MINISTER FOR Tourism Leo Varadkar has assured those in the hotel and restaurant sector that the 9 per cent VAT rate applying to them would not change in 2012.
Speaking at the fifth annual conference of Good Food Ireland, a co-operative marketing body that promotes Irish produce and culinary tourism, the Minister also told attendees including chef Darina Allen and hotelier Jay Bourke that the budget would include "a number of stimulus measures, some of them targeted at the tourist sector that will be very beneficial."
Addressing the conference, Good Food Ireland founder Margaret Jeffares said the Government was starting to recognise that agriculture, food, fisheries and tourism were indigenous industries that must work better together.
"It's only when we understand as a chef or as the general manager of a hotel the story behind producers' food that we can actually sell it and add value to price."
Ms Jeffares said food producers and sellers had a responsibility "to tell the consumer what they are actually eating and what high quality it is as opposed to a competitor restaurant down the road that has a cheaper or inferior product".
She said the all-island marketing body whose 400 members include food producers, fishermen, eateries and food shops was working to "link agriculture, food and fisheries with tourism so that Irish food is marketed as a product just like golf".
Addressing the conference on the value of Irishness, marketing manager of the Irish Dairy Board, Kevin Friel told attendees, whether they owned a food brand, a cafe or a restaurant, to "spend time thinking about and crafting your brand story", and asked them "what can you tell consumers about your brand that's authentic, compelling, motivating and relevant?"
He warned them not to "make things up because your consumers will expose you. Understand your consumers and your brand."
Senator Feragal Quinn told attendees that using the Irish language made Superquinn, the supermarket chain he founded, different to its competitors.
He said: "I believe the Irish language gives us an advantage that we haven't always used and we can use more."
In his address, Irish Timeseditor Kevin O'Sullivan said Irish people "have an acute sense of food being core to their being, part of what we are, from history, to social engagement to the appreciation of a floury potato".
He told attendees the era was such that they "must consider value" and he said "you would do well to add imagination, culture and participation by your consumers". He said this was a rule that equally applied to him in terms of The Irish Times's audience and its readership.
Masterchef Irelandwinner Mary Carney said food "needs to do more than taste good, it also needs to tell a story. People want to connect to the food."
"The more information you provide to customers on producers and suppliers the better as it allows their imaginations to run wild" and create lasting food memories.
Ms Carney said, "more and more people like to brag about their international food experiences. We should tap into this phenomenon as our food really is worth bragging about."
