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FÁILTE IRELAND
Employer Excellence Awards
THE QUIET REINVENTION OF
A LANDMARK PROPERTY
The Fitzwilliam Hotel Retains It's
Five-Star Experience With a
People First Ethos
RAISING THE BAR
Food Photography Awards
LATEST NEWS
Latest trends & insights
MAY / JUNE ISSUE | 2025
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CONTENTS
Hotel and Restaurant Times
Contents
Editor's Note
Shedding light on Dublin Airport flights
Industry News
The latest updates shaping the
foodservice landscape
The Fitzwilliam
10
How One GM is Future-Proofing a
Dublin Icon
Fáilte Ireland
18
The annual Employer Excellence Awards
Michael Masterson
22
Nurturing the bastion of Irish hospitality
Tenderstem: Photography Awards
24
Tenderstem celebrates excellence at World
Photography Awards
IFSA News
28
Key developments and initiatives from
Ireland’s leading foodservice alliance
Hotel & Restaurant Times, Ireland's longest
established trade publication for the hospitality
industry, is circulated on subscription to Chief
Executives, Directors and Proprietors of Hotels and
Restaurants in Ireland, as well as Architects, Interior
Designers and Suppliers to the Hotel and Restaurant
Industry.
Managing Editor: Cyril McAree, 01 6285447
cyril@hotelandrestauranttimes.ie
Contributors: Pavel Barter, Conor Power, IFSA, Failte
Ireland, Tenderstem
Graphic Designer: Ger Sloyan, 085 2280692
hello@gersloyan.com, gersloyan.com
Hotel and Restaurant Times
EDITOR'S NOTE
Shedding light on Dublin
Airport night flights
The contentious issue around night flights in
and out of Dublin Airport rumbles on. Proposed
caps on the number of night flights at the airport
could reduce connectivity, employment, and
tourism. Lynne Embleton, Aer Lingus CEO, has
expressed concerns, warning that restrictions
could have significant negative impacts on
Ireland’s economy and reputation. A lobby group
called Digital Business Ireland recently outlined
that in excess of €10 billion in trade could be
lost as a result of a reduction in night time
flights. The scenario around night time fights has
been equated to the recent debacle at Holyhead
Port, which was damaged during a storm, and
the short-term impact it had on transportation of
goods on and off Ireland.
The issue is also a stark reminder of the need
to sort the 32 million passenger cap that is
restricting the Airport’s potential. Without
clarity on the night flights issue, the government
may be sleeping walking into a crisis that could
have major ramifications for the country.
The recent launch of Ireland Unrushed, Tourism
Ireland’s global campaign, is based on creditable
research. The campaign highlights journeys,
experiences in nature and in local communities,
and emanates from the tourism body’s discovery
that 80% of overseas visitors who choose non-
sun holidays want a sense of exploration from
their trips.
Alice Mansergh, Chief Executive of Tourism
Ireland, said: “We are excited to launch Ireland
Unrushed to inspire visitors to choose Ireland
this year for their travel. Research shows 80%
of visitors who choose non-sun holidays are
motivated by a desire to explore – whether
that’s getting out and about in nature, delving
into culture or meeting local people. 50% of
potential holidaymakers say they would spend
more on sustainable accommodation and
experiences, so there is a positive interest also in
enjoying destinations responsibly.”
She continued: “At Tourism Ireland, we’re
showcasing inspiring journeys around the island
of Ireland to win hearts, minds and trips. Ireland
Unrushed positions Ireland as the perfect place
to slow down, connect more deeply with people
and landscapes and refresh. When visitors
choose Ireland, dwell for longer and explore
more, the economic and community benefits of
tourism across the island are increased.”
The campaign highlights a combination of
offerings from our waterways, food tours, hiking
and train travel, spreading business throughout
the island and benefitting all involved in tourism.
The community-based nature of our industry
never fails to impress me.
People who I meet working in tourism have
a passion and a resilience not found in other
sectors. They have boundless energy and a
love for the business. Nothing fazes them;
every challenge is met with a “get up and go”
attitude and a belief we are all in this together.
