Food can be ‘the secret ingredient’ in driving tourism, survey finds

Food can play an invaluable role in driving Irish tourism, according to a new survey commissioned by Good Food Ireland (GFI), a non-governmental group set up to promote the industry.

Business consultants Grant Thornton conducted the survey for GFI, a group which was set up in 2006 by Wexford farmer Margaret Jeffares to promote Irish B&Bs, hotels, restaurants, pubs, cafes, cookery schools, food producers and farmers’ markets. GFI says its approved providers contribute around €50m to the Irish economy via their purchasing of Irish produce.

The survey found 100% agreement between members that local Irish food should be an integral part of Ireland’s international tourism marketing.

Four out of every five support the view that local Irish food is a strong economic driver for their business, with almost 90% of the opinion that marketing of food tourism is important for sustaining business growth.

GFI managing director Ms Jeffares said: “Food experience has a strategic role to play in positioning tourism and export growth. The findings of the report have reinforced the Good Food Ireland vision around the importance of local food in delivering economic opportunity through authentic experience. Given our current economic situation, I cannot stress enough the importance of buying local, eating local and thinking local when it comes to food and tourism.”

Some 92% of respondents to the Food: The secret ingredient to Irish tourism and Export Growth survey also said they had increased their sales and grown awareness via marketing over the last three years.

They said this had created greater markets for farmers, food producers and fishermen and the hospitality sector increased economic growth through the awareness of delivering an authentic Irish food experience.

On the wider economic environment facing food and hospitality businesses, four out of five GFI members said they had met their earnings’ expectations during 2011.

Of those surveyed, 24% are currently exporting, and within that group, 53% have plans to target new markets. A further 17% have plans to export in the future.

Unsurprisingly, access to finance and increased operating and raw material costs, as well as weaker domestic demand, have been highlighted as significant challenges by business owners.

Perhaps surprisingly, almost 70% were unaware they may be entitled to claim Research and Development (R&D) tax credits.

Grant Thornton Ireland’s head of food and beverage, Ciara Jackson, said: “We are excited by the strength of the economic link created where high-quality food produce strengthen brands, which in turn attracts tourists, all of which helps to sustain and grow business.

“Leveraging Irishness is a route to growing earnings. The robust financial performance of Good Food Ireland Approved Providers versus the international data highlights the economic opportunity of this link.”

The report aimed to establish the importance of Irish food as an economic driver, analyse business needs and challenges and collate insights on emerging trends in the sector.