Revisiting Food Tourism
Business Insights Series 2011/2012
October 2012
Revisiting Food Tourism
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
June 2012
Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 3
Setting the scene .................................................................................................................. 3
What size is the food tourism market? ................................................................................. 4
The agri-food sector and tourism ......................................................................................... 5
What the visitor wants ........................................................................................................... 7
What the visitor gets ............................................................................................................. 9
Overseas examples ................................................................................................................ 9
Our current position ............................................................................................................ 10
A few suggestions ................................................................................................................ 12
Conclusion ........................................................................................................................... 13
Sources ................................................................................................................................ 13
Revisiting Food Tourism
1. Introduction
This is part of the 2011/12 series of NITB insight papers, providing analysis of core sectors within the
Northern Ireland (NI) tourist industry. This research builds on the 2009 Northern Ireland Tourist Board
(NITB) Food Tourism paper, available to download Here, to provide fresh insights into this vital element of
the NI tourism offer. Specifically this paper examines the increased importance and use of local ingredients
in the NI food service sector, the challenging conditions for food service operators and the successes in NI
food tourism, such as the seasonal continental and Christmas markets in Belfast. It also makes reference to
the fact that there are further opportunities associated with food tourism for the agri-food sector to
capitalise on.
This paper is constructed using a specially commissioned consumer survey (conducted November 2011) of
NI, Republic of Ireland (RoI) and Great Britain (GB) residents. This is combined with additional research
including views of Tourism Ireland Ltd (TI Ltd) representatives and secondary research.
This paper begins with an overview of the NI food tourism market and market size. Perceptions of potential
and previous visitors to NI are then examined to assess the scale and potential of the food tourism market.
This is followed by a brief overview of how food tourism and the agri-food sector could develop an
embryonic relationship through the ‘experience economy’. Some examples of food tourism successes from
neighbouring markets are then highlighted followed by a series of recommendations considering potential
avenues of opportunity for the future development of NI food tourism.
2. Setting the scene
Out-of-state visitors to NI spend over a third of their money on food and drink and make a massive
contribution to the NI food and drink industry (NITB, 2009). In fact, while the food service sector was worth
an estimated £1.52 billion in 2011, it has been food tourism that has been one of the driving forces helping
this sector to return to growth (Mintel, 2011). For example, according to the NITB Visitor Attitudes Survey, in
2010 and 2011, 36% of direct GB and overseas spend was on food and drink.
In 2011 there were 2,865 food service and eating establishments in NI (ONS, 2011) providing a wide range of
options for tourists. Many of these are highlighted by key organisations involved in promoting NI’s food
culture such as Food NI. The organisation has become more inclusive of the whole food value chain in recent
years to link its 130 restaurant members, with other elements of NI’s food offer such as producers and
cookery schools, enhancing the local food offer.
The 1,245 pubs in NI (ONS, 2011) are also contributing to this sector. The Mintel report, Alcohol Retailing
Ireland (November 2011), reported that pubs in NI were increasingly diversifying with a food offering to
maintain their businesses. Pubs are the top visitor attraction in NI. According to NITB’s 2011 Visitor Attitude
Survey, one fifth of leisure visitors to NI (day and overnight) visited a pub. This figure increased to 41% for
overseas leisure visitors. Furthermore, 22% of leisure visitors to NI ate out in a pub, making the pub an
important destination for food. This figure rose to 32% for overnight leisure visitors, making them more
popular than cafes and hotels for food. The most popular destinations for eating in pubs were
Derry~Londonderry, Causeway Coast & Glens and Fermanagh.
Food festivals are also a core part of the NI scene and an excellent channel to promote local foods. For
example, the Hillsborough Oyster Festival celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2012 and attracts
approximately 12,000 visitors each year (Lisburn City Council, 2009), while The Belfast Food and Drink
festival attracts some 15,000 visitors annually (NI Good Food, 2012).
To add to this, NI’s food and farmer’s markets add other channels to promote local food and attract visitors
in their own right. Discover NI (www.discovernorthernireland.com) list nearly 30 farm shops and farmers
markets. Among the most prominent of these is St. George’s Market in Belfast. According to Belfast City
Council some 19% of out-of-state visitors to Belfast made a visit to St. George’s Market in 2010. In addition
to this, the first NI Open Farm Weekend took place in June 2012 with 13 farms open to the public.
