Food Tourism Action Plan - 'Food and Drink for Wales' Welsh Assembly Government 2009
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Food Tourism Action Plan ‘Food and Drink for Wales’ Welsh Assembly Government 2009
Contents
2 Executive Summary
5 Chapter 1 Introduction
7 Chapter 2 Why Do We Need a Food Tourism
Action Plan?
13 Chapter 3 Challenges and Objectives
23 Chapter 4 Aims, Objectives and Actions
hapter 5 Implementation, Monitoring
28 C
and Evaluation
This document is printed on 100% recycled paper.
Executive Summary
This Food Tourism Action Plan takes forward the Welsh Assembly Government’s
One Wales progressive agenda for a strong confident and prosperous nation with a
rich and diverse culture, and a sustainable environment. It seeks to fulfil the objectives
of Making the Connections by bringing together the Welsh Assembly Government’s
Food, Fisheries and Market Development Division, Visit Wales and others to develop
and deliver the plan whilst closely linked to the new Food and Drink from Wales
Strategy and the tourism strategy Achieving our Potential.
The importance of food to the tourism industry has increased significantly within the
last ten years. The availability of high quality, local food has become a key driver for
many selecting a place to visit and ‘where can we eat well ?’ has become a defining
question. Food products and dishes are also an expression of local cultures, and
culinary tourism and agricultural tourism are vital elements of a destination’s cultural
tourism offer. Food tourism fully integrates both concepts in order to maximise the
economic impact of various activities linking food to tourism.
Within the context of this action plan, food tourism is defined as:
Any activity that promotes high quality, distinctive, local and sustainable food experience
linked to a particular place.
The plan brings together the areas of agriculture, food processing, tourism
destinations, the food service sector, food festivals and food retail outlets, including
farmers’ markets in order to capitalise on the economic benefits of providing visitors
with a unique, high quality and distinctive food cultural experience.
The Travel Industry Association in conjunction with Gourmet Tourism Association
and the Culinary Tourism Association reported in March 2007 that over the previous
Food Tourism Action Plan Food and Drink for Wales
three years 27 million travellers engaged in culinary or wine related activities whilst
travelling throughout the world. There is, therefore, clearly a demand for gastronomic
experiences, and outlets which promote and market high quality Welsh food and
drink for consumption or purchase. The actions contained in this plan are designed to
meet this demand. This plan has been developed in partnership with representatives
of both the tourism, and food and drink production and processing industries. It sets
out the challenges and opportunities faced by the sectors, and proposes a number of
actions to address these.
The overall aim of the Action Plan is to:
Support the competitiveness of Welsh tourism, hospitality, food and drink businesses in
a way that is economically, socially and environmentally sustainable.
The Action Plan will help contribute to the achievement of the following key high
level outcomes:
• Increase visitor numbers to Wales who are likely to return and become advocates
for Wales.
• Ensure more visitor spend stays in the local economy.
• Ensure more visitors to Wales feel that they have experienced a distinctive
Welsh experience.
• Increase demand for Welsh food and drink produce.
• Minimise the impact of the tourism and food and drink industries on the environment.
The Action Plan will focus on delivering these outcomes through focusing on
achieving the following key objectives which together will help ensure that Wales’
food and drink offer will make a positive contribution to Wales’ cultural identity:
Improve perceptions of Wales as a destination where high quality and distinctive food
is widely available.
Provide an exceptional food experience to visitors based on locally sourced and
distinctive food.
Food Tourism Action Plan Food and Drink for Wales
Chapter 1 Introduction
The merger of the Welsh Development Agency and the Wales Tourism Board into
the Welsh Assembly Government on the 1st April 2006 has provided an opportunity
for better integrated working and making connections to develop joined up policies
and strategies and to improve service delivery. Since the merger, the Welsh Assembly
Government’s Food, Fisheries and Market Development Division (FFMDD) and
Visit Wales have been working together to develop a strategic framework which,
when implemented, will provide visitors and consumers within Wales with a much
improved Food Tourism product.
This Food Tourism Action Plan sets out proposals to develop the links between food
and tourism and maximise their contribution to the Welsh economy. It identifies the
future priorities for developing Wales’ food offer for visitors and sets out how the
Welsh Assembly Government and its partners will work together to promote Wales
as a destination of choice for visitors seeking high quality food and drink.
This plan is key to taking forward the Government’s One Wales progressive agenda
for a strong, confident and prosperous nation with a rich and diverse culture,
and sustainable environment. It focuses on how local food procurement and the
development of farmers’ markets can contribute to the growth of Food Tourism in
Wales. It builds on the priorities for developing the Welsh Food and Drink sector and
the recommendations contained within the National Tourism Strategy, Achieving our
Potential, in particular those which refer to co-operating across traditional boundaries
and compartmentalised thinking to bring together the two industries of agriculture
and tourism to deliver the Welsh Assembly Government’s strategic priorities.
