Abu Dhabi food festival successfully concludes in Mumbai

New Delhi [India]: Abu Dhabi Food Festival (ADFF) in India concluded successfully this week, with a final event at The Oberoi, Mumbai, after being brought to the country for the first time in its history.

The food festival was launched with a media event at Ziya Restaurant at the hotel, on 9th December, with the UAE’s ambassador HE Dr. Ahmed Albanna, the guest of honour. ADFF was then opened tothe public on December 10 and 11, with a special menu available to guests which featured Indo-Emirati food.

The Authority’scelebrity chef, Khulood Atiq, attended both the concluding event and the media event, serving up some sumptuous and aromatic Emirati cuisine to everyone in attendance. ADFF in India also featured a celebration of Emirati-Indian fusion food, whichillustrated the strong similarities in the palates of both India and the UAE, with the ADFF events highlighting the many similar flavours and cooking techniques between the two nations.

The media event also featured a food workshop, where Chef Khulood gave a live demonstration of Emirati food preparation, including a delicious Emirati biryani and a tempting Aseda.

The ADFF initiative in India was organised to reinforce India’s position as the best overseas source market for Abu Dhabi guest arrivals. In the first 10 monthsof this year, 264,285 Indians checked into Abu Dhabi hotels, which representedan18 percent year-on-year increase. Indian guests accounted for 7 percent of all hotel stays in the Emirate, with an average length of stay of 3.11nights.

“We have now created a niche in the India market for Emirati cuisine,” said TCA Abu Dhabi’s country manager for India, Bejan Dinshaw. “By bringing this food festival to India, people here have been able to savour the taste of Indian-Emirati fusion food. We are extremely delighted to have had our celebrity chef Khulood here with us. She made this event all the more successful.”

Abu Dhabi is a luxurious, yet highly affordable destination of distinction, and provides a blend of both traditional and modern culture.

The emirate is growing as a choice destination for leisure, special interest, weddings, honeymoon, and other niche travel segments, and has a growing portfolio of MICE activities.

The destination’s popularity is growing, with an ever-expanding portfolio of tourist attractions, and connectivity between India and Abu Dhabi is strong, with EtihadAirways and Jet Airways combining to offer a choice of 250 flights a week to the UAE capital from 15 Indian cities. (ANI)