Approximately 4,320 people attended over the 2 days that the event ran for (NI Good Food, 2012).
June 2012
Revisiting Food Tourism
Similarly the Continental and Christmas markets have been a huge success for Belfast. In 2010, the Belfast
Christmas markets attracted 588,816 visitors. Approximately 1 in 10 of these visitors was from outside of NI,
while 55% were from outside of greater Belfast. The market had an impact of £26 million for the local
economy (Belfast City Council, 2011). The Continental market has also visited other locations such as DerryLondonderry and Lisburn, following its success in Belfast.
In addition, the linkages between the agri-food sector and food tourism can not be overlooked. The Draft
Tourism Strategy for NI to 2020 emphasises the importance of local produce and encourages those
involved in food production and hospitality to exploit the opportunities for collaboration with local farmers,
growers, processors, farmers’ markets and retailers. The potential for food tourism presents opportunities
for the agri-food sector to meet the demand for top-quality local produce and, in doing so, to strengthen
our economy further and sustain farmers and the general well-being of the countryside.
Bringing all of these avenues for food tourism together is the idea of local foods and innovative recipes. This
is highlighted in activities such as the development of 12 NI signature dishes at the 2012 Balmoral Show. A
group of local, talented chefs were brought together to create recipes which incorporated the best of local
NI ingredients. This is one of many examples where local ingredients and recipes have been incorporated
into the NI food offer. This paper examines the importance that potential visitors to NI attach to such local
produce and how visitors to NI rate these efforts.
3. What size is the food tourism market?
The principle element of the food tourism market is food service. According to research from Mintel Ireland
(Food Service Ireland, February 2012), the NI food service market was worth an estimated £1.52 billion in
2011, 30% of the total market value for the Island of Ireland. The market showed year-on-year growth
between 2005 and 2010, but declined by 6% in 2011. By comparison the RoI market fell significantly each
year between 2009 and 2011. According to the same Mintel report, from 2012 to 2015 the NI food service
market is expected to remain stable with growth not exceeding 1% per annum.
Mintel further reported that one of the core elements maintaining the size of the food service market was
tourism, as the domestic demand was dampened during the recession. The return to growth of the broader
tourism market has been hugely positive for operators within the food service sector.
For NI and RoI combined1, since 2008 quick-service-restaurants (including fast food restaurants) have
surpassed coffee-shops and pubs as the top food service segment. Full service restaurants in particular,
and also hotels have been among the worst hit by the recession as consumers are more careful about how
they spend their money.
“Good restaurants have benefited from a form of Darwinism where those restaurants that did not offer
good service and value closed, leaving the best to benefit from discerning customers who can still afford to
go out.”
Irish Times – John McKenna – Best Irish Restaurants are still thriving – 1 January 2011
Another key element of the NI food tourism market has been artisan foods. As a proportion of the wider
food sector, artisan and speciality foods remain very niche. However, these products are of great
importance as an element of the food tourism market and present opportunities to show case local
ingredients/specialities and present gift opportunities for tourists. Mintel (Artisan Food Ireland, March
2012) estimated the NI speciality food market to be £132 million in 2011, representing a 4.5% increase on
the previous year. The market is predicted to continue growing year-on-year, reaching £168 million by
2016. As supermarket buyers tighten their spending patterns the mainstream channel opportunities for
artisan products will become fewer, and tourism outlets will become more important for growth.
1
No NI specific data available
June 2012
Revisiting Food Tourism
FIGURE 1: OVERSEAS VISITOR EXPENDITURE ON FOOD AND DRINK, NI, 2006 TO 2011
160
140
133
131
120
120
115
111
2009
2010*
104
£m
100
80
60
40
20
0
2006
2007
2008
2011*
*Figures for 2010 and 2011 estimated
SOURCE: NITB/MINTEL
Overall overseas tourists spent an estimated £133 million on food and drink in 2011. The market for food
tourism had been increasing up to 2008 but declined on the back of falling visitor numbers in 2009.
Following a further decrease in 2010, the market grew by an estimated 20% in 2011 as the overall NI tourism
market has been showing signs of growth.
4. The agri-food sector and tourism
As indicated above, with the development of food tourism, visitors across the island of Ireland increasingly
expect to eat and drink local produce during their stay, and many choose to visit eating establishments
whose menus are based on fresh, local delicacies. That, in turn, drives up demand for artisan food, our local
produce and regional specialities.
