company's acquisition by Musgrave it has continued to grow.

Irish flying East for Christmas

Emirates Airline said that it has restored 90% of its network and is on track to reach 70% of pre-pandemic capacity by the end of 2021. emirates1121

Emirates also said that its Irish operation is gearing up for its busiest month since February 2020 and flights from Dublin to Dubai and onwards to eastern destinations are booking up fast for Christmas.

"Bookings for December have been brisk and we are almost at full capacity for the whole month of December and right into January," Enda Corneille, the airline's country manager for Ireland, said..

"While this would not have been unusual pre-2020, it's a significant boost to our operations in Dublin and indeed our sector, following a turbulent 20 months," he said.

It's heartening to finally be able to say, with some confidence, that the outlook for 2022 is positive," he added.