Singapore Tourism Board, in collaboration with the Consulate-General of the Republic of Singapore in Jeddah, the Crowne Plaza Changi Airport (Singapore), Crowne Plaza Jeddah and Singapore Airlines announced the start of the much-awaited Singapore Food Festival last Thursday that runs until Oct. 31 at the Crowne Plaza, Jeddah. The announcement was made at the launch of the event in Jeddah by Raziff Aljunied, Singapore's Consul-General in Jeddah; Rafique Izhiman, General Manager of Crowne Plaza Jeddah; and Mohamed Firhan Abdul Salam, Area Director for Middle East and Africa of the Singapore Tourism Board. The Singapore Food Festival is making its debut in Jeddah after a successful run in Riyadh in March 2015. The festival welcomes avid foodies to discover Singapore's food heritage and multi-cultural culinary traditions through the exiting line-up of local cuisines, set to whet the appetite of residents of Jeddah. "Beyond the strong trade and business ties, the friendly relationship between Saudi Arabia and Singapore is evident through the warm exchanges of our people. Food is one of the best and easiest ways for people to connect and we are proud to bring a slice of the Singapore culture through our cuisines to Jeddah during this festival" said Raziff Aljunied. "With the newly refurbished Al Zahra Restaurant, Crowne Plaza Jeddah is delighted to be a partner and venue host to the Singapore Food Festival. We are also privileged to have two outstanding chefs, Mr Mok Wai Seng and Mr Boey Min Hwa, from Crowne Plaza Changi Airport Singapore to helm the festival with the full support from our team here in Jeddah" added Rafique Izhiman. "I am confident that the Singapore Food Festival in Jeddah will be well received by the local communities and expatriates alike. And, I hope it will intrigue and inspire more to visit Singapore to sample our rich multi-ethnic cuisines," Aljunied added. Echoing similar sentiments, Mohamed Firhan said "the Singapore Food Festival is an opportunity to showcase the gastronomy and melting pot of cultures in Singapore, which are some of the complementary factors that makes Saudis rank Singapore as one of their favorite family holiday destinations." "2015 marks a tremendous milestone for Singapore. With a year-long calendar of events and activities to celebrate our Golden Jubilee, it's no wonder that Singapore was crowned the top country to visit in Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2015. Hence, we have lined up a treasure trove of exclusive tourist experiences and privileges for our Middle Eastern visitors to discover the city and what it has to offer. This is the perfect time to visit Singapore to indulge in a bit of shop, eat and play," added Firhan. "Singapore Airlines is glad to be able to support the Singapore Food Festival in Jeddah so that residents can enjoy the various popular Singapore dishes. Through this festival, we hope to promote Singapore as an attractive destination for travellers, via our four weekly flights from Jeddah to Singapore," said Paul Dorai Raj, Singapore Airlines' General Manager Middle East. The Singapore Tourism Board is deepening its engagement in the Middle East markets to grow the pipeline of leisure and business visitors to Singapore through various travel trade and consumer initiatives.