In respect of the Welsh Food and Drink sector, a new strategy is under development
to achieve the overall vision of ‘a market led, customer focused, profitable and
sustainable Welsh Food and drink industry, which responds competitively to ever
changing market trends’. The strategy will continue to focus on the following strategic
aims which were included in the Agri Food Strategy in Action:
• Improving market focus.
• Improving supply chain linkages.
• Improving the performance of processors.
• Improving the performance of primary producers.
In an increasingly competitive tourism market place, destinations are becoming more
aware of the need to compete through promoting and developing what makes them
distinctive and different from other destinations. Achieving our Potential outlines
the importance of developing stronger links between tourism businesses and local
suppliers of goods and services – not only to deliver a distinctive, high quality
Welsh experience to the visitor but also to help sustain rural communities and
their economies and improve the sustainability of the tourism industry. Other, more
specialist tourism strategies such as the Action Plan for the Countryside Experience
and the Coastal Tourism Strategy have also recognised the critical importance of food
and its role in enhancing the Welsh tourism offer.
This action plan will have a role in minimising the environmental impact of tourism.
Encouraging the sourcing of local produce, in season, together with ensuring that
energy and waste are minimised in the preparation of food will help reduce the
environmental impact of food consumption by visitors, along with the reduction in
food miles. This will have an impact on the Wales Ecological Footprint by reducing
carbon emissions, energy usage and waste which are in line with the Assembly
Government’s targets. The sustainable development principles within this document
run in parallel to the Local Sourcing Action Plan published April 2009.
Food Tourism Action Plan Food and Drink for Wales
Chapter 2 Why Do We Need a Food Tourism
Action Plan?
Why is the food Food is an essential part of the tourism offer in Wales, arguably because it provides
offer important for the most common point of contact with visitors. All visitors have to eat and drink
tourism? irrespective of their reason for coming to Wales. It probably represents the most
frequent moment of truth for our efforts to deliver excellent quality. Places to eat
and drink are key factors for visitors particularly when centred on the use of local
produce and menus. Visitor trends indicate that interest in food continues to rise
at an exponential rate and now reaches beyond the elite deep into the general
population. Visitors and consumers are now seeking a high quality and distinctive
food experience when choosing tourist destinations and venues for day trips.
The availability of high quality, local food has become a key driver for many selecting a
place to visit and ‘where can we eat well ?’ has become a defining question. According
to research conducted by Visit Wales amongst visitors seeking a countryside holiday,
the following top four factors were considered priorities when choosing a destination
and significantly more important than other considerations:
• Good customer service.
• Good quality food available.
• Good choice of specific accommodation required.
• Attractive scenery.
(The countryside experience. Prepared by A+ Research 2005)
Many visitors to rural areas have limited expectations about things to do in the
evening and attach considerable importance to food and drink. There is a high
expectation amongst visitors to Wales that there will be good food and drink
facilities and those ingredients will have been locally produced.
Research by the Mid Wales Food and Land Trust on 2006 concluded that of the
visitors surveyed, 82% stated that provision of good locally produced food was a very
important part of their holiday experience and they would pay up to 13% extra to
experience it.
For day visitors, eating out was the most popular main day visit activity identified
by the Great Britain Day Visits Survey which was last undertaken in 2002 –2003
although popularity varied with destination type. Again, the statistics demonstrate the
importance of quality, local food:
• 18% of day trippers within GB rate eating and drinking out as the most popular
main activity.
• The quality of the food offering is rated as the third most important motivator in
choosing a holiday destination.
• Eating out in Wales is a frequent occurrence with 18% eating out in a restaurant,
hotel or gastro pub more than once a week.
• Almost a third of adults prefer to eat in local restaurants rather than chains.
How well is Wales Over recent years whilst there has been a marked improvement in the food offer,
doing now? there is still a perception amongst potential visitors to Wales that it lacks good
restaurants and places to eat.
• Key perceptual barriers to visiting Wales are rain, basic food/hotels and
unfriendliness.
(VW research Independent Explorers 2005)
• Relatively low associations of Wales with good quality pubs, places to eat and
restaurants.
(VW Advertising tracking research 2007)
Furthermore the perception that Wales lacks good hotels/restaurants is a strong
deterrent to many from visiting Wales.
This view is supported by the last Visitor Survey undertaken in 2006 which illustrated
that visitors feel there has been little improvement in the range and quality of eating
out establishments over recent years. The mean score out of a maximum of 5 was
3.9 in comparison with 3.7 for 2003 and 3.9 for 2001. These results imply that the
hospitality sector in Wales has not developed in line with market. The next visitor
survey is currently being undertaken and the results made available later in 2009.