All of them talk fluently about the extent of
opportunities offered by the sector.
Some people, however, believe our educators
don’t understand tourism or the hospitality
family. Certain segments of our education
system think of hospitality in terms of serving
or cooking food - they don’t seem to grasp
the myriads of activities that take place, from
sales and marketing to finance, technology to
HR. Sometimes we forget how others see us,
but those in hospitality know only too well the
importance of the work they undertake.
Hopefully the government’s positioning of
the tourism brief into Enterprise Tourism and
Employment will change this narrative. I salute
those that continue to work in the sector and
maintain the Céad Míle Fáilte approach that
makes such a contribution to Ireland.
INDUSTRY NEWS
Hotel and Restaurant Times
Industry
News
Big plans for Little Museum
The Little Museum of Dublin has been reopened
by Lord Mayor of Dublin Emma Blain following a
€4.3m redevelopment and restoration project.
The project represents a major investment in
Dublin’s cultural infrastructure with funding
provided by Fáilte Ireland, the Department of
Culture, Communications and Sport, Matheson
Foundation, and Tara’s Place Trust.
Situated in a Georgian townhouse at 15 St
Stephen’s Green owned by Dublin City Council,
the Little Museum of Dublin has new exhibition
spaces, an education centre, and the installation
of a lift to increase accessibility. Fáilte Ireland
estimates these upgrades will increase its
capacity from a current ceiling of 120,000
visitors per annum to over 215,000 by 2035,
generating an economic impact of €24.7million
over the next 10 years.
Rallying the community in
Westmeath
Retro Cannonball just took place in June in
Athlone, Co Westmeath, featuring 100 classic
cars and free family live entertainment. Dancing
with the Stars Judge Karen Byrne and her fiancé,
musician Jake Carter, joined forces with the
Jack and Jill Children’s Foundation to announce
its partnership with Retro Cannonball 2025.
The pair are delighted to lend their support to
the children’s charity and bring awareness to
its in-home nursing and respite care service: a
lifeline to over 400 families across Ireland. 69
children have been cared for by the charity in Co.
Westmeath since its inception in 1997.
Registration is now open for Cannonball Ireland,
a supercar event taking place on September 12-
15 this year. See www.cannonball.ie for details.
Go al fresco
The five-star InterContinental Dublin is bringing
back al fresco dining this summer on its
Garden Terrace with an Italian Amalfi Coast
twist in partnership with Malfy Gin. Executive
Chef Alberto Rossi and Executive Pastry Chef
Orna Larkin have created dishes and desserts
inspired by the Amalfi coastal resorts with their
colourful villages and dramatic scenery. The
Garden Terrace is open until September 30,
between 12.00PM and 10.00PM. See www.
intercontinentaldublin.ie
Hotel and Restaurant Times
INDUSTRY NEWS
Lough Erne Resort sets its clock to
Fermanagh Time
As Tourism Ireland launches its nationwide
Slow Tourism Month in June 2025, Lough Erne
Resort is leading the way with bespoke summer
experiences designed to help guests pause,
unplug, and immerse themselves in the slower
rhythm of the Fermanagh Lakelands (as locals
fondly call it, Fermanagh Time).
The Resort’s new Move To Our Rhythm package
(from £175 per night) includes a two-night stay
with breakfast served lakeside, access to the
Thai Spa, and a complimentary local Fermanagh
experience, featuring the area’s rich heritage,
natural beauty and cultural landmarks. Options
include exploring the Marble Arch Caves,
climbing the Stairway to Heaven, discovering
Enniskillen Castle and enjoying a guided visit
to Belleek Pottery or a leisurely walk and tour
at National Trust’s Florence Court Estate and
Gardens. To book or learn more, visit: www.
lougherneresort.com
From Check-In to Cheque In
Family-owned hospitality business McKeever Hotels has raised
£20,930 for the Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice as its Charity
of the Year Partner in 2024. McKeevers introduced a series
of charity initiatives, including a coffee fundraising drive that
donated 5p from every cup of coffee sold across its hotels. In
support of its sustainability strategy, McKeevers launched a Green
Rooms campaign which contributed £5 for every room that opted
out of daily housekeeping and raised over £10.6k for the charity
out of the total sum.
