A third of Brits go to feast in the East but are unadventurous in their tastes

Emirates has revealed research highlighting that while a third (31%) of Brits claim to travel East for its cuisine, more than half (53%) remain reluctant to try local dishes when on holiday.

Back home however, we seem to be opening up to a taste of the East. Almost two thirds (62%) of Brits across the UK are now cooking and eating Eastern dishes - almost one in five (18%) regularly - with Chinese (33%), Indian (31%) and Thai (14%) topping the list of favourites.

The research, commissioned to celebrate the launch of Emirates’ Go East Festival, showed that as well as food Brits are attracted to the East for its culture (39%) and sights (29%) with the most iconic symbols of the East considered to be the Great Wall of China (32%), India’s Taj Mahal (17%) and the Egyptian Pyramids (14%).

Overall, almost two-fifths (39%) of Brits have travelled to the East within the last year or plan to in the next 12 months. Emirates data shows that the most popular destinations from the UK are Dubai, Bangkok, Mauritius, Islamabad and Perth with Sri Lanka, the Seychelles and Thailand typically the fastest growing routes.

Laurie Berryman, Emirates Vice President, UK, said: “We Brits are already fascinated by the East, particularly its food and culture, but our research indicates that people are perhaps in need of a little inspiration in order to make the most of the experiences on offer. As a region, the East is hugely diverse so it has something to offer everyone, from the temples of Cambodia to the Indonesian islands and skyscrapers of Singapore.

“Our Go East Festival will give people a real taste of the East and we hope it inspires people to go and experience it for themselves.”

The Emirates Go East Festival

Emirates is hosting its very own Go East Festival which will visit each of Emirates’ five UK gateways - Manchester, London, Glasgow, Newcastle and Birmingham - across five consecutive weekends this summer.

The festival series is all set to be a feast for all the senses, celebrating the vibrancy and diversity of the cuisines and cultures of the East. Free to attend, the events will allow people to sample exotic street food dishes produced by local vendors and enjoy immersive entertainment and musical performances.

The Emirates Go East Festival will take place on the following dates and locations:

- Manchester:
When – Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th June, 12pm-10pm Saturday & 12pm–8pm Sunday
Where – Goods Yard, Old Granada Studios, Water Street Entrance, Manchester, M3 3GS

- London:
When – Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th June, 12pm-10pm Saturday & 12pm–8pm Sunday
Where – Doon Street Car Park, Southbank, Lambeth, Greater London SE1 9PU

- Glasgow:
When – Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st June, 12pm-10pm Saturday & 12pm–8pm Sunday
Where – Candleriggs Square, Glasgow, G1 1LE

- Newcastle:
When – Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th June, 2015, 12pm-10pm Saturday & 12pm–8pm Sunday
Where – Centre for Life, Times Square, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 4EP

- Birmingham:
When – Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th July, 2015, 12pm-10pm Saturday & 12pm–8pm Sunday
Where – Centenary Square, Broad Street, Birmingham, B1 2AE

To find out more about the Emirates Go East festival and for details of each of the events, visit eventstag.com/helloeast/