Hotel Weddings - Ireland - March 2009

ISSUES IN THE MARKET
Key themes in the report
Definitions
Abbreviations
Figure 1: Exchange rate used, March 2009
INSIGHTS AND OPPORTUNITIES
5 Star fitness
A cocktail of their own
Entertainment is key
Pushing the realms of social norm
MARKET IN BRIEF
Increase in Irish marriages compared to decline in other parts of the UK
Ireland attracting more visitors each year
Recessionary storms ahead
In a tough economy, ‘destination’ weddings become increasingly popular
FAST FORWARD TRENDS
 TREND 1: LIFE – AN INFORMAL AFFAIR
What's it about?
What we've seen
What next?
 TREND 2: STAYING CONNECTED
What's it about?
What we've seen
What next?
INTERNAL MARKET ENVIRONMENT
Key points
Changing social times
Marriages continue to grow in NI and RoI
Figure 2: Number of marriages, NI and RoI, 2003-07
…but so do divorces
Figure 3: Number of divorces, men and women, NI and RoI, 2003-07
Increase in the number of second marriages
Figure 4: Percentage of couples marrying with one partner previously married, 2003-07, NI
People are getting married later
Figure 5: Average age at marriage, men and women, NI, 2003-07
Legislative changes
Slight decrease in the number of Civil Partnerships in NI
Figure 6: Civil partnerships, numbers, mean age and percentage, by age at civil partnership, NI, 2005-07
...however, Pink weddings a valuable revenue channel
Increase in civil ceremonies in NI
Figure 7: Civil marriages by top ten locations, 2007, NI
Civil ceremony law in RoI gives couples new options for wedding venues
Hotels reap big dividends from hosting total package
Marriage day and seasonality
Winter weddings gaining in popularity
Figure 8: Number of marriages during October-December, NI, 2003-07
Saturday most common day to get married
Eco-friendly nuptials
Holiday travel trends and destination weddings
Irish weddings abroad to double in effort to avoid rip-off at home
BROADER MARKET ENVIRONMENT
Key points
Financial considerations
Impact of credit crunch
Figure 9: Economic outlook for NI and RoI, 2008-10
Taking out a loan
Euro brides break for the border
Recently married/getting married
Figure 10: Percentage of adults recently married/getting married, NI, 2007 and 2008
Figure 11: Percentage of adults recently married/getting married, RoI, 2007 and 2008
Multi-cultural Ireland
Multi-cultural weddings are more popular than ever
COMPETITIVE CONTEXT
Key points
Less money in the pot – internal competition
Love on the rugby pitch?
Bigger slice of the cake – destination weddings
Figure 12: Number of weddings in the UK and abroad, 2003-08
Top luxury honeymoon destinations for 2008
Figure 13: Top luxury honeymoon destinations, 2007 and 2008
Online booking, real-time Web technology on the rise
STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES
Strengths
Weaknesses
WHO’S INNOVATING?
Key points
Hillgrove Hotel beats the blues
Eco wedding
Themed weddings
From theme parks...
...to theme malls
A marriage made in heaven…
A wedding blast off
Wedding trends
Share the love
The folks back home
More intimate experiences with close friends and family…
Gay weddings and commitment ceremonies
A future for eBay weddings
MARKET VALUE AND FORECAST
Key points
The wedding market
Figure 14: Overall number of weddings per year, estimated cost per wedding and wedding market value, IoI, RoI and NI, 2003-14
Keeping up with the O’Reillys?
Approximately 40% of a wedding budget is spent on the reception
Figure 15: Overall wedding reception market value and forecast, IoI, RoI and NI, 2003-13
How are couples funding their wedding?
Hotel offering rescue package
Guests under pressure
SEGMENT PERFORMANCE
Key points
Bar and beverage sector to take the biggest hit
Figure 16: Breakdown of wedding costs
Figure 17: Breakdown and market value and forecast of the wedding reception market, all Ireland, 2003-14
Smaller, but more boutique wedding receptions
Wedding reception is the last item to fall victim to budget cuts
Figure 18: Responses to the question “If you have reduced your wedding budget, in what way are you making savings?” November 2008
HOTEL WEDDING PROVIDERS
Very little innovation
Figure 19: Profiled hotels offering civil ceremonies and wedding receptions, RoI & NI, 2008
 NI
Ballygally Castle Hotel – Ballygally, NI
Clarion Hotel – Carrickfergus, NI
Comfort Hotel – Antrim, NI
La Mon House Hotel – Castlereagh, NI
Ramada Hotel – Belfast, NI
Slieve Donard Hotel – Newcastle, NI
The Dunadry Hotel & Country Club – Dunadry, NI
The Templeton Hotel – Templepatrick, NI
The Tullylagan Country House Hotel – Cookstown, NI
Tullyglass House Hotel – Ballymena, NI
 ROI
Maryborough Hotel and Spa – Cork City, RoI
Menlo Park Hotel and Conference Centre – Galway, RoI
Mill Park Hotel – Donegal, RoI
Mount Falcon – Ballina, RoI
The Clarence – Dublin, RoI
The Hamlet Court Hotel – Enfield, RoI
The Muckross Park Hotel and Cloisters Spa – Killarney, RoI
The Royal Marine Hotel – Dun Laoghaire, RoI
How to reach new customers
THE CONSUMER - MODERN ATTITUDES TO MARRIAGE
Key points
Relationships are more popular than ever
Figure 20: Agreement with various statements by region, NI and RoI, 2008
NI less traditional than RoI
Figure 21: Agreement with various statements by age, NI, 2008
Figure 22: Agreement with various statements by age, RoI, 2008
Figure 23: Agreement with the statement ‘It's important to respect traditional customs and beliefs’, NI and RoI, 2008
APPENDIX
Figure 24: Internet usage, NI and RoI, 2002-07
Marriage statistics
Figure 25: Marriages, numbers and rates, mean age at marriage and percentages, by age at marriage for males, NI, 1990-2007
Figure 26: Marriages, numbers and rates, mean age at marriage and percentages, by age at marriage for females, NI, 1990-2007
Figure 27: Marriages, RoI, 1990-2006*
Figure 28: Age specific marriage rates in 1996, 2002 and 2005, per 1,000 people at specific ages, RoI
Figure 29: Marriages registered, by previous marital status of groom and bride, 2005, RoI
Figure 30: Marriages (numbers) by method of celebration, NI, 1990-2007
Figure 31: Marriages, by form of ceremoney, 1991-96 and 2002 & 2005, RoI
Figure 32: Civil and religious marriages by location, NI, 2007
Figure 33: Marriages by age of husband and wife at marriage, NI, 2007
Figure 34: Divorces, numbers and rates, mean duration of marriage, percentages, by marital status and percentage filed by wife, NI, 1990-2007
Figure 35: Divorces granted by the courts, 1997-98 and 2005-07, RoI
Figure 36: Agreement with ‘I would be prepared to pay more for environmentally friendly products’, by demographic breakdown, NI and RoI, 2008
Figure 37: Agreement with various statements RoI, 2003 and 2008
Figure 38: Agreement with various statements NI, 2003 and 2008