Pictured here are Eddie McKeever, McKeever Hotels Managing
Director, and Kelly Roulston, NI Hospice Corporate
Fundraising Manager.
GAA tops out new hotel at Croke
Park
The GAA and leading design and build
contractor, McAleer & Rushe, have celebrated
a key construction milestone with the topping
out of the new €40m Maldron Hotel at Croke
Park, Dublin. Marking the structural completion
of the development, the ceremony welcomed
over 50 guests and brought together key project
stakeholders. The 200-bedroom, four-star
hotel will feature high-end amenities, including
a business centre with five meeting rooms, a
state-of-the-art gym, and full-service bar and
restaurant, and is scheduled to open in 2026.
Pictured (l-r) are: Peter McKenna, Stadium
and Commercial Director, Croke Park; Seamus
McAleer, founder and chairman, McAleer &
Rushe; Jarlath Burns, President, GAA; Dermot
Crowley, Chief Executive Officer, Dalata; Eamonn
Laverty, Group Chief Executive, McAleer &
Rushe; Shane Casserly, Deputy Chief Executive
Officer, Dalata.
INDUSTRY NEWS
Hotel and Restaurant Times
Ireland Unrushed
Tourism Ireland has unveiled its new global
campaign Ireland Unrushed, encouraging visitors
to enjoy journeying around Ireland this summer
and beyond. Based on the insight that 80% of
overseas visitors who choose non-sun holidays
are seeking a sense of exploration on their trips,
the new campaign showcases enjoyable journeys,
highlighting experiences in nature and in local
communities. The campaign includes a series
of videos highlighting landscapes and ‘slow
tourism’ activities.
Ireland’s world-class golf to
the fore
Tourism Ireland – together with Ei Travel Group,
Green Golf Ball and The Causeway Hotel –
attended the 2025 KLM Open golf tournament
at The International golf club near Amsterdam.
One of the oldest international open golf
tournaments in Europe, the KLM Open attracts
thousands of spectators each year – providing
a platform to showcase Ireland’s golf offering
and inspire Dutch golfers to experience our top
courses. Tourism Ireland reminded Dutch golfers
The Open will return to Royal Portrush in July
2025. The Irish Open will take place at The K
Club in September and Adare Manor will host
the Ryder Cup in 2027.
Pictured are: Golf and tourism operators from
Ireland with Dutch golf journalists and travel
professionals at the 2025 KLM Open in the
Netherlands with Alison Crummy, Fáilte Ireland
(front, second right); Eef Belckx, Tourism Ireland
(front, right); and Aoife McGinn, Tourism NI
(back, fourth right).
Dalata makes a difference
Dalata Hotel Group has renewed its partnership
with three charities - The Marie Keating
Foundation, Leukaemia Care and Air Ambulance
Northern Ireland - for another three years
through to 2028. Since 2022, Dalata’s Difference
Makers, employee ambassadors, have helped
raise €903,180 for various charities.
Pictured are: Lylah O’Beirne, Director of
Development, Marie Keating Foundation; Lisa
McElwaine, Fundraising & Events Co-Ordinator,
Marie Keating Foundation; Shane Mulchrone.
Group Social Impact Manager, Dalata Hotel
Group; Colleen Milligan, Business Development
& Project Manager, Air Ambulance Northern
Ireland; Shane Casserly, Deputy Chief Executive
Officer, Dalata Hotel Group; Dermot Crowley,
Chief Executive Officer, Dalata Hotel Group;
Des McCann, Chief Operating Officer, Dalata
Hotel Group; Jayne O’Toole, Communications
Manager, Marie Keating Foundation; Colin
Dyer, Chief Executive Officer, Leukaemia Care;
Liz Yeates, Chief Executive Officer, Marie
Keating Foundation; Kerry Anderson – Head of
Fundraising, Air Ambulance Northern Ireland.
