Putting the best of local food to the top of menu is one of the aims of the ‘Taste of Place' programme run by Fáilte Ireland for attractions on the Wild Atlantic Way.
PUTTING the best of local food to the top of menu is one of the aims of the ‘Taste of Place’ programme run by Fáilte Ireland for attractions on the Wild Atlantic Way.
As part of the programme, the National Tourism Development Authority this week held a workshop in the Good Things Café Cookery School in Skibbereen to highlight how providing visitors with locally-sourced food can drive revenue growth.
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.
It aims to support catering teams to deliver an authentic and quality food and beverage experience that is rooted in a place, by introducing more menu options that reflect the culinary traditions of a local area and sourcing ingredients from local suppliers.
Local particpants included the Mizen Head Visitor Centre, Clonakilty Distillery, Clonakilty Blackpudding, Allihies Mine Museum Copper Café and the Dzogchen Beara Buddhist Meditation Centre.
Sinead Hennessey, food tourism officer at Fáilte Ireland said: ‘Taste of Place is a certification programme that recognises tourism attractions that are committed to sourcing local Irish food and drink.
‘We can all accept that food is more important than ever as consumers continue to become more conscious around their choices. It is great to see so many visitor experiences capitalizing on this growing trend. Since its inception, Taste of Place has worked with over 70 visitor attractions all across our programmes including Ireland’s Ancient East to advance the local offering, making a significant impact on visitor satisfaction and revenue growth.’