Although we already have a fantastic reputation for good, wholesome food, a growing interest in locally
sourced food and the origin of foods, closeness to nature, education and a desire to learn suggests that
there are further opportunities associated with food tourism for the agri-food sector to capitalise on.
The next revolution: linking the agri-food sector and tourism to ‘the experience economy’
Our society has evolved from an agrarian economy – which dominated the world for thousands of years – to
an industrial economy in the 19th and early 20th century, and to a service economy in the late 20th century
(Swinnen, Herck, Vandemoortele, 2012). Since the end of the 20th century, our society has started to
move in a new direction: the experience economy. Consumers in affluent societies have begun to take the
quality offered by the service economy for granted and are expecting something extra – experiences – from
the goods and services they purchase (Swinnen, Herck, Vandemoortele, 2012).
The experience economy
Experiences are of course nothing new and have, for example, always been at the heart of the
entertainment industry, from sports events to movies and pop concerts. However, it appears that demand
– and with it economic performance – has grown substantially. Companies have started to add and “wrap”
experiences around their traditional products and services to make these more attractive, allowing better
differentiation from their competitors and higher prices (Pine and Gilmore, 1998).
Since the experience economy is a broad concept, it can be measured in various ways. Pine and Gilmore
(1998) estimate that the experience economy – measured by admissions to recreational events such as
movies, concerts and sports games – was the fastest growing sector with an annual growth of 8.9% in
nominal GDP and 5.3% in employment.
June 2012
Revisiting Food Tourism
Pine and Gilmore (1998) define products and services as consisting of four components, each adding value
to the product or service.




The first component is ‘commodities’ – these are things we extract from the ground and sell in market.
The second component comprises the good’s needed to provide the service.
The third component (services) is used to promote sales.
Experiences are the fourth component and incorporate commodities, goods and services and use these
as elements in developing tourism offers that are designed to create lasting memories.
According to the Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC), ‘not all businesses deliver experiences, but they
represent a choice for tourism businesses to move up the ladder of economic opportunity, differentiate
their businesses and provide a new level of visitor experience to their guests’2.
An example: the agri-food sector, tourism and ‘the experience economy’
This ‘experience’ concept has direct linkages to the agri-food sector and tourism; using an agri-tourism
example of a cider supplier, here’s a simple example of how the scale applies.
Figure 13




Commodity (needed to make the good): apples
Goods (needed to provide the service): cider produced
Services (used to promote sales): online purchasing, shipping, tours to learn about the apple farm
and cider tastings on the property
Experience: meet the cider maker and engage in a personalised, hands-on experience that
connects you to the land, the people and something you likely love— cider; perhaps the experience
will include a chef who creates an exquisite meal and pairs the food and cider perfectly with each
other4
See overleaf for an example in action.
2
Experiences. A toolkit for partners of the CTC.
3
Extracted from Pine and Gilmore, 1998.
4
Experiences. A toolkit for partners of the CTC.
June 2012
Revisiting Food Tourism
An example in action - Uncle John’s Cider Mill, St. Johns, Michigan
“You go to Uncle John’s Cider Mill to buy apples and cider, right? Well, not really. Consumers can buy
apples at the corner grocery store. They don’t need to drive into the countryside to pick up those honey
crisp apples and buttermilk doughnuts. What makes people go that extra mile to get apples? It’s not the
fruit, excellent as it is; it’s the experience. They go to see the trees where the apples grow, go on a hayride,
watch cider being pressed in the big barn and then drink a cup of it at a picnic table overlooking the
orchards. This phenomenon is part of what is being called the experience economy. And this is what agritourism is all about. Agri-tourism combines the product with a personal experience. The simple buying and
selling of a product becomes more valuable with this sense of individuation. Rather than a transaction with
little ‘personality,’ if you will, buying your apples from Uncle John’s gives you a sense of craftsmanship, of
history and heritage, and it becomes much more interesting to both the consumer and to the seller. People
crave that local experience and sense of place. It’s an emotional connection.” Patrick O’Connor, director of
the Michigan Farm Marketing and Agri-Tourism Association, founded in 20051
5. What the visitor wants
As mentioned above, food is one of the core elements of consumers’ holidays and elements of the food
tourism market appeal to a large cross section of consumers. This is reflected in the relatively high response
rate for the majority of statements concerning food which were put to consumers in the specially
commissioned survey used for this report. This section explores the results of this survey specifically
examining attitudes of visitors when taking a break in any destination. It provides a breakdown of who the
most important consumer groups are for food tourism.