Why food plays an Food products and dishes are also an expression of local cultures, and the food offer
important part in is a vital element of a destination’s cultural tourism offer. With the tourism industry
promoting Wales becoming increasingly more competitive, cultural distinctiveness is seen as critical for
as a destination? a destination to standout. Indigenous culture, sense of place and the way of life of
local people are at the heart of achieving distinctiveness in any destination and food
plays an integral part in this.
We also know that the sort of people who appreciate what Wales has to offer as
a holiday destination want to escape their busy lives and recharge their emotional
batteries in somewhere that is different, appealing and culturally authentic.
They will be interested in experiencing food and dishes that are characteristic and
authentic to the region they are visiting. Those visiting or living in Wales attribute
certain locations, historically and geographically to unique fare, for example
Penclawdd in North Gower is famous for its cockles, the west coast of Wales is
known for its mackerel and seafood and Pembrokeshire for its early potatoes.
Why is the visitor Currently visitors on short breaks in Wales spend 18.7% of their holiday spend on
market important for food and drink whilst visitors on longer holidays spend 17.8%.
Wales’ food industry?
Food Tourism Action Plan Food and Drink for WalesPurpose of visit
Food and drink Day trips Holidays Holidays Business
1–3 nights 4+ nights
Restaurants 9.7% 17.2% 7.1% 11.5%
Bars 3.9% 2.8% 3.2% 2.6%
Cafés 2.2% 9.1% 3.8% 2.1%
Fast food 0.4% 2.3% 0.4% 0.4%
Other takeaways 0.5% 1.3% 0.7% 0.3%
Sandwich bars/bakeries 0.4% 1.0% 0.6% 0.5%
Other fast food 1.6% 3.0% 2.0% 0.2%
(Visit Wales Expenditure Survey 2005)
Consumers are expressing a growing need for individuality in respect of the food
offering. There seems to be backlash against commercialised or mass-produced
products. Tourists and local consumers appear to be rekindling a fondness for outlets
which are both individual and exclusive. However, consumers are only prepared to
pay more for local food, if the quality and taste is superior to alternatives, and that
the cost reflects value.
• 81% of visitors to Wales want to find local foods on the menu or in retail outlets.
(Food Service Research May / June 2005 – Beaufort Research 2005)
• Visitors and local consumers are willing to pay an additional price premium of up to
around 13% for Welsh or local food.
(Food Service Research May / June 2005 – Beaufort Research 2005)
• 44% of the UK public would like to see an organic option on the menu when
eating out.
(Soil Association organic food and farming report 2004)
• 42% of those who eat out want to try new dishes.
(Eating out review UK July 05 – Mintel)
• Around 71% of Welsh consumers consider it important for a restaurant to highlight
what food has been sourced locally on menus.
(Beaufort Research True Taste Brand Tracking August 2005)
• Almost 50% of consumers in Wales would like restaurants to present menus based
on local produce.
(Beaufort Research True Taste Brand Tracking August 2005)
10 Food Tourism Action Plan Food and Drink for Wales
There is clearly a demand from consumers for local foods in restaurants, with an
emphasis on fresh products such as fruit, vegetables, meat and poultry, and to have
this information on menus. This is probably fuelled by the perception that local foods
offer the consumer reassurance on safety, quality and freshness and an expectation
of a better dining experience. This trend in pursuit of local foods and dishes provides
an opportunity for hospitality outlets to differentiate themselves from competitors
by providing and highlighting local food on the menu and ensuring that it matches or
exceeds expectations.
Increasing demand for organic produce also presents new opportunities for
restaurants and other hospitality establishments. This includes the food service
sector as the £26.8 billion UK catering market offers a huge opportunity for organic
producers and processors.
The demand for local food and drink is also influencing the purchasing habits of
consumers. The trend towards wanting to purchase local food and drink is driven
by a number of factors, including taste, a desire for freshness, a wish to support
local producers, concern about food miles and the environment, wanting to know
the source of the food and keenness to contribute to the development of local
economies. Increasing public interest in the origin and source of food provides further
opportunities to link agriculture and food tourism for the benefit of both sectors.
• Around one in four current buyers of Welsh produce use specialist outlets, such as
butchers, farmers markets and farm shops.
(Farma Cymru 2007 – Research on direct sales form the producer with a focus on
Welsh Farmers and Producer Markets)
• There are 46 Farmers Markets in Wales.
(Farma Cymru 2007 – Research on direct sales form the producer with a focus on
Welsh Farmers and Producer Markets)
•17% of households shop from farmers markets, around 12% from farm shops and
5% from Pick Your Own farms.
