New Liverpool city region food tourism consultant

Denise Harris of Liverpool-based Event Management consultancy SK Events, has been appointed as Food Tourism Consultant to The Mersey Partnership for the next 12 months.

Supporting the Tourism Development Team, Denise was appointed for her specialist knowledge and experience of working in the food and drink sector across Liverpool City Region.

There are various aspects to the new consultancy role including the engagement of bars and restaurants with the Taste accreditation scheme, representing TMP’s food tourism interest on multiple platforms, and general PR responsibilities to increase the visibility of TMP restaurant members on a local and national level.

Pam Wilsher, Head of Tourism Development at The Mersey Partnership – the Official Tourist for Liverpool City Region – commented: “SK Events have organised the Liverpool Food and Drink Festival for the past three years and therefore are extremely well known by local restaurants. They have recently brought in an in-house PR resource specifically
to deliver our brief and we are hugely looking forward to working closely with Denise and her team to raise the profile of eating out in the Liverpool City Region.”

SK Events Director Denise Harris commented: “We’re absolutely thrilled with the new appointment, and we see it as vote of confidence by the region in recognition of all the work we have been doing within the food and drink sector. Adding a name of the calibre of The Mersey Partnership to our ever-expanding client base is hugely satisfying and I hope that the new contract will encourage other Liverpool companies to take another look at SK Events and the services we offer.”

Nigel Dove, Director of Marketing at the NWDA, said: “The food and drink sector is an important part of the visitor experience and the tourism industry. Merseyside boasts some excellent places to dine and some excellent local produce yet needs investment to support it.

“Denise’s appointment will give the sector the opportunity to expand, it will help raise the quality of local produce and improve customer awareness.”

Working across public and private sectors, SK Events provide inspirational ideas and fresh approaches for their clients, through extensive event management services, via innovative and creative publicity or in a consultancy role, passing on specialist knowledge and experience.

SK Events clients include Liverpool City Council, 2010 The Year of Health and Wellbeing, and TK Maxx.

Denise Harris has grown the annual Liverpool Food and Drink Festival over the past three years and the week-long event has now become a highlight within the city’s calendar. Last year’s festival launch day was held in Sefton Park and attracted in excess of 30,000 visitors. This year’s festival launches on 12 September, followed by a week of events and activities within bars and restaurants located around the city.