The importance of local food
Overall 66% of NI consumers regard food as an important part of the holiday experience. This compares to
58% of GB and 68% of RoI consumers, highlighting the importance of a strong food offer for the tourist
market, particularly in regards to domestic tourism.
FIGURE 2: CONSUMER AGREEMENT WITH STATEMENTS REGARDING FOOD TOURISM, NI, GB AND ROI, 2011
Base: 658 NI, 2,000 GB and 1,250 RoI internet users aged 16+
I like to try local food when on holiday
Food is an important part of the holiday experience
I like to try local drinks when on holiday
I enjoy going to local food markets when on holiday
I prefer authentic/local eating experiences when on holiday
I do not care about healthy eating when on holiday
I enjoy going to food festivals when on holiday
I will visit a destination just for the food
NI
%
GB
%
RoI
%
73
66
57
47
43
25
24
11
70
58
51
43
43
22
21
11
77
68
61
50
42
21
24
12
SOURCE: TOLUNA/MINTEL
As indicated in Uncle John’s Cider Mill example above, local food is of paramount importance to consumers
when they are taking a holiday or short break. Some 73% of NI consumers like to try local food while on
holiday, compared to 70% of GB and 77% of RoI consumers. Females have a slightly higher appreciation for
local food, particularly within the GB market.
Local food is also typically more important among older consumers. Among the age groups, it is the 55-64
age group which attach the greatest importance to local food. These older age groups are particularly
important as they are more likely to have greater disposable income to spend on full service restaurants
while on holiday. However, it is important to note that while younger adults show a lower response rate, this
still represents a significant proportion of consumers. This presents opportunities to highlight local
sourcing across all elements of the food service and food tourism sector.
June 2012
Revisiting Food Tourism
FIGURE 3: AGREEMENT WITH STATEMENT “I LIKE TO TRY LOCAL FOOD WHEN ON HOLIDAY”, NI, GB AND ROI, 2011
Base: 658 NI, 2,000 GB and 1,250 RoI internet users aged 16+
100
90
77
80
70
60
%
65
63
67
74
78
71
82
76 76
87
78
87
84
70
74
62
54
50
40
30
20
10
0
15-24
25-34
35-44
NI
GB
45-54
55-64
65+
RoI
SOURCE: TOLUNA/MINTEL
On a similar vein, approximately four in every ten consumers like authentic foods while on holidays showing
further preference for local, unique foods. Local drinks are also important with around 6 in ten of NI and RoI
consumers, and half of GB consumers agreeing that they like to try local drinks while on holidays. Contrary
to other statements, the preference for local drink is typically more apparent among a male audience.
There is also strong demand for local food markets, and to a lesser extent food festivals. Some 47% of NI
consumers enjoy going to local food markets while on holiday. This compares to 43% of GB and 50% of RoI
consumers. Similar to preference for local foods in general, it is older age groups and women that show a
slightly stronger preference for local food markets. Almost a quarter of RoI and NI and a fifth of GB
consumers enjoy food festivals while on holiday. Though these are less popular than local food markets,
there is still a strong appetite for these.
In terms of pure food tourism, the demand is relatively niche. Only one in ten consumers would visit a
destination solely for its food offering. However, high response rates to previous statements show that food
is a highly important part of a holiday in general and a strong avenue for promotion of the wider tourism
sector.
Preferences for eating out
A selection of places to eat out is one of the most important features of a destination for consumers while on
holidays. Some 59% of NI, 53% of GB and 63% of RoI consumer agree that this is important. Similar to other
statements relating to food, there is higher agreement among females and older adults, particularly those
aged between 35 and 55. Those in more mature age groups are also more likely to eat out most evenings
when they are on holiday.