(FARMA’s Hungry for more – Farmers Market Conference June 2006)
• 72% of Welsh organic consumers are willing to pay more for local produce.
(Soil Association – Organic Food and Farming Report 2003)
The growth in demand for organic products also presents business opportunities for
the agri-food industry as Welsh organic shoppers are keen to support local farmers
and are predisposed to pay more for the products. That said, however, the food offer,
be it organic or not, must always be perceived as good value, and this is especially the
case in times of recession when disposable incomes are shrinking.
1112 Food Tourism Action Plan Food and Drink for Wales
Chapter 3 Challenges and Objectives
This section sets the objectives that will help us achieve our high level
outcomes.
These are to:
• Improve the perceptions of Wales as a destination where high quality and
distinctive food is widely available.
• Provide an exceptional food experience to visitors based on locally sourced and
distinctive food.
1. Improve the As discussed in section 3, there are indications that potential visitors to Wales still
perceptions of Wales perceive there to be a lack of good restaurants and places to eat. In order to improve
as a destination these perceptions focus should be placed on:
where high quality • Improving the branding and marketing of Welsh food and drink.
• Making information about food and food outlets more widely available
and distinctive food is
to visitors.
widely available
• Raising awareness of Wales’ food and drink through high profile events and
attractions.
Improve the The link between the quality of the produce and the quality of the food served on
marketing and the table is now firmly established in the public mind. In Wales, this translates into the
branding of the food expectancy amongst many visitors that a quality food offering will include a significant
offer amount of Welsh produce. This message should therefore be reinforced in Visit
Wales’ marketing activities both through a common brand that recognises quality and
through capitalising on opportunities for marketing Welsh produce in Wales’ tourism
destination marketing campaigns.
The brand for Welsh food, the True Taste (natural, authentic, modern and pleasurable
experience) is in line with contemporary trends in the market place. However, as it
has been developed separately from the Wales Tourism brand, there is work to do to
bring the brand messages closer together.
The use of the True Taste brand is subject to quality of taste. Companies are allowed
to feature the branding on their products following a robust judging process which
culminates in a high profile True Taste Food and Drink awards celebration. The
ceremony highlights the best food products in Wales together with good quality
dining places and retail outlets.
A new category was introduced at the 2008 True Taste Food and Drinks Awards
Food Tourism Destination – this award recognises the contribution to promoting
Wales as a food tourism destination.
Making information Tourists and day visitors are interested in obtaining information about locally
about Wales’ food produced foods and eating establishments where locally produced food is available
and food outlets before and during a visit. If visitors can be directed to the best food on offer in Wales,
more widely available they are far more likely to return home impressed and pass the message on to
to visitors others. It is also possible that they will continue to source Welsh food and drink if it is
easily accessible to them.
13Well established commercial ventures such as the Michelin guides, AA rosettes,
Good Food guide, already provide visitors with information that is well respected.
It is important to remember that these guides appeal to those who are already
food aware and who will actively seek out establishments that are featured by the
guide. It is reasonable to suggest, on the other hand, that the vast majority of visitors
experiencing food in Wales will do so at establishments which do not feature in
the guides.
Most visitors would pick up information about restaurants/food and drink once at
the destination (e.g. at accommodation), but if doubtful about the availability of good
quality food and drink within an area many will check a website for reassurance.
It is therefore important to ensure that information about an area’s food offering
and eating out establishments is readily available to visitors online. However, this
information must be matched with the likely experience any visitor is likely to receive.
Raising awareness The Assembly Government’s Food, Fisheries and Market Development Division
through high profile promotes Welsh food and drink at several UK consumer events. These events
food events and provide opportunities to promote Wales’ food tourism offer to consumers.
attractions Furthermore, there are opportunities to promote Wales as a tourist destination at
the international food and drink trade events organised by International Business
Wales. Joint promotion at these events would help in raising further awareness of
Wales as a destination for high quality food and drink.
There is room for a more limited number of high profile food festivals, such as the
Abergavenny Food Festival. Such festivals have the potential to attract visitors from
much further afield and play a useful role in raising the profile of Wales as a quality
food destination.
The Coastal Tourism strategy also highlights the potential of developing a high profile
seafood festival that could be held at different locations each year building on existing
seafood festivals such as Pembrokeshire Fish Week, Cardigan Bay, Anglesey and Llŷn
Seafood Festivals.
The Cultural Tourism action plan also highlights the opportunities to build on the
Food Tourism offering at major cultural tourism events and festivals, e.g. Hay on Wye
and National Eisteddfod to provide a True Taste pavilion that can be delivered along
with the engagement of key partners such as Visit Wales, National Parks and Welsh
Rarebits.
