The Food Hub

02/10/2026

We had a wonderful event recently, to showcase the EcoSmart Hospitality Project recently.

One of the project resources is the The EcoSmart Digital Toolbox. This is a curated library of real, ready-to-use tools — not templates we created, but actual platforms and software you can access today. Every tool has been selected because it is:

Relevant to the day-to-day challenges of hospitality SMEs
Practical — usable without a large IT team or budget
Aligned with the skills and knowledge covered in the EcoSmart curriculum

Take a look: https://ecosmartproject.eu/digital-toolbox/

30/09/2026

Project FUSE is focused on supporting people who have been long-term outside the labour market and on creating new opportunities in the food, gastronomy and community-oriented enterprise sectors. The project connects education, mentoring, regional partnerships, employers and practical tools to help people gain new skills and improve their chances of employment.

On 17–18 June 2026, the FUSE project partnership met in Milan for an international project meeting hosted by Fondazione Luigi Clerici. You can read all about the meeting on the website: https://project-fuse.eu/blog/fuse-partners-meeting-in-milan

29/09/2026

The EcoSmart Green & Digital Competence Framework and Curriculum is an EcoSmart Project output aimed at strengthening the resilience, sustainability, and digital readiness of the hospitality sector, particularly among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Co-funded by Erasmus+, the project responds to urgent challenges such as economic instability, climate change, and technological disruption.

It provides a structured, research-informed framework that integrates three key EU competence models—GreenComp (sustainability), DigComp (digital competence), and EntreComp (entrepreneurship)—to guide vocational education and training (VET) providers in upskilling hospitality professionals.

Download your free copy here: https://ecosmartproject.eu/competence-framework/

24/09/2026

Twenty five people working across hospitality, food, education, enterprise and regional development gathered at The Food Hub in Drumshanbo for the Irish EcoSmart Hospitality Multiplier Showcase. Hosted by Atlantic Technological University, the event presented the completed EcoSmart resources and explored how they can be used by hospitality businesses, trainers and support organisations.

The setting was an important part of the event. As an EcoSmart partner, The Food Hub is home to food businesses, enterprise supports and the Taste Leitrim network. It provided a practical environment for discussing skills, sustainability and digital development with the people who work directly in these areas.

Practical resources for hospitality
The EcoSmart team presented a complete set of learning and business support resources developed through the Erasmus+ project. Participants explored seven modules addressing:
• Sustainable hospitality operations
• Circular economy and resource efficiency
• Sustainable customer experience
• Artificial intelligence in hospitality
• Data for business decision making
• Green and digital change leadership
• Digital marketing for sustainability

The session also introduced 20 plus hospitality case studies, trainer guidance, adaptable learning materials and the EcoSmart Knowledge Sharing Hub. The Digital Readiness and Sustainability Assessment attracted particular interest. It allows a hospitality business to review its current practices and receive personalised actions linked to its needs.

Please visit the website to find out more about the project: https://ecosmartproject.eu/

09/09/2026

The EcoSmart Hospitality Project Open Educational Resources (OERs) are a set of seven ready-to-use training modules that help hospitality businesses adopt sustainable and digital practices.

Discover seven training modules are grouped into three clusters, each covering a different part of the journey towards more sustainable and digital hospitality. The clusters build on one another (from everyday green practices, to digital capability, to leading and communicating change) but each one also works on its own, so you can start wherever suits your business best.

Cluster 1 · Sustainability & Green Innovation lays the foundations: practical, everyday sustainability across your operations, resources and guest experience.

The resources are free for everyone, and you can find them here: https://ecosmartproject.eu/open-educational-resources-en/

08/09/2026

We love the TrailAudio App that we've recently discovered in Sligo.

It adds an extra dimension to existing walks, you scan the QR codes along selected walks (such as Hazelwood Forest), and you'll hear interesting facts about the area. On the Hazelwood walk, you can hear about flora and fauna, the WB Yeats connection, and there's even a mindfulness section in the middle of the forest. Find out more here: https://www.trailaudio.ie/about/

We are working on the DOT.Rural project. which is designed to achieve a series of interconnected objectives aimed at revitalising and future-proofing the rural tourism sector through the application of digital and sustainable innovations. https://www.dotrural.eu/

28/08/2026

Digital that Delivers – Fáilte Ireland Digital Transformation Support

Digital that Delivers supports tourism businesses to improve websites, online booking, content, analytics and digital performance. The programme is a natural dissemination partner for DATA4RURAL because it demonstrates how digital infrastructure and data insights can improve customer journeys and operational decisions.

Source: https://www.failteireland.ie/en/digital-that-delivers

Connect with DATA 4 Rural
DATA4Rural is an Erasmus+ initiative advancing sustainable, inclusive and data-driven rural destinations across Europe.

Website: https://data4rural.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/data4rural/posts/?feedView=all
Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://data4rural.com/
Email: [email protected]



Posted by: Laura Magan

Fáilte Ireland's flagship digital programme supported visitor attractions, festivals, and activity providers to build lasting digital capability between 2021 and 2026.

24/08/2026

Fáilte Ireland Open Data – Tourism Activities and Attractions

This daily-updated dataset lists tourism activities and attractions registered for Discover Ireland and Visit Dublin. It is available through CSV and API formats, making it a practical Irish example for teaching structured data, filters, mapping, data quality and responsible reuse.

Source: https://data.gov.ie/en_GB/dataset/tourism-activities-and-attractions

Connect with DATA 4 Rural
DATA4Rural is an Erasmus+ initiative advancing sustainable, inclusive and data-driven rural destinations across Europe.
Website: https://data4rural.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/data4rural/posts/?feedView=all
Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://data4rural.com/
Email: [email protected]



Posted by: Laura Magan

This data set consists of a collection of Tourism Activities and Attractions that have registered with Fáilte Ireland to to be listed on discoverireland.ie and visitdublin.com. Fáilte Ireland provide this data as part of their Open Data and Open Data Plus APIs.

24/08/2026

Introducing Project FUSE. This is a three-year European project that addresses long-term unemployment by connecting who are out of work with real job opportunities in the food and hospitality sector. We combine two main approaches:

Shared kitchen incubators - practical spaces where people can learn, experiment and build skills in cooking and food production, alongside subsidised jobs programmes - supported, time-limited employment with employers in food, catering and hospitality, designed as a bridge into stable work.

The project focuses on people who have been unemployed for 12+ months and face multiple, including low qualifications, caring responsibilities, health issues, migration background, or living in disadvantaged or remote areas.

Find out more on the website: https://project-fuse.eu/

21/08/2026

Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands Regional Tourism Development Strategy

This regional strategy demonstrates how a rural destination can connect evidence, visitor experience development, communities, sustainability and investment priorities. It is particularly relevant to DATA4RURAL’s Irish dissemination because the region includes many small tourism businesses and rural communities across the Midlands and North-West.

Source: https://www.failteireland.ie/regionalstrategies.aspx

Connect with DATA 4 Rural
DATA4Rural is an Erasmus+ initiative advancing sustainable, inclusive and data-driven rural destinations across Europe.

Website: https://data4rural.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/data4rural/posts/?feedView=all
Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://data4rural.com/
Email: [email protected]



Posted by: Laura Magan

Access Fáilte Ireland’s tourism strategies shaping long-term growth across Ireland. Explore key priorities and opportunities for your business.