FIGURE 4: AGREEMENT WITH STATEMENTS REGARDING EATING OUT WHEN ON HOLIDAY, NI, GB AND ROI, 2011
Base: 658 NI, 2,000 GB and 1,250 RoI internet users aged 16+
It is important to have a selection of options for eating out when on holiday
I eat out most evenings when I'm on holiday
When on holiday I like to go for dinner quite late in the evening (after 8pm)
I read restaurant reviews for places I might eat in when going on holiday
Children are an important influence in choosing a place to eat when on holiday
I read restaurant guides for places I visit
I look out for industry quality marks for eating establishments when on holiday
SOURCE: TOLUNA/MINTEL
June 2012
NI
%
GB
%
RoI
%
59
54
29
25
22
22
11
53
43
22
21
20
18
9
63
57
33
30
30
28
14
Revisiting Food Tourism
In terms of finding places to eat, a quarter of NI consumers rely on restaurant reviews for eating out while on
holiday. This compares to a fifth of GB and nearly one third of RoI consumers. Restaurant guides are slightly
less used, but still important. Around one fifth of NI and GB consumers use these guides, compared to more
than a quarter of RoI consumers. Industry quality markets are considerably less sought after.
6. What the visitor gets
The previous section examined what consumers want from a holiday or short break in any destination. This
section examines the perception of those consumers who have taken a holiday or short break in NI. Overall,
NI’s food offer has found the greatest favour with the domestic audience.
Some 77% of domestic tourists agree that NI has a good range of places to eat. This compares to 47% of GB
and 56% of RoI visitors to NI. There is a relatively even level of agreement to this statement across the age
groups, with the 45 to 54 age bracket showing the highest agreement to this statement in NI and GB. In RoI
there is slightly higher agreement from 25 to 34 year olds. In all three regions there is slightly lower
agreement among men and among those aged 15 to 24.
FIGURE 5: NI VISITOR ATTITUDES TO NI FOOD TOURISM OFFER, NI, GB AND ROI VISITORS, 2011
Base: 609 NI, 570 GB and 861 RoI internet users aged 16+
Northern Ireland has a good range of places to eat
The use of local produce is very apparent in Northern Ireland's restaurants
Northern Ireland restaurants are underrated
Northern Ireland has good quality food markets and food festivals
Northern Ireland offers unique dining experiences
I would associate Northern Ireland with fine dinning
Northern Ireland has a good range of unique, local beers/drinks
I would take a holiday in Northern Ireland just for the food
I prefer dining in Northern Ireland's hotels as opposed to its restaurants, pubs
and cafes
I prefer other aspects of Northern Ireland to the food/dining experiences on offer
NI
%
GB
%
RoI
%
77
53
48
42
34
31
30
14
8
47
28
20
21
19
19
22
10
7
56
17
15
20
15
15
11
6
4
7
11
16
SOURCE: TOLUNA/MINTEL
Over half of NI’s domestic tourists agree that the use of local produce in NI restaurants is very apparent.
Agreement with this is lower for GB and considerably lower for RoI. There are potentially a number of
reasons for this. In terms of RoI, visitors from south of the border may see many of the unique offerings in NI
restaurants as Irish as opposed to specifically Northern Irish. In general terms, the domestic audience may
be quicker to recognise ingredients which are specific to a local NI area.
Almost half of domestic tourists believe that NI restaurants are underrated, while approximately one third
agree that NI has unique dining experiences or would associate NI with fine dining. This compares to a fifth
of GB visitors and considerably fewer RoI visitors. Despite lower numbers in neighbouring regions, it is clear
that NI’s restaurants have found favour with many visitors to the region.
Outside of the food service sector, 42% of domestic visitors agree that NI has good quality food markets
and festivals, while around a fifth of GB and RoI visitors also agreed with this statement. It is clear from this
that events such as the Christmas and continental markets have found favour with a reasonably large set of
visitors.
7. Overseas examples
Food tourism is a global phenomenon. As well as being established in gastro-hotspots such as France, and
cities such as London and New York, food tourism has emerged strongly in newer destinations such as
Hong Kong, Dubai, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Chicago and Las Vegas (Mintel International, 2009).
However, this section looks primarily at GB and RoI and examples how they have differentiated themselves
as food destinations.
June 2012
Revisiting Food Tourism
The first example is the Food and Drink Tourism Project established in 2001 and led by Visit Heart of
England, the tourism promotion agency for the West Midlands (GB). This project had a range of tasks, the
first of which was to develop a best practice toolkit highlighting areas of strength of food tourism in the
region.