Hotel and Restaurant Times
INDUSTRY NEWS
Summer comes early to Cork and
Dublin airports
Dublin Airport has experienced its busiest May,
according to the DAA, with passenger numbers
up 4.5%. The airport set a new record with
three 120k passenger days during the month.
Cork Airport welcomed more than 330,000
passengers in May, 17% more than the same
month last year which makes it Cork Airport’s
busiest May on record. Cork is poised for further
growth following the announcement of a €200
million capital investment plan.
DAA “continues to do all it can to remove the
passenger cap through the planning system”.
The Authority welcomed recent comments by
Minister of Transport Darragh O’Brien “that he
expects to bring forward legislative proposals
to resolve the issue in the coming months, while
respecting the independence of the
planning process”.
Tourism activity up but spend falls
There was 77% average room occupancy in Irish
hotels for April of this year, compared to 74.5%
for the same month last year, according to a
report from the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF).
Meanwhile there was a 2% increase in bookings
for the first four months of 2025.
“From an industry perspective, this would
suggest that overall tourism activity continues
to hold up so far in 2025, despite the significant
difficulties faced by tourism and hospitality
businesses,” said Michael Magner, IHF President.
However, the IHF expressed concern “about the
overall drop in tourism spend which the CSO are
reporting for April, down 10% compared with
the same month last year.”
Mercantile returns in style
The Mercantile Hotel & Bar at 28 Dame Street
in the heart of Dublin, reopened its doors in
June, 2025, offering guests a blend of Georgian
elegance and contemporary Dublin charm in
an historic location. The hotel returns with
105 bedrooms, an increase of 77 rooms. New
features include two new bars with an all-
day dining and a cocktail forward menu, and
restaurant menu curated by celebrated chef
Stephen Gibson.
Room rates start from €150 per night for a
single room, €160 per night for a twin room and
€180 per night for a double.
Visit www.mercantilehotel.ie for more info.
Chawke Group Donates €10,000
for Children in Gaza
The Chawke Group are donating €10,000 for the
Palestine Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF) following
a special group-wide fundraising initiative. All
proceeds from coffee sales across every Chawke
Group venue on the day were donated to support
children suffering as a result of the ongoing
humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Over €4,000 was
raised through coffee sales alone. The Chawke
Group added to this amount, bringing the total
donation to €10,000.
INDUSTRY NEWS
Hotel and Restaurant Times
Kerry hotel group works well for women
Kerry based, family-run hotel group, the O’Donoghue Ring Collection, is one of only 34 businesses in
the country to be recognised as one of the Best Workplaces for Women in Ireland in 2025 by Great
Place to Work Ireland.
The recognition comes after the Collection – whose portfolio includes Killarney Plaza Hotel & Spa,
Killarney Avenue Hotel, Killarney Towers Hotel & Leisure Centre, River Island Hotel, Café du Parc, The
Tan Yard, O’Donoghue Public House and Killarney's underground bar Pig’s Lane – was named
one of the country’s Top 20 Best Large Workplaces 2025. It also achieved its third consecutive
annual certification as a Great Place to Work.
Herbert Park Hotel second place in
TripAdvisor awards
Herbert Park Hotel in Ballsbridge, Dublin, was
ranked 2nd place in the TripAdvisor’s Travellers’
Choice Best of the Best Awards 2025.
The hotel now places among the 1% of hotels
worldwide. Pictured is General Manager, Egle
Tamosauskaite, with Joanna Fall, Director of
Sales, Revenue & Marketing.
Irish wedding industry forms new
association
The Irish Wedding Professionals Association,
a new not-for-profit organisation formed to
unite, support and elevate the country’s wedding
experts, was launched with an event in the
Palmer venue at The K Club, Straffan, County
Kildare. The sold-out event brought together
over 100 of Ireland’s leading venues and creative
suppliers for an evening of conversation,
collaboration, and connection. To learn more
about member eligibility and benefits,
visit www.irishwpa.com
10
Hotel and Restaurant Times
FEATURE
“To have only two GMs in that space of time
is phenomenal,” says Fergal, who began his
academic career in accountancy but switched to
the hospitality sector in a search for ‘something
broader.’
