Derry hotelier is chair of new tourism skills network

Marian McGreevy, Fitzwilliam Hotel; Judith Owens, Titanic Belfast; Roisin McKee, HATS Project Director and Back Row (L-R) Niall Casey, Invest NI; Vicky Green, Andras House Hotels; Ciaran O'Neill, Bishop’s Gate Hotel and HATS Chairman.

Ciaran O’Neill, of Bishop’s Gate Hotel, has been appointed as the chairperson of the ‘HATS’ Initiative, which sees leading hospitality and tourism operators join forces to tackle skills challenges in the sector.

The new partnership has been supported by Invest NI through the Collaborative Growth Programme.

The North’s tourism sector has been enjoying significant success and aims to increase employment opportunities by creating an additional 25,000 jobs in the next decade.

The sector is currently worth £968million and employs over 65,000 people across Northern Ireland.

However, the network say that skills challenges - compounded by Brexit - risk undermining its economic performance and profitability.

Mr O’Neill, who is also a former NI Hotels Federation (NIHF) President, said: “The people who work in hospitality and tourism are the cornerstone of the sector’s growth and vital in providing our visitors with a warm welcome and fantastic service.

“Yet, attracting and retaining skilled employees remains a major business challenge. To remain internationally competitive the industry has to become more productive, flexible and innovative. The need to find, nurture and retain talent therefore is critical.”