KAYFOAM WOOLFSON
(King Koil Sleep Products)

Kayfoam Woolfson is Ireland’s largest bedding manufacturer supplying both the contract and domestic sectors with its well known KING KOIL and ODEAREST bedding ranges. With three factories in Dublin, Kildare and Cork, the company is a long term associate member of the IHF and is the major supplier to leading hotels and guesthouses throughout the 32 counties.
Kayfoam manufactures beds specifically designed to stand up to the rigours of contract usage. The King Koil Class Range features a collection of models to suit all budgets and price points. King Koil beds offer exceptional comfort and long term durability. All beds comply with the requirements of current government legislation on flame-retardancy. The company also manufactures a range of versatile and practical Sofa Beds together with an extensive collection of hotel pillows. For further information, please contact: Catherine Healy, Contracts Manager at 045-481332.

CBE is now the number one supplier of EPOS Cash and Stock Control Systems in Ireland. Commenting on the announcement that CBE was voted “Company of the Year” by the Enterprise Board, Sean McKenna, MD said their outstanding success was down to the combination of good hardware, good easy to use software and a nationwide back up service second to none. “This has come about by the hard work and commitment of our software development team, the customer conscience and loyalty of our service and support team and the product knowledge and initiative of our marketing team”. CBE’s hospitality software which links to all leading front desk systems combined with a cash register with technologies latest Hospitality Screen has proved a winner for CBE and the ideal choice as a point of sale solution for many of Ireland’s leading hotels.

For information on hospitality cash registers and hospitality software contact Sean Kenna on 094-71755. E.Mail: cbe@iol.ie. Web Site: www.cbe.ie

Musgrave Cash & Carry is Ireland’s largest cash and carry wholesaler supplying food, non-food and catering products to the licensed trade, catering & food service professionals and independent retailers. The company has nine large wholesale cash and carry outlets countrywide and operates a delivery service for hotel industry customers. Musgrave Cash and Carrys stock 35,000 lines in fifteen departments from food and drink to electrical, household and hardware. Kitchen King is the group’s exclusive brand for the catering sector. For further information, please contact: Leonard Hegarty, National Sales Manager at 01-8428766.

McLaughlin Food Service Equipment is a leading supplier of food service equipment. With over 50 sales personnel, they service the length and breadth of Ireland and offer a 24hr, 365 days a year customer service. McLaughlin’s catering equipment division provides a complete design, installation and after-sales package. The consumable division has showrooms throughout the country. Over 40,000 sq.ft. of warehousing space in 3 locations ensures stock levels are continually kept in readiness for customer orders. The company guarantees delivery within 24hrs thanks to a computerised stock system and fleet of delivery lorries.

Its furniture division also provides an extensive range that spans across bentwood, wrought iron, cast iron, farmhouse, rattan and chrome finish. From bar furniture to banqueting or a conference centre or a dining room, Thomas McLaughlin can provide exciting ideas. For information contact: Martin Darling, Director-Operations telephone 0801 861 522487.

Diners Club International
Diners Club International, the original chargecard, has been involved in the travel and entertainment market world-wide since the 1950s. Around the world over 4 million outlets including hotels, restaurants, travel agents and shops welcome the card. Diners Club cardholders in Ireland enjoy a wide range of benefits including Airport Lounges, Travel Insurance, Club Phone, Club Cash and a Foreign Exchange Service.

Diners Club believes in enhancing its relationship with both cardholders and establishments. Niall Brady, Sales Manager for Diners Club Ireland says “As part of our on going commitment to our customers, we are continuously developing services. We are currently designing a new website that will enable cardholders world-wide to view a directory of hotels and restaurants within Ireland where the Diners Club Card is welcomed. In addition to this, the website will enable hotels to offer special promotions to Diners Club cardholders anywhere in the world.”

“The hotel industry in Ireland plays a very important role in our business and Diners Club would like to thank the IHF and its members for their continued support and we look forward to developing business mutually over the coming years”, concludes Niall Brady.

A Tokyo hotel: Is forbidden to steal hotel towels please. If you are not a person to do such thing is please not to read notice.
A Paris hotel lift: Please leave your values at the front desk.
A Bucharest hotel lobby: The lift is being fixed for the next day. During that time we regret that you will be unbearable.
A Yugoslavian hotel: The flattening of underwear with pleasure is the job of the chambermaid.
A hotel in Athens: Visitors are expected to complain at the office between the hours of 9 and 11am daily.
A Japanese hotel: You are invited to take advantage of the chambermaid.
On the menu in a Swiss restaurant: Our wines leave you nothing to hope for.
On the menu of a Polish hotel: Salad a firm’s own make; limpid red beet soup with cheesy dumplings in the form of a finger; roasted duck let loose; beef rashers beaten up in the country people’s fashion.
In an Acapulco hotel: The manager has personally passed all the water served here.
From a Japanese information booklet about using a hotel air conditioner: Cooles and Heates: If you want just condition of warm in your room, please control yourself.

The Ormond Quay Hotel, under the new management of Deirdre McDonald has launched a Autumn/Winter schedule that includes a new music line up in the Sirens Bar for Saturday evenings. The hotel has also launched its new Christmas brochure.

