Visit Waterford and Taste Waterford collaboration recognised for putting Waterford’s food, drink, tourism and visitor experience firmly on the national stage
Waterford has been named Regional Destination of the Year 2026 at the prestigious Georgina Campbell Irish Food & Hospitality Awards, recognising the city and county’s outstanding food, drink, hospitality and tourism offering and the growing collaboration behind its promotion as a visitor destination.
The coveted award was presented by renowned food writer and broadcaster Georgina Campbell at the annual awards ceremony at the InterContinental Dublin on Tuesday, September 22nd, celebrating the very best of Ireland’s food, hospitality and tourism industry.
Speaking at the awards in Dublin’s InterContinental Hotel on Tuesday afternoon, food and hospitality writer Campbell warned of a loss of “good hospitality” in Ireland as businesses increasingly lean on technology.
“In many places we visited, we could see how warm human interaction is being replaced by cold digital transactions. The very qualities that once defined good hospitality, such as knowing a guest’s name, offering a cup of tea, or simply taking the time to have a good conversation, are becoming less common,” said Campbell. Her latest awards celebrate the human touch, she added.
At the awards, Georgina highlighted the strength of Ireland’s mid-market food offering, which she described as “grown-up” everyday food. Businesses from independent bakery-cafes to pubs, neighbourhood restaurants and more ambitious hotel restaurants are becoming “hospitality jewels”, according to Campbell.
The award for Waterford comes after the launch of a new collaboration between Visit Waterford and Taste Waterford in January 2026, bringing together the city and county’s tourism and food businesses with a shared focus on showcasing Waterford as a destination for exceptional experiences, local produce, food, drink, culture and hospitality. Throughout 2026, the collaboration has seen the teams work closely to develop events, experiences and promotional activity, while actively bringing the story of Waterford to audiences locally, nationally and internationally.
The result has been a year of increased collaboration across the tourism, hospitality and food sectors, with businesses and attractions working together to create a stronger and more compelling visitor proposition for Waterford.
On hand at the InterContinental Dublin to accept the award on behalf of Waterford were Paul and Marie Flynn of The Tannery in Dungarvan and Maria Kyte of Visit Waterford.
Speaking following the announcement, Maria said: “We are absolutely thrilled to see Waterford recognised as Regional Destination of the Year by the Georgina Campbell Awards. This award is a wonderful acknowledgement of the people, businesses and organisations across the city and county who work so hard to create exceptional experiences for visitors.
“It is also a real testament to what can be achieved when we work together. The collaboration between Visit Waterford and Taste Waterford has brought a renewed focus to Waterford’s food, drink, hospitality and tourism offering, and this award recognises the strength of that collective effort.
“Waterford has an extraordinary story to tell, from its rich history and heritage to its coastline, landscapes, food, drink, culture and the warmth of its people. We are delighted to see that story gaining such strong recognition on the national stage.”
The success was further underlined by a remarkable showing for Waterford across the Georgina Campbell Awards 2026, with a host of the county’s hospitality stars also taking home prestigious national accolades. Paul and Máire Flynn of The Tannery in Dungarvan were honoured with the Hospitality Hero Award, while The Hat Maker in Dungarvan was named Boutique Hotel of the Year. Everett’s in Waterford city was crowned Bijou Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year, while The Strand Inn in Dunmore East took the Restaurant Bar of the Year title. The awards provide a powerful endorsement of the depth, quality and ambition of Waterford’s food and hospitality offering, with the county’s diverse collection of restaurants, hotels, pubs and producers continuing to make a significant mark on Ireland’s national culinary landscape.
The Georgina Campbell Awards are among Ireland’s best-known food and hospitality awards, with the 2026 ceremony bringing together leading figures from across the country’s food, tourism and hospitality sectors. The Regional Destination of the Year award adds to a growing list of national and international recognition for Waterford as a visitor destination. Earlier this year, Waterford was again highlighted by Condé Nast Traveller, which named the city and county among Ireland’s 7 Wonders for 2026 – a second consecutive year shortlist.
The Georgina Campbell recognition comes at an exciting time for Waterford’s tourism sector, with the city and county continuing to build its reputation around its distinctive combination of heritage, landscape, outdoor adventure, culture, food and drink; for more, see www.visitwaterford.com
MAIN IMAGE:
Pictured at the Georgina Campbell Irish Food & Hospitality Awards 2026 at the InterContinental Dublin are Paul and Marie Flynn of The Tannery Restaurant and Maria Kyte of Visit Waterford, who accepted the Regional Destination of the Year award on behalf of Waterford.
ARTICLE CREDIT; POWERHOUSE PR