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Tralee Celebrates 800th

Tralee is celebrating its 800th anniversary with a year-long series of events, beginning on St Patrick’s Day.

The town was founded by John FitzThomas Fitzgerald in 1216 and yesterday Cathaoirleach of Kerry County Council and Chairman of the Tralee 800 Group, Cllr Pat McCarthy, launched details the town’s plans to mark the historic event.

His first duty was to unveil the Tralee 800 logo which incorporates a representation of the River Lee which is one of the defining symbols of the town and from which it derives its name.

This year’s St Patrick’s Day Parade in Tralee will be the first official Tralee 800-themed event, and entry to the Medieval Experience at Kerry County Museum will be free on March 17.

Hospitality plans major jobs growth

Restaurant & Hotels sector employers are forecasting the strongest year on year growth out all of the 11 sectors evaluated in a new Jobs Prospects survey.

The sector reports hiring prospects up 28 percentage points on the same period last year to register an Employment Outlook of +12%.

Irish employers are expecting to increase staffing levels across most industry sectors during the second quarter of 2016, according to the latest Manpower Employment Outlook Survey released today by ManpowerGroup Ireland, the leader in contingent and permanent innovative workforce solutions.

The figures show that employers are reporting a seasonally adjusted Net Employment Outlook of +5% for April to June 2016, maintaining the cautiously optimistic forecast previously reported for the first quarter of the year.

DIT Wins Management Game

A team of five students from B.Sc in International Hospitality Management, representing Dublin Institute ofTechnology won the 31st Irish Hospitality Institute (IHI) National Hospitality Business Management Game 2016.

Pictu

red (front left to right:) are Caroline McDevitt; Conor Bartley, Team Captain and Katie Scanlon of DIT winning team

Back: Clem Ryan, Tutor, DIT; Philippe Ray, Deputy Head of Mission, French Embassy; Paul Fitzsimons, DIT; Martin Mangan, President IHI; Shane Browne, DIT; Hugh Murray, Director, Classic Drinks; John Ryan, Tutor, DIT and Dominic Dillane, Head of School, Tourism and Hospitality Management, DIT

The game was rin in association with sponsor , The Doyle Collection at The Croke Park Hotel, with the winning team prize sponsored by Ambassade de France en Irlande and Classic Drinks Ltd.

The Management Game, which took place in The Croke Park Hotel, Dublin, is also supported by Irish Hotels Federation, HOTS and Forás na Gaeilge.

Dublin hotels grow revenue and occupancy

Dublin hotels had the highest revenue growth and recorded one of the highest occupancy rates in Europe, while prices are heading back to 2017 levels as shortages persist, according to a report from accountants PwC which compared city hotels across Europe on the basis of their average revenue, revenue per room, occupancy and average daily room rates.

It found that Dublin hotels were “relatively good value” but that because of increased demand that prices were “expected to creep up”.

There are 155 hotels with a total of 18,900 rooms in Dublin — or a third of all rooms in the republic.

'Sultry' Dublin and 'Foodie Cork' in 'Planet' guide

Cork is the "foodie capital of Ireland", Dublin is "sultry rather than sexy", Leitrim is a "well-kept secret" and Donegal is Ireland's "wild child", according to the latest edition of the 'Lonely Planet Guide'

Bundoran "has the feel of a tacky beach town", Lonely Planet says, while no attempt is made to gloss over Killarney's "manufactured tweeness".

Kenmare, by contrast, is hailed the "thinking man's Killarney... lacking the coach-tour crowds and "calculated Oirishness" of its neighbour.

The guide has long recognised Ireland's stunning scenery and warm welcome, with the Wild Atlantic Way (along with Tayto Park, Teeling Distillery and Ireland's craft beer scene) among the new entries for 2016.

“Our new Ireland guide shows just how much the nation has going for it," says Lonely Planet's destination editor, James Smart.

"Ireland is a major player on the global scene and a must-see destination".