2. Provide an If we are to achieve the vision of Wales as destination of choice for visitors seeking
exceptional food high quality and distinctive food and drink, significant work remains to be done in
experience to developing Food Tourism, in respect of tourist facilities, hospitality establishments and
visitors, based on retail outlets. We suggest that the action plan should focus on the following:
locally sourced and • Improve the capacity of existing food and tourism businesses to provide quality,
distinctive food locally produced food that is distinctive to their area.
• Develop food supply chains.
• Improve catering skills and training.
• Provide more opportunities for visitors to experience and buy local produce.
• Develop bilingual menus.
14 Food Tourism Action Plan Food and Drink for WalesImprove the capacity In order for Wales to make its mark on the food tourism map, it is important
of existing food and to ensure that all food outlets (from the smallest tea room to large/up market
tourism businesses to restaurants) are engaged in providing a quality food experience. We need to ensure
provide quality locally that businesses offer good quality local food experiences where local produce is used
produced food that in flavoursome dishes, at reasonable cost, that will deliver the Wales brand promise
is distinctive to their for authentic local experiences.
area
While very few would doubt the marketing appeal of fresh, local produce, the reality
is that a significant number of food outlets in Wales will focus firstly on providing
good quality food at a profit, while striving to deliver first class service.
Many of those who enter food businesses that serve the tourism market have
little prior knowledge of this type of operation. Research has indicated that there is
perception that there is no particular bespoke advisory services for Food Tourism
operators such as cafés, pubs, hotels, and restaurants. There is some evidence,
however, that food and tourism businesses in some parts of Wales are taking up the
available support. For example, in Mid Wales over a 20 month period 108 hotels,
restaurants, bars and coffee shops took advantage of General Service for Business
(GSB).
Although Visit Wales Quality Advisers have day to day contact with hotels and guest
houses which provide food and drink to tourists, they are not currently charged
with the task of advising on the food offer to any significant extent. Their role is to
experience and pass comment on the food offer and their assessments will have a
bearing on the eventual star rating achieved by the accommodation. The Advisers are
particularly well placed to extend their role to provide an enhanced level of advice
on food not only in accommodation, but also across a wider range of food outlets,
provided that they are given additional training.
However, before this could happen, there needs to be a mechanism for engaging
with the wider range of food establishments. Visit Wales already engages with
approximately 2000 hotels and guest houses through its accreditation scheme.
This engagement is sustainable due to the fact that the businesses have a route to
market through the services offered by Visit Wales and local authorities. Research
undertaken on behalf of Visit Wales in 2007 has demonstrated that being
inspected on a regular basis has helped generate significant investment in quality
improvements. The star grading scheme, therefore, provides the glue which binds the
accommodation industry together for the purposes of measuring quality achievement
and development.
Inspection and recognition of non accommodation food outlets could similarly assist
in raising quality and such engagement with the industry should also provide the basis
for influencing businesses to make more use of local produce. As indicated above, the
industry will need an incentive to engage with government, and the development of
effective routes to markets for accredited food outlets is one means of achieving that.
Financial support in the form of grant aid can make a valuable contribution to the
development of the sector, but in order to maximise the effectiveness of the available
resources, there is a need to ensure that assistance is targeted towards projects
that fully accord with Wales’ brand values and the priorities of the Welsh Assembly
Government.
A new visitor customer service scheme was launched by the Welsh Assembly
Government in 2008 as part of the Croeso Programme. The new scheme 1516 Food Tourism Action Plan Food and Drink for Wales
places more emphasis on developing pride in the local area. This is a factor which
complements the objectives of the various strategies of the relevant Assembly
Government Departments including those concerned with promoting local produce,
and developing a ‘Sense of Place’, to extol the benefits of differentiation in the
market place.
The Croeso Programme will potentially provide a means of identifying those
products and businesses which share Wales’ brand values. The Croeso Programme
initiative will involve working at the local level to encourage businesses and the host
community to recognise the significance of differentiating their specific tourism offer
through the use of Welsh food, music, building materials, display of Welsh craft and
other pieces of art.
Other measures could include interpretation of Welsh language, legends and
folklore in an appealing way for visitors. The programme will comprise of a suite of
three separate modules which business can complete independently. Successfully
completing all three modules will allow businesses to display the Croeso – A Warm
Welsh Welcome brand in their marketing activity or at their premises. From time
to time businesses will have access to group seminars designed to provide practical
advice about creating a Sense of Place.
Wales is also repositioning itself as a short-break activity tourism destination. A
series of Activity Tourism Strategies have been developed to guide the marketing
and development of key Activity Tourism products including activities such as cycling,
adventure sports, mountain biking, watersports and sailing. Visitors who come to
Wales primarily to undertake an activity will have specific needs in relation to food
e.g. healthier food, packed lunches, transportable food. In addition, developing the
food offer at activity centres is a useful means of supporting the local food initiative
and increasing visitor spend in the local economy.
