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GDK plans Irish chain

German Doner Kebab (GDK) plans to open 40 outlets across Ireland starting next year. gdk1119

Claiming roots to an ‘80s Berlin diner, the Glasgow-basd chain has opened scores of branches across the UK, Sweden and the Gulf states of Bahrain, Oman and the United Arab Emirates - but none in Germany.

The firm told the Irish Independent that the first GDK in Ireland would arrive in Dublin by June in an “iconic location” still subject to negotiations, followed by Belfast, then a roll-out to other cities and large towns.

Ireland's West End Show

Forty-five top British meetings and events professionals attended ‘Ireland Meets the West End’ in London. The annual B2B event – organised by Tourism Ireland in conjunction westend1119

with Fáilte Ireland and Tourism NI – saw the buyers meet, and do business with, some 37 tourism businesses from across the island of Ireland.

Pictured are Chanel Malone, Select Hotels of Ireland; Simon Gidman, Tourism Ireland; and Katie Brooks and Rachael Tamblyn, both Parallel Blue, at the ‘Ireland Meets the West End’ event in London.

The aim of ‘Ireland Meets the West End’ is to grow business tourism from Britain to the island of Ireland. The event provides a valuable opportunity for the companies from Ireland to showcase and sell their product and to convince the British buyers to confirm their meetings and events in Ireland for 2020 and beyond.

Irish sell in Offenbach

Thirty tourism companies from Ireland travelled to Offenbach, near Frankfurt, this week – to take part in a B2B workshop and networking event with leading German tour gutentag1119

operators. The event was organised by Tourism Ireland, to continue to grow visitor numbers from Germany, our third-largest tourism market, in 2020 and beyond.

Pictured are Denise Quinn, Tourism Ireland; Susan Randles, Randles Hotel; Finola O’Mahony, Tourism Ireland; Sheila O’Callaghan, Lake Hotel Killarney; Brian Miley, The Gleneagle Group; Eva Schmid, Killarney Hotels; and Aoife Hickey, Manor West Hotel, at the B2B workshop in Offenbach.

Kevin cooks in Canada

Chef Kevin Dundon is showcasing Ireland's food and drink experiences in Canada this week. dundon1119

Kevin is pictured wit Jennifer Valentyne, host of The Morning Show; and Dana Welch, Tourism Ireland, during his appearance on The Morning Show, a popular breakfast TV show which airs on the Global television network.

Ireland invited Kevin Dundon to take part in a busy programme of culinary and media events in Toronto this week, which includes an appearance on Canadian television when Kevin highlighted modern Irish cuisine on The Morning Show, a popular breakfast TV show which airs on the Global television network to around 240,000 viewers;

an appearance on the popular Your Morning breakfast show on CTV (on 19 November), which has over 379,000 viewers; and

interviews with influential food and travel journalists who write for the Toronto Sun and Toronto Star newspapers.

First Trump Doonbeg profit

The Donald Trump-owned Trump Doonbeg resort in Co Clare has recorded its first operating profit since it was bought in 2014. doonbeg

Accounts show that the business recorded a modest operating profit of €2,939 as revenues increased by 7.5 per cent from €10.66 million to €11.47 million last year. This follows an operating loss of €330,030 in 2017.

However, the resort company TIGL Ireland Enterprises Ltd recorded a pre-tax loss of €1.49 million last year due to non-cash depreciation and amortisation costs of €1.487 million. this also includes interest costs of €14,943 last year.

The pre-tax loss of €1.49 million last year was 15.5 per cent down on the pre-tax loss of €1.7 million in 2017.