Rubert Atkinson, Longueville Beverages, Rebecca O’Keeffe, Taste Cork, Joan Kelleher, North and West Cork LEO, Paul Sutton, Cork County Council ,and Sinead Hennessy, Failte Ireland.
Fáilte Ireland and Taste Cork have joined forces to encourage over 20 food operators in North Cork to tell their story and help them stand out in the international food tourism landscape. The workshop event, which was held at Longueville House, Mallow, addressed the growing expectations of visitors around food experiences, as well as providing tips on how to leverage Ireland’s Ancient East to promote and deliver a connected food offering. Food Destination expert Tina O’Dwyer led discussions for the day and brought her valuable development experience from the Burren Food Trail to the table.
Speaking at the event, Sinead Hennessy from the Food Tourism team in Fáilte Ireland said, “International visitors are placing greater emphasis than ever before on food when it comes to their overall holiday experience. This presents a great opportunity for local food operators to connect their offerings with the heritage and culture of a region.
“With visitors to Ireland spending some €2billion on food every year, it is our job as the tourism industry, to ensure we put our best foot forward when it comes to giving them the experiences they want.”
“Today’s networking workshop is all about exploring the current approach to Food Tourism in the North Cork area and how collective colla-boration can assist destinat-ions in gaining a competitive advantage.”
Rebecca O’Keeffe of Taste Cork commented: “Food tells a powerful story of the region. It connects locals and visitors alike with the culture and the history of the area, and lies at the heart of truly memorable experiences. For an area to establish itself on the food tourism map, collaboration is key. We are delighted to partner with Fáilte Ireland to help leverage the potential of North Cork as a food tourism destination.”