From the best practice toolkit, the organisation was able to offer advice on development and promotion of
local food, networking, branding, distribution, supply, training, cooking skills and quality. The toolkit
included events such as the annual Ludlow Marches Food and Drink Festival, a three day festival
highlighting the best of local foods, and the Flavours of Herefordshire festival, which encourages local
accommodation providers and restaurants to showcase the best of local ingredients and foods. New
initiatives were also introduced by local companies. For example, a consortium of producers called Peak
Eats produced locally made ready meals targeted at those staying in self-catering accommodation. A
group has also been established called Heart of England Fine Foods. The organisation promotes and assists
local food producers. Among its initiatives is an annual awards ceremony for local producers, a hygiene and
food safety accreditation scheme, supply chain assistance and a food start-up incubator.
In Scotland, the Government and Tourism Authorities began to employ themed years - beginning with the
Gathering (see NITB Genealogy and Roots Tourism article available Here) in 2009 and running up to 2014.
May 2010 to May 2011 was allocated as the Year of Food and Drink. The programme for the year involved
promoting food and drink festivals and producers throughout the country. Highlights included Food and
Drink Fortnight where around 130 national and international events showcased the country's produce, the
Royal Highland Show and the St Andrew's Day Borders Taste Awards. Since the end of the event Visit
Scotland is making efforts to maintain the momentum with, for example, the development of a guide book
linking popular outdoor activities with food and drink. The book, Surprise Yourself with an Appetite for
Adventure, contains ten routes including a wildlife/nature walk that included home baking from a local
flour mill and a canoeing trip through whisky country.
In RoI, Fáilte Ireland engaged in a number of initiatives to boost food tourism. At the core of this is a
strategy document, the National Food Tourism Implementation Framework, running from 2011 to 2013.
This strategy is aimed at encouraging co-operation in what Fáilte Ireland has described as a fragmented
industry and approach to food tourism. Among the broader measures included in the strategy are brand
development and promotion, enhancing quality and value, offering business supports, and conducting
research. Examples of the strategy in action include the “Place on a Plate” initiative. This scheme conducts
workshops and encourages food businesses to utilise fresh, locally sourced, regional food on their menus,
and more importantly how to promote this to their customers.
An example of one such workshop was at Ballymascanlon House Hotel in Dundalk in March 2012. The
keynote speaker at the event was Michelin Star chef John Wood and it provided learning opportunities for
food service establishments in developing their business. Another example initiative within the RoI food
tourism space was the Blásta Trail in Kilkenny in 2011. As part of the trail, local restaurants, hotels, cafes and
pubs offered a range of Irish inspired tapas or taster dishes, featuring local and regional food. As well as the
use of local produce, a core concept of the trail was to offer value for money, an area where RoI has
struggled with in tourism terms. To this end dishes were competitively priced and paired with local or Irish
beverages which complemented the dishes.
In NI there have been similar initiatives. For example NITB has recently produced an ‘Our Food. So Good’
industry guide/booklet. The booklet provides information to those involved in the food industry on how
they can further develop their food tourism offer (available to download Here).
8. Our current position
7.1 Strengths
Domestic tourists value NI food – The majority of domestic tourists in NI recognise the region for providing
a wide range of local and unique foods on restaurant menus, and are enthusiastic about the choice and
quality of places to eat.
Food is core to holiday experience – Food, and particularly local food, is a key part of the holiday
experience and valued by tourists. The size and future potential for food tourism is strong in NI and
neighbouring markets.
June 2012
Revisiting Food Tourism
Food tourism is growing – Food tourism is growing due to the quality of the NI offer. The increase in local
award winning chefs is firmly placing NI on the ‘fashionable food’ tourism map.
Strong Industry – NI has a large food and drink business from agricultural produce to food processing
capabilities. With an abundance of produce available there is potential to develop a unique NI offer in food
tourism with a strong emphasis on local foods.
7.2 Weaknesses
Recognition among overseas visitors – Local produce is just as important to visitors from neighbouring
and overseas markets, but based on surveys and feedback from tourism Ireland representatives, the NI
food offer and more importantly NI local food offer has not received the same recognition among visitors
from outside the region.
International reputation – Though NI has a wide range of ingredients, it does not have the same breadth of
cooking techniques and food traditions of some continental destinations such as France or Italy. The small
scale may also mean that there is a limited market for high profile establishments, such as Michelin Star
restaurants.
Off-season trading remains tough – despite the increased levels of domestic and overseas tourism, the
local market for many operators remains challenging during the economic downturn. Survival is a challenge
for many businesses and there is a risk that selection for tourists may diminish should more operators
continue to wind down.
