A briefing paper entitled “Reducing State Imposed Costs on the Tourism Industry:The Case for Better Regulation” by Failte Ireland makes for a great insight into regulation across the tourism sector. In general, tourism businesses are required to interact with at least 24 different public, statutory and other bodies in operating their business. The study’s findings were based on in-depth qualitative case studies with 20 businesses across the breath of the tourism industry. The case study group comprised off the following businesses:

 ·         Five hotels and two hotel chains

·         Four restaurants

·         Three coach operators

·         Three firms from the activities and attractions sector

·         Two self-catering group schemes

·         One B&B

·         One language school and one large commercial hostel.

Read the full briefing paper - Failte Ireland Paper

The West & The North West of Ireland

Artisan brewers & local produce make a great marriage. A great food marriage that is.  As a young chef working in London I learnt about the true values of food marriages. This revelation on flavours & ingredient parings started for me with  Nico Ladenis of Chez Nico. This was a 2 Michelin star restaurant with all the accolades & a fantastic reputation. There were  four Irish lads that formed about a quarter of the kitchen team which was  led by Paul Flynn. Nico had written book ” My Gastronomy”. One of the key things that stuck in my mind from the book was how the marriage of two food ingredients work together ie scallops & garlic. Simple flavours with no messing around. That was London in the early 1990′s In Ireland in 2012 putting food marriage on the menus of restaurants, bars, hotels in the west & north west  is alive & kicking in the Oarsman Restaurant & Harry’s . I wonder what Nico would have made of my food marriage of Galway Hooker Ale & Fresh Donegal Crab