“In that sense, the foresight of our owner and
of our opening GM were amazing in terms of
setting the tone for where our hotel is and where
it will go in the future.
We’ve just now gone through a €12m+
refurbishment which puts the hotel in an
absolutely great position to face any headwinds,
and to take advantage of those opportunities
when they arise.”
Some of the ‘headwinds’ have already been
faced, such as the Covid period which put a halt
to the ambitious refurbishment programme.
When it restarted in May 2022, they faced the
now well-documented skills shortage and the
jump in costs, but Fergal says that they never
once considered compromising on quality.
“That shows when you see it,” he says. “We were
always a five-star establishment, but we want to
really excel in that sophisticated five-star luxury
product offering.
I think that we’ve got a property that is, without
any fear of contradiction, in the best location
in Dublin. We now also have the most recently
The Fitzwilliam Hotel has been open since 1998 and in that time, it has
only had two General Managers, with current GM Fergal O’Connell now
at the helm of this top-class palace on St. Stephen’s Green for the
last 14 years.
refurbished hotel in Dublin and the most
extensively refurbished hotel in Dublin.
We’ve spent a considerable amount of money
on this product and that goes right throughout
the hotel, right down to the front door of the
hotel. There isn’t an element or an area that
hasn’t been refurbished and that also includes
the equipment; so, from the crockery to the
cutlery and the glassware… we’ve invested in
our mezzanine kitchen too, we had previously
invested in Glovers Alley in 2017, and we’re now
going to spend some money in our basement
kitchen. That’s the last part that we have to do
and will be done once the rest of the hotel is
finished.
Everything we’ve used in this hotel is of
absolutely premium quality. The base materials
that we’ve used right throughout the hotel, which
you can see in the lobby coming in the door –
such as the Portofino walnut, the marbles and
brass – show you that there was no compromise
on anything.”
Currently, he says, they are turning their
attention to refreshing things on the graphics
and marketing side of the business. It’s all
focused on putting the customer at the centre of
everything that they do and this manifests itself
in modernising and refreshing at all the ‘touch
points’ from the customer’s perspective.
Steering a flagship
hotel towards a
positive future
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Hotel and Restaurant Times
FEATURE
“That will involve everything from the menus
right through to the uniforms… it’s very
important that they are all in line with the quality
of the product.”
The hotel is Irish-owned and that’s something
they are very proud of. It means that they don’t
ever lose sight of the importance of being an
establishment with a family ethos and treating
customers as life-long relationships that will
carry on through friends and relatives of the
original guest.
When all staff members are clear about their
roles, he says, and about getting across that
ethos in everything they do, it gives them the
freedom to express their personalities while
looking after their guests.
Retaining staff is a challenge for any hotel, but
it’s one that the Fitzwilliam has managed to see
through without apparent difficulties.
“We’ve very little turnover in our hotel team,”
says Fergal. “I’d love to take all of the credit for
that but I’ll take none of it, because that comes
from the people themselves; they’re genuinely
interested in and proud of where they work, they
genuinely see the opportunities that the hotel
can provide for them. They understand the type
of service that this hotel offers its customers and
they have the freedom to offer that service
to them.”
“It's about treating your staff with respect and
helping them,” he adds. It’s also about training
and re-training. This is particularly important
for the cohort in middle management who may
have missed out on a good deal of operational
experience during the Lockdown years. And in
this respect, Fergal practices what he preaches,
having gone back to college himself again (in
UCC) as recently as 2019.
“We could probably do an awful lot of things
better,” says Fergal. “The day you think that
you’re doing everything brilliantly well is the
day you need to go and have a good look in the
mirror!”
The staff, he says, are the brand ambassadors of
the hotel. That’s a philosophy that works right
through all the ranks in the hotel, ensuring that
their friendliness is a thoroughly genuine one
that everyone understands and is enthusiastic to
get across.