In addition as a result of Wales hosting the Ryder Cup, Visit Wales is seeking to
maximise opportunities to develop the Golf Tourism product in Wales.
As the number of golf visitors to Wales increases golf clubs are being encouraged
to raise catering standards to meet the high expectations of golf visitors. Whilst
the commercial clubs are keen to offer high standards of catering in order to have
commercial benefits members clubs are faced with different challenges as they try
to please their members and visitors. It is therefore the latter (membership clubs)
where there is the greatest need to educate and assist both caterers and committees
on how to improve standards of catering and demonstrate the benefits of offering a
quality Welsh menu. Activities to develop this area include the production of a food
guide for golf club caterers to support the food section in the golf tourism toolkit
Driving Change. This will be followed with a series of food workshops specifically for
golf club caterers.
Develop food supply Many of the high quality suppliers of Welsh produce are small in size and their
chains potential customers at the higher quality end of the hospitality trade are thinly spread
geographically. As illustrated in the table on page 18, more activities are needed to
increase the uptake of Welsh food and drink and to encourage the development
of bilingual menus, meals and recipes that use quality, local products. Some work
has been undertaken to improve supply chain linkages, which has led to greater
awareness of the advantages and opportunities offered by using quality, Welsh
produce in hospitality establishments.
17Is Welsh/local food widely enough available from suppliers?
Suppliers Yes No Don’t know
Cafés 53% 36% 11%
Restaurants 55% 38% 7%
Pubs/bars 63% 29% 8%
Hotels 79% 16% 5%
Contract caterers 62% 13% 25%
(Food Service Research May/June 2005 – Beaufort Research 2005)
Experience has shown that effective communication between customers, suppliers
and prospective purchasers, such as hospitality providers, leads to sufficient goodwill
to overcome challenges through a better understanding of customer needs. Such
communication can also lead to further product development, accessing of new
markets and collaboration on issues such as distribution and improved servicing
of clients.
Exciting examples of initiatives to bring together the various elements of the industry
to improve communication can be seen across Wales, with the Local Food Talks
programme in Mid Wales gaining momentum and achieving results. The programme
offers a series of workshops to promote the use of Welsh food within the hospitality
sector and seeks to enhance the relationship between the tourism sector and the
producer. The programme is being rolled out in the South West area and there is
scope to consider whether best practice models such as these could be rolled out in
other parts of Wales.
18 Food Tourism Action Plan Food and Drink for WalesImproving catering Attracting and retaining skilled staff is one of the major barriers to development
and hospitality skill within food tourism businesses. There are acute staff shortages with a distinct lack
levels of suitable kitchen staff especially the higher grades of chef. Research amongst Welsh
hospitality employers undertaken by People 1st in 2007 shows a conservative
estimate of 34% rate of staff turnover, which is said to have been at the same level
for the last 5 years. The demand for chefs has grown over a 6 year period whilst the
number of chefs being produced through the education system has declined by 10%
over the same period, and there is evidence that the quality of training provision
has declined as the NVQ system has failed to support the provision of high quality
practical catering.
There is no doubt that many restaurant operations whether they be fine dining,
gastro pubs, bistros or cafés feel that they are unable to achieve the standards to
which they aspire because of the difficulties of obtaining front of house staff, kitchen
staff and chefs with the appropriate skills and product knowledge, particularly in
respect of traceability and provenance. In the food sector, the skills required by front
of house staff are further complicated given that the technical skills of dealing with
customers (serving food, taking orders) must be delivered by people who have
top quality interpersonal skills. This situation is not new and is a constant source of
concern for the hospitality industry generally.
However, two new developments are set to address these problems:
• A new three level Hospitality and Catering Diploma for 14–19 year olds is being
developed for the UK which will be piloted from September 2009. There are plans
to adopt and adapt the programme for inclusion in the Welsh Baccalaureate. The
practical content of the qualification increases from 60% at Level 1 to 80% at Level
3, and work experience is a key feature.
• The Applied Ability Awards, practical exams for professional chefs, designed and
delivered by chefs are being piloted in Wales from March 2008 at Foundation
Chef and Chef levels. The focus is development of the full range of cooking skills
in the workplace supported by Chef Mentors assessed by no-option practical
exam testing. These Awards may stand-alone or equally complement universal
qualifications achieved by continuous assessment through recorded observation.
Provide more Increasing public interest in the origin and source of food provides further
opportunities for opportunities to link agriculture and food tourism for the benefits of both sectors.
visitors to experience There are examples of where the relationship between the producer and the
and buy local produce consumer/visitor has been developed through food trails and other similar activities.
