THE recent trend of ‘domestic tourism’ has given the local hospitality and tourism sector a much needed boost, it was claimed today.
With 1.2 million short home breaks taken by Northern Ireland people last year, South Eastern Regional College (SERC) is helping the sector cash in.
Muriel Tafts, head of communication and business services at SERC, said: “It has been recognised that the hospitality industry within Northern Ireland is growing.
“Skills development is fundamental to the success of the sector. Compliance training is a core product of SERC’s business courses portfolio. We have even developed a range of online modules to deliver this type of training in a cost effective and efficient manner.”
Hillsborough restaurant The Plough has already availed of a SERC training package for 42 of its staff who have upskilled in food hygiene.
Andrew Carson, its general manager, said: “It is important that we comply with food safety regulations and give customers the reassurance that we deliver to a high standard.
“This is a vital part of customer service which we are passionate about.
“We have started to see a rise in the numberof people coming into our premises from the local area and further afield and we wanted to give them the best experience possible in order to establish our business as a local hotspot.
“This training has helped us do this and it has been great for our staff to learn new skills. The training delivered by SERC was highly commendable and tailored to suit our individual requirements.”
The Plough Inn received a 75% discount off the cost of the training thanks to funding provided by the Department of Employment and Learning (DEL).