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Hotel and Restaurant Times
"Delighted to be involved in the
refurbishment of
The Fitzwilliam Hotel"
14
Hotel and Restaurant Times
FEATURE
“If I sit here and say that The Fitzwilliam is the
friendliest hotel in Dublin, it’s just words unless
it’s delivered down on the shop floor… I know
that ours is the friendliest hotel in Dublin. I know
that it’s being delivered down on the shop floor
because we hear it time and time again from
our customers and I see it from being down on
the shop floor myself… And it’s not the ‘cookie-
cutter’ kind of experience that you might find
elsewhere.”
It’s all about the stories, Fergal says. People
coming into the hotel always want to hear about
the story of each individual they meet and they
also want to tell their story. This, in short, is what
The Fitzwilliam is all about; that experiential
luxury product that touches the area of human
warmth in a cold world.
As with every other establishment in every sector
of industry, sustainability is a highly important
and active part of the business. The hotel has
just achieved the Eco-Label Award from Green
Hospitality.
“We’ll be going for the next level of that very
quickly,” says Fergal, “because we’re quite close
to the target already.”
It’s another area that they will continue to strive
to be the very best in. Right now, he says, they
are going through the new menu, with a strong
focus on the local and the sustainable. They make
a point of sourcing as much of their foodstuffs
within the Dublin area and of meeting their
suppliers and developing and nurturing long-
term relationships with them.
“Waste management is another huge area of
sustainability and controlling that is massively
important to us. It’s about examining the process
and ensuring the right portion sizes and just
making sure that everything is being watched and
measured as much as we possibly can.”
From a practical point of view, that comes down
to knowing your different markets and catering
to them specifically so as to minimise wastage;
knowing, for example, that your corporate
guests during the weekdays tend to have
smaller breakfasts than the leisure guests at the
weekend.
Fergal’s own story is one of finding his place
in the hospitality industry and of falling for it
completely. He is quite hopeful for the coming
season, particularly as tourism has been given an
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FEATURE
Hotel and Restaurant Times
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17
IFSA NEWS
Hotel and Restaurant Times
economic brief for the first time in a very long
time; indicating an understanding of the sector’s
vital role in the Irish economy.
“I think that 2025 will have its challenges,” says
Fergal. “Every day, you’re keeping an eye on the
news and on the macro issues that can affect
us… I think it will be a good year but a year that
won’t be without its challenges.
It’s important that the Government continues
to support our sector and that it doesn’t place
unrealistic demands on it. Tourism is vital to
the ecosystem in any town or village or area in
Ireland and they need to acknowledge that in a
way that allows us to continue to work.
“The hospitality sector is a very resilient industry
– it has proven that time and again. It keeps
going, through thick and thin. It bounces back
and it always finds a way.”
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Hotel and Restaurant Times
FEATURE
In May, 13 of the top tourism employers from across the country were
celebrated at Fáilte Ireland’s annual Employer Excellence Awards which
took place in Fitzgeralds Woodlands House Hotel and Spa, Co. Limerick.
Celebrating Excellence:
Fáilte Ireland’s Employer
Excellence Awards
The ceremony recognises businesses who have
demonstrated their commitment to making the
tourism industry an appealing and rewarding
place to work through their participation in Fáilte
Ireland’s Employer Excellence Programme. Now
in its third year, Fáilte Ireland’s Director of Sector
Development, Jenny De Saulles discusses the
impact of the programme and outlines how the
National Tourism Development Authority plans
to evolve its offering. The aim is to continue
meeting the needs of businesses while also
driving a national shift in how careers in the
tourism sector are perceived by jobseekers and
the talent of the future.
Following one of the most significant staffing
and skills challenges ever faced by the tourism
sector, Jenny highlights how the acute difficulties
experienced by businesses reopening post-Covid
forced the industry as a whole to rethink how it
attracts and retains talent: “When I think about
why we embarked on the Employer Excellence
Programme journey, it was ultimately about
supporting the sector to change perceptions of
tourism as a place to work. We aimed to drive
a cultural shift in how businesses attract, retain
and develop talent, while also shining a spotlight
on the brilliant employers already leading
the way.