The Gastronomic Tourism Europe – Mintel Report 2004, highlights how tourist
boards across Europe have developed the food offering in wine and food trails which
highlight particular gastronomic specialities whilst also taking in key historical and
cultural sights. In Wales, Adventa’s picnic tours in Monmouthshire link local producers
with places of interest and beauty and wider tourism activities. These tours and trails
are effective in developing linkages between food producers and tourism and can
add value to cycle, walking and holiday routes as the food and drink consumed takes
on additional significance by allowing the visitor to experience a true sense of place.
Farmers’ markets, food festivals, farm shops and specialist outlets also provide
opportunities for visitors to buy local produce and can act as attractions in their
own right. The FFMDD department figures show that 10% of people who shop
at farmers’ markets are visiting from outside Wales and this is during the off peak
1920 Food Tourism Action Plan Food and Drink for Wales
season. Research has shown that the main reason why consumers choose to use
local shops, such as butchers and farmers’ markets, is the product range and quality
of customer service. Widening product availability and improving customer service
at farmers’ markets, food festivals, farm shops and specialist outlets all provide
opportunities to increase the attraction of Wales as a food tourism destination for
the visitor and the in Wales day tripper. It also supports the rural economies and
the diversity of rural culture, in particular through an emphasis on local products that
keep food miles to a minimum and benefits to the rural communities, by creating and
safeguarding jobs within the hospitality sectors.
There is also a need to determine gaps in provision on a spatial and sectorial basis.
Both the Assembly Government’s Food, Fisheries and Market Development Division
and the Department of Economy and Transport have grant schemes available that
can support the development of new tourism outlets via the single Investment Fund
subject to eligibility criteria, and co-ordination of marketing support from the Rural
Development Plan Axis 2 & 3. It is therefore important that they work together to
use the resources effectively and target agreed spatial and sectorial developments.
An international movement which is gaining momentum within Wales is ‘Slow
Food’, which originated in Italy in 1986. It promotes the consumption of locally
produced food products and regional cooking. Through a variety of initiatives it raises
awareness of gastronomic culture, taste education, conserves agricultural biodiversity
and protects traditional foods. It is represented in over a 100 countries, with the Dyfi
Valley group within Mid Wales being particularly active in this movement and further
groups in Mold and the Cardiff area emerging.
2122 Food Tourism Action Plan Food and Drink for Wales
Chapter 4 Aims, Objectives and Actions
As a result of the Welsh Assembly Government’s One Wales progressive agenda,
for a strong confident and prosperous nation with a rich and diverse culture,
the Food Tourism Action Plan unites a number of policy departments within the
Assembly Government. Led by the FFMDD with strategic support from Visit Wales,
other policy departments will also have roles to play in delivering the Action Plan.
Partnerships will be forged with other bodies in order to harness resources for best
effect with the objective of maximising the economic impact of various activities
linking food to tourism.
In order to ensure that the deliverables within the Action Plan are properly
co-ordinated, it will be timely to examine existing structures within the FFMDD’s
networks for industry liaison. The objective will be to examine how producers,
distributors and the hospitality industry can be brought together to help guide the
strategic direction of both food production, distribution and its preparation (to
end user). People and craft skills will necessarily form an important element in the
delivery of the Action Plan and it will be important to ensure that policy guidance is
available to whatever framework is established for implementation of the Action Plan.
23The following table set out the actions to be taken to deliver this plan’s strategic aims
and objectives of the plan.
Objective 1 To improve the perceptions of Wales as a destination where
high quality and distinctive food is widely available
Objectives Action Lead/support organisations
Improving the branding Develop and Implement a Food FFMDD and Visit Wales jointly.
and marketing of the Tourism Strand in Visit Wales’
Welsh food and drink Marketing Campaigns.
offer.
Review of the True Taste Brand. FFMDD in consultation with
Visit Wales.
Making information Provide opportunities for Regional Tourism
about food and food businesses serving food (both retail Partnerships with support
outlets more widely and hospitality) to reach the visitor from tourism marketing area
available to visitors. market, and provide a mechanism for organisations.
identifying where produce is locally
sourced.
Review and develop food tourism FFMDD and Visit Wales
content of Visit Wales and FFMDD jointly.
True Taste website.
Support the promotion and Regional Tourism Partnerships
marketing of local producers and with support from tourism
hospitality establishments. marketing area organisations.
Raising awareness of Include food and tourism references IBW with support from
Wales’ food and drink in International Business Wales FFMDD and Visit Wales.
through high profile promotional material.
events and attractions.
Provide International Business Wales FFMDD with Visit Wales.
with information on quality local eating
establishments and food tourism
attractions/events.
Support the development of food FFMDD.
festivals.
Build the Welsh food offering into FFMDD.
major events and festivals.
