News analysis July 2010
Aspiring cooks try their hand at whipping up lunch under the wachful eye of L’atelier des Chefs head chef, Gregory Khellouf. “The response has been very encouraging so far, and if more outlets the region’s cities are looking to attract travellers by offering somejoin the trend we anticipate a very promising new positioning for the thing more specific.” city,” Price asserted. L’atelier des Chefs’ Aubour agreed that the time was right for more Chefs and operators seem incredibly keen to develop the foodie tour- targeted tourism appeal. “When you compare Dubai, for example, ism market: so why have tour to other tourism destinations, it does not have the best operators not yet jumped on beaches in the world, nor the most typical desert, nor the bandwagon? amazing landscapes. It has had to promote itself by ofToday’s According to Arabian fering something different, playing to its own unique traveller wants strengths,” he observed. Adventures’ Delcomto discover a bit minnette, it’s not that “And what Dubai has understood — and can build tourism in Dubai is new upon further in future — is that it is the perfect hub more on their — but of course it is still between east and west; hence its current F&B status, trip than just the offering the best from every part of the world.” a young market compared destination” to the world’s long-standing According to Arabian Adventures’ Delcomminnette, holiday destinations. this is precisely the selling point that should be ex“Consequently, so far, the plored when developing culinary packages. focus of promoting the destination has al“The Middle East has the image of a truly quality destination, with ways been on its primary, existing a great deal to offer visitors,” he said. elements — the beaches, “And OK, so people may not want to come to Dubai on a culinary the hotels, the desert package that focuses specifically on French cuisine; for that, they will and so on,” explained go to France. Delcomminnette. “But if we take the diversity of options here and use that as a L’atelier des Chefs’ “But now the strength — or even choose to focus on the broad variety of Middle Baptiste Aubour. Middle East is Eastern cuisine and its local influences — then combine that with getting more and the top facilities and attractions that the region has to offer, I think more specialised, that would result in a very comfortable holiday.”
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www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/f&b
July 2010 Caterer Middle East
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