Less than three years in, that cultural shift is well
underway and significant momentum has
been built.”
Latest Fáilte Ireland figures show that since the
programme launched in 2022, it has positively
impacted 30,000 employees across the tourism
sector nationwide. Employee engagement scores
for businesses now in their third year of the
programme have grown to 75%, 8% higher than
the average across the wider employment sector.
There were also significant improvements made
in the areas of induction, reward and benefit, and
management involving people in decisions which
affect their jobs.
"Truly changing
perceptions of careers
in the tourism sector
will take continuous
and consistent
collective effort"
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Hotel and Restaurant Times
“At this year’s Employer Excellence Awards, there
was a real sense of pride in the collective work
that has been done across the sector to drive
such great impact in such a short amount of time.
Our latest research shows staff retention has
improved among businesses participating in the
programme, which in turn reduces turnover costs
and, more importantly, helps retain the talent
and skills that have been acquired and developed
— all of which, of course, contributes to a better
visitor experience.” Jenny says.
“All of these areas were identified as key pressure
points for employees as the sector reopened
post-Covid. Seeing progress in these specific
areas clearly demonstrates the commitment
employers have made to listening and acting
on feedback from employees. The collective
progress made by businesses is beginning to
have a tangible impact at a national level – we
now have 26 tourism businesses recognised
among the top 130 employers nationwide. In
addition, over 100 businesses have achieved
Gold status on the Employer Excellence
Programme. In fact, the number of Gold
employers has doubled since 2022 highlighting
the year-on-year progress that continues to
be made.”
(L-R) Philip O'Callaghan and Johannes Horn, O’Callaghan
Coaches, and Jenny De Saulles at Fáilte Ireland’s
Employer Excellence Awards 2025 ceremony
Director of Sector Development at
Fáilte Ireland, Jenny De Saulles
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Hotel and Restaurant Times
FEATURE
20
FEATURE
Hotel and Restaurant Times
The three-year Employer Excellence Programme,
which first launched in 2022, now sees some
businesses entering their final year — and Jenny
looks ahead to what’s next for the programme.
“Building a brilliant workplace is not a finite
process. The new phase of the Employer
Excellence Programme will launch in the coming
months, and through it, Fáilte Ireland will
continue to support businesses in maintaining
this strong momentum and showcasing the best
of tourism employment to jobseekers, secondary
school students and their career influencers
alike. A key focus will not only be on long-term
development but also on how we can support
businesses to remain agile and competitive in a
tight labour market with fast-evolving
employee expectations.”
Whilst perceptions of careers in the sector are
improving among key audiences through the
efforts of employers and initiatives like the
Employer Excellence Programme, Jenny De
Saulles emphasises how the work is far
from over:
“As anyone in the tourism ecosystem will attest
– whether that’s a business, a sectoral body or
a further or higher education institute – truly
changing perceptions of careers in the tourism
sector as professional, rewarding and inclusive
takes time"
"Above all,it requires a continuous, consistent
and collective effort to shift the dial in how
the talent of tomorrow views and considers a
course or career in tourism. For Fáilte Ireland,
this will remain a core focus in the months and
years ahead, as we support the sector to build
the skills, knowledge and talent it needs to stay
resilient, agile and competitive into the future.”
As part of the programme, a survey was
conducted with staff of participating businesses,
which gave them the chance to highlight the
strengths of their workplace, along with areas
for further development. Fáilte Ireland is now
supporting these businesses to implement
actions identified in their survey to further
enhance employee engagement. The winning
businesses completed management upskilling,
engaged with HR experts and were then
chosen based on employee feedback. This year,
O'Callaghan Coaches from Co. Kerry took home
the top accolade for Outstanding Employer.
Tourism businesses who are interested in joining
Fáilte Ireland’s Employer Excellence programme
can find out more at
failteireland.ie/employerexcellence
Jenny De Saulles speaking at the Fáilte Ireland’s
Employer Excellence Awards 2025 ceremony