Joint presence at relevant tourism and FFMDD and Visit Wales
food exhibitions and events. jointly.
24 Food Tourism Action Plan Food and Drink for WalesObjective 2 To improve an exceptional food experience to visitors based
on locally sourced and distinctive food
Objectives Action Lead/support organisations
Improve the capacity of Investigate work on verifying the use Visit Wales with support from
existing food and tourism of locally produced food and drink FFMDD and Regional Tourism
businesses to provide and local specialities. Partnerships.
quality, locally produced
food that is distinctive to Provide hospitality establishments with FFMDD with support from
their area, but in a way information on the availability of local Visit Wales and Regional
which provides for a food. Tourism Partnerships.
sustainable, affordable and
deliverable future. Investigate the introduction of a food Visit Wales with assistance
verification scheme. from Regional Tourism
Partnerships and relevant
trade associations and
enterprise agencies.
Champion the importance of Visit Wales with support from
locally produced food in the Regional Tourism
delivery of the Visit Wales Sense of Partnerships and local
Place initiative. enterprise and training
agencies.
Provide advice on developing Visit Wales with support from
menus and using the availability TTfW.
of local food for promotional
purposes.
Promote the benefits of using local Regional Tourism
food to hospitality establishment. Partnerships and local
enterprise and training
agencies with support from
Visit Wales through its Croeso
programme.
Investigate and share best practice in FFMDD with Visit Wales in
other areas of UK and wider Europe. association with Regional
Tourism Partnerships.
25..
Objectives Action Lead/support organisations
Develop food supply Update and disseminate widely the FFMDD.
chains. Wales Food and Drink Producer
Directory and examine the most
appropriate media for its
distribution.
Establish food tourism discussion/ Regional Tourism Partnerships
action learning groups on a with support from FFMDD
regional/local level. and Visit Wales.
Establish and encourage better FFMDD with support from
connections between producers, Regional Tourism Partnerships
supplier and the hospitality sector. and Visit Wales.
Improve catering and Investigate the development of a Visit Wales in association with
hospitality skill levels. programme of ongoing workshops Regional Tourism Partnerships
and training for both kitchen and and TTfW.
front of house staff in hospitality
establishments.
Improve the capability of Visit Wales Visit Wales.
quality development team to provide
advice to a wide range of food
providers (cafes, restaurants etc.)
Review existing research regarding Visit Wales.
skills need for the industry and
undertake additional research
as appropriate to fill any gaps in
knowledge. Additional research to
include review of where existing skills
programmes have been effective.
26 Food Tourism Action Plan Food and Drink for WalesObjectives Action Lead/support organisations
Improve catering and Review existing research Visit Wales with TTfW.
hospitality skill levels. regarding training requirements for
immigrant workers employed in
hospitality and catering industries
and undertake additional research
as appropriate to fill any gaps in
knowledge.
Investigate with DCELLS how school FFMDD and Visit Wales with
curricula might be used to develop support from TTfW.
children’s understanding of the food
supply chain and the interaction
between farm, supplier and the
hospitality industry.
Investigate with DCELLS how school Visit Wales with support from
curricula might include elements of TTfW.
learning designed to showcase the
significance of the hospitality (food)
industry to the Welsh economy.
Provide more Introduce a generic support FFMDD.
opportunities for programme for the development of
visitors to experience and farmers’ markets and other direct
buy local produce. sales outlets.
27Chapter 5 Implementation, Monitoring
and Evaluation
The preceding chapter sets out the actions to be taken forward under this plan in
order to implement the strategic aim of:
Supporting the competitiveness of Welsh tourism, hospitality, food and drink businesses in
a way that is economically, socially and environmentally sustainable.
To achieve this aim and progress with the objectives and associated actions, a
commitment will have to be made to engage fully with all stakeholders across
the sector. Existing methods of partnership working and liaison with industry
stakeholders will be examined with a view to ensuring that food producers,
distributors, and the hospitality industry have appropriate fora for engaging with the
Welsh Assembly Government in order to guide and review the implementation of
the Action Plan.
We will evaluate progress against the action plan through setting baseline data against
the following objectives:
• Improve perceptions of Wales as a destination where high quality and distinctive
food is widely available.
• Provide an exceptional food experience to visitors based on locally sourced and
distinctive food.
Sources such as the Visit Wales Visitor Survey, the Visit Wales Advertising Tracking
Survey and FFMDD’s tracking research.
28 Food Tourism Action Plan Food and Drink for WalesFood Tourism Action Plan ‘Food and Drink for Wales’ Welsh Assembly Government 2009 This book was published by the Welsh Assembly Government Food Tourism Action Plan ‘Food and Drink for Wales’ Version 1 0409
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