7.3 Opportunities
Synergies between the agri-food sector and tourism - In the context of the vision set out in the Economic
Strategy for Northern Ireland scope exists for greater co-operation between the agri-food sector and
tourism to work together to contribute to economic growth and job creation.
Clear demand for local – The survey conducted for this paper shows a very strong demand for local food
and drink while on holidays. There is opportunity for the NI food and drink sector to further promote local
ingredients and local recipes.
International Recognition – there are opportunities to further highlight the use of local ingredients which
cannot be found elsewhere and in turn give NI food the image of exclusivity. Examples in NI include the
Comber Early Potato which was given Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status by the EU. Lough
Neagh Eels and the Armagh Bramley Apple have been awarded this status also, which places them among
internationally recognised food and drink items such as Parma Ham, Feta Cheese and Champagne. There is
also an application for EU protected status for Irish Salmon. Other NI produce could be examined to see if it
can gain the same or similar status.
Industry cooperation – In order to boost the recognition of food service there is potential for the food and
drink producers industry to get involved. Their recognition, potentially through an award system, of
restaurants that go the extra mile to include local NI ingredients may create a positive impression among
overseas tourists. This in turn will promote the use of ingredients from local producers and potentially
develop new business in export markets.
7.4 Threats
Similar food traditions – Neighbouring regions, particularly in RoI, share many of the same or similar food
traditions and ingredient types (for example Soda Bread or Whiskey). This makes differentiating the NI
food offer challenging.
Economic conditions – Poor economic conditions across the Eurozone in particular are a challenge to NI
Tourism as a whole and food tourism. Furthermore, with these economic conditions the Euro has fallen in
value against Sterling and so some of NI’s cost competitiveness has been eroded.
June 2012
Revisiting Food Tourism
9. A few suggestions
NI Twists on Foreign Dishes – NI has a limited amount of historical recipes but there are opportunities to
further development NI themed recipes which originate in other countries. For example a recent signature
dish created for the 2012 Balmoral show was Bushmills Crème Brulee, a French dish with an NI twist. Some
other examples of NI Signature Dishes shared at the Good Food Pavilion at the Balmoral Show recently can
be found here.
Appeal to environmentally conscious – There is opportunity to further link the food tourism sector with
eco-tourism opportunities. The use of local ingredients reduces the carbon footprint of an establishment
and so forms a key part of environmentally friendly credentials. An award similar to the “scores on the door”
food hygiene rating system could be employed to promote this.
Link markets to restaurants – NI food markets draw a significant amount of visitors and there is an
opportunity for food service establishments to benefit with this. Finding suppliers for pubs and restaurants
at local markets and promoting this to market visitors may increase business for both groups. For example,
a sign at a meat stall highlighting which pubs and restaurants will serve the same produce.
Recipes for self-catering – In this paper the idea of providing ready meals to self-catering tourists has
been outlined, but there is room to further develop this. Leaving recipes which use local ingredients in selfcatering accommodation and highlighting which shops and markets these ingredients can be found in,
may encourage visitors to buy more local produce themselves.
Food Tours – There is opportunity for developing both local and regional food tours for visitors. For
example an evening tour could be developed around an NI city offering a single sampling dish in each of a
number of restaurants equating to a full meal by the end of the tour. A similar initiative exists for Belfast
called Belfast Restaurant week (found here). This may encourage visitors to re-visit some of these
restaurants for a full meal during their visit. Also, full package tours could be developed for the whole region
stopping at hotspots for NI food including producers during the day and pubs and restaurants in the
evening. Other promotional tools could also be used. For example the Mintel report Price Promotions and
Loyalty Schemes - Ireland (April 2012) highlighted the use of “dis-loyalty” cards in Singapore. The scheme
launched by advertising agency Antics in December 2011, issues a “be-disloyal” card to customers in one of
eight competing coffee shops. When the customer gets stamps from purchasing in each of the eight
outlets, they get a free coffee from the shop which originally issued that card. A similar scheme could work
well in the food tourism space with restaurants.
Drink link - NI and RoI have strong traditions in the drinks industry which should be embraced as part of the
local food theme. Similar to the way particular wines are recommended with particular recipes or
ingredients, recommendations could be made on menus as to which NI produced drinks best complement
a dish. Greater use of NI drinks within recipes may also help to promote locally themed food and drink. For
example beer battered cod, made using beer from a local NI microbrewery and fish caught locally may
appeal to those seeking local food and drink, or cider produced using Armagh Bramley Apples.