As detailed in the August edition of Innsight, the National Millennium committee is supporting the Children’s Hour Initiative, where everyone in the Irish workforce is being asked to donate the value of their final hour’s earnings of this Millennium to benefit Irish children. 100 Irish children’s charities are to benefit directly from the funds raised.

Just to remind members, the allocated week for the Leisure & Tourism Industry is week commencing Monday, October 25th next. During this week individuals working in hotels and guesthouses are invited to pledge donations. £250,000 from the National Lottery Beneficiary Fund is funding the administration of the project ensuring that every penny donated goes to directly improve children’s lives.

To date, employees who have agreed to give their support include Jury’s Doyle Group; Ryan Hotels; Irish Distillers Group; Conrad International Group and Dublin Tourism Centre. Anyone interested in participating should contact Children’s Hour information Line on: 1850 31 12 99

Bord Fáilte hosted a special dinner at Dublin Castle in honour of the first visit of the Board of Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA) to Ireland recently. The 38-strong delegation, headed by JATA Chairman Mr. Isao Matsuhashi, was in Ireland for a week-long stay which included their annual board meeting.

The JATA visit to Ireland was organised by Bord Fáilte in association with Aer Lingus and over 40 representatives of the Irish tourism industry. Delegates visited the historic sites of Newgrange and Glendalough, as well as counties Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Clare and the Aran Islands. In addition they experienced the Bog Rail Tour in Co. Offaly and concluded the visit with a business forum in Ashford Castle.

The Japanese market to Ireland has increased substantially from 18,000 visitors in 1993 to 38,000 last year. The specialist EFL (English as a Foreign Language) segment is performing at a record level and Japanese business generally has the further advantage of being year-round rather than strictly seasonal.

Pictured at the dinner are (l-r): Mark Mortell, Chairman, Bord Fáilte; Isao Matsuhashi, Chairman, JATA; Dr. Jim McDaid, Minister for Tourism, Sport & Recreation (guest speaker); John Dully, Chief Executive, Bord Fáilte and Peter McCann, General Manager, Merrion Hotel, Dublin.

Anne O’Carroll is certainly one busy lady and will be well known to many in the tourism sector. As the IHF’s Quality Employer Programme Co-ordinator, she is responsible for recruiting and managing the entire QEP programme for hotel and guesthouse members. She also has the task of assessing applications and reviewing each property for accreditation on an annual basis. It’s a challenging and demanding role that means she is on the road a lot of the time travelling from county to county. It’s a task many would not relish but which Anne thoroughly enjoys. No doubt, many of the QEP accredited properties can vouch for this as Anne’s job involves helping many hoteliers comply with, and put the QEP system in place so they can boast best employment practices.

A native of Kildare, Anne was always interested in a career in the hotel sector. She is a H.Dip Hotel Management graduate from Cathal Brugha St., and holds a Masters Degree in Business studies from UCD specialising in Human Resource Management.

“My career started in the hotel sector working in hotels in Ireland, the UK and USA training in all departments. My last position before joining the IHF was with Jury’s Hotel Group where I was Group Quality Manager and was responsible for Jury’s becoming the first hotel group in Ireland to receive ISO 9000 quality status. It was a natural progression for me I suppose, to become strategically involved in developing a quality programme for employment practices that could be simply implemented in all hotels and guesthouses,” says Anne.

Anne is a firm believer that the only real and tangible way the negative image of the hotel and guesthouse sector as employers will finally be put to bed, is when the industry can say all its members abide by a code of practice to ensure quality employment.

“The QEP is the biggest project undertaken by the IHF in recent years. It ensures that staff in the industry and those considering careers are being well looked after in relation to general terms and conditions, training and receive regular feedback on performance.”

“Currently, two thirds of the total IHF membership have applied for the programme while over one third are fully accredited. As well as having internal benefits, the programme proves to external audiences our commitment to raising standards,” continues Anne.

The ultimate aim of the QEP is to highlight to existing and potential new staff that they can enjoy excellent working conditions in the sector. Anne has broadened her role in this area and is a core influence on projects targeting young people. She manages all IHF participation at youth seminars and conferences and is a member of the team that produced the ’98 and ’99 ‘Get a Life …. in Tourism’ magazine for young people.

“A lot of my time is spent working closely with CERT and the RAI on joint ventures to promote the sector. This involves planning the National Tourism Career Roadshow and going overseas on recruitment drives. We went to Sweden earlier this year to talk to young people about careers in Ireland. We got a tremendous response, with nearly 80 employees being recruited for our industry. We’re planning another recruitment visit there next month,” she says.

Over the past two years the employment section of the IHF has grown in response to the changing needs of it’s many members and Anne has been a strong motivator in this area.

“We now attend all career guidance careers fairs, teachers conferences and recruitment fairs in the country. It’s the only way to actually get out and meet and speak directly to young people and change their sometimes-incorrect impressions of the sector. It just couldn’t be done without our members being so flexible and providing their staff to attend at our stands. But, the seeds are starting to produce real fruit – applications to CERT this year have increased by 50%. This is real proof that the energy and investment is paying off,” concludes Anne.

Certainly Anne’s efforts and enthusiasm have paid off for the QEP, and going on past experience – you ain’t seen nothin’ yet!