FRESH DRIVE TO GROW FOOD TOURISM IN NORTH CORK
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.
A 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.
The networking workshop was all about exploring the current approach to food tourism in the North Cork area and how collective collaboration can assist destinations in gaining a competitive advantage.
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.
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.”
She said: “With visitors to Ireland spending some €2 billion 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.”
Rebecca O’Keeffe of Taste Cork said: “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.”