Brand NI – There is potential for a NI brand to be developed for local food, specifically aimed at the tourist
market. The brand could be used on NI ingredients and on menus of pubs and restaurants which use these
ingredients to further communicate the NI food offer to tourists. Further information on developing such
initiatives is available in the NITB 16 Simple Steps to Becoming Visitor Inspired document available Here to
download.
Festivals and Events catering – Catering at festivals and events is often perceived by consumers to be of
low quality and/or poor value for money (see the 2012 NITB report on Music Tourism available Here to
download). There is opportunity to further develop this avenue of food tourism to give more positive
perceptions of both the NI food tourism offer and the NI festival scene. Areas such as gourmet food served
from street vendors may have opportunities here.
Cooking Competitions – There is potential to establish and host more international cooking competitions
in NI. The presence of international high profile chefs in NI may help promote the region as a food
destination and also provide learning opportunities for locally based restaurants and pubs.
June 2012
Revisiting Food Tourism
Express Exclusivity – As mentioned previously there are a number of products such as Comber Earlys and
Lough Neagh Eels which are distinctly Northern Irish and there are opportunities to develop this further. For
example Armagh Apples5 or NI potato farls could be branded as uniquely Northern Irish.
Bringing the taste of NI home – There is further potential for gifting opportunities in the food tourism
market. Highlighting where local ingredients, featured on menus, can be bought by visitors and NI specific
branding may help further develop this segment and provide opportunities for artisan producers.
10. Conclusion
Despite much work and many assets in the food tourism sector, there has been limited recognition of NI’s
food offer among an overseas audience. However, there are high levels of satisfaction among a domestic
audience. Through translating the positive perceptions among domestic tourists for an overseas market
there is potential to grow food tourism, especially via linking agri-food and tourism through ‘the experience
economy’. It is clear that there are many opportunities to develop this further and benefit food producers,
the food service sector, agri-food sector and the overall tourism industry.
11. Sources






















12 New Signature NI Dishes Created at Balmoral Show (Discover Northern Ireland, 2012)
Alcohol Retailing Ireland (Mintel, November 2011)
Artisan Food Ireland (Mintel, March 2012)
Belfast City Council Markets Unit Update (Belfast City Council, 16th March 2011)
Best restaurants are still thriving, says food writer (Irish Times, 1st January 2011)
Destination NI how well do we deliver? (NITB Insight Series - March 2010)
Experiences. A toolkit for partners of the CTC. 2nd edition October 2011
Fáilte Ireland Food Concept Rolled out on Dublin’s Doorstep (Failte Ireland, 23 March 2012)
Failte Ireland National Food Tourism Implementation Framework 2011 to 2013 (Fáilte Ireland, 2011)
Food and Drink in Britain: A Visit Britain Advisory Guide (Visit Britain, 2003)
Foodies Invited to Hit Kilkenny’s Blásta Trail (Failte Ireland, 23 November 2011)
Food Service Ireland (Mintel, February 2012)
Food Tourism (NITB Insights Insight Series, October 2009)
Gastronomic Tourism - International (Mintel, May 2009)
Heart of England Fine Foods – www.heff.co.uk
Lisburn City Council Economic Development Strategy Review 2006-2009
Ludlow Marches Food and Drink Festival (Tourism Insights, 2003)
Pine , J and Gilmore, H (1998). Welcome to the Experience Economy, Harvard Business Review.
Swinnen, J, Herck, K, Vandemoortele, T. (2012) The Experience Economy as the Future for European
Agriculture and Food., Belgium Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS), Brussels, Belgium
UK Business: Activity, Size and Location (ONS, 2011)
Visit Heart of England - www.visitheartofengland.com
Visitor Attitude Survey 2012 (NITB)
This report has been compiled by Mintel Ireland and OCO Global on behalf of NITB. Every care has been
taken to ensure accuracy in the composition of this paper. NITB cannot accept responsibility for omission or
errors but these will be rectified in future publications when brought to our attention. Please direct any
queries to insights@nitb.com.
5
The European Commission has confirmed Armagh Bramley apples have been awarded protected geographical indication status which promotes and protects names
of high quality food and drinks.
June 2012