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The traditional Barbeque Festival will be held in Akhtala, a town in Armenia’s Lori Province, for the 11th time already on 18 August, bringing together numerous guests, food enthusiasts and all those who love making Armenian barbeque.

At a news conference on Friday, Chairman of the Armenian Tourism Federation Mekhak Apresyan said the festival is of international interest and is the most anticipated festival in the region attracting a large number of tourists to Armenia.

“When we launched this festival 11 years ago, our purpose was that one day tourists arrived in Armenia specially to attend the festival and even choose between the Armenian Barbeque Festival or the Wine Festival and the Brazilian Masquerade,” the official said. “Today it’s already a reality and a large number of tourists arrive in Armenia specially for the Barbeque Festival."

Apresyan says in general festivals significantly contribute to boosting the economy of the host and surrounding communities and attracting investments.

Sedrak Mamulyan, Chairman of the Preservation and Development of Armenian Culinary Traditions NGO organizing the festival, said 11 years ago many were skeptical of the success of the festival, adding even the locals didn’t believe that one day it would become a tradition.

He says Akhtala was chosen to host the festival every year as part of a government program to boost tourism in Armenia’s north, to ensure the even development of regions and to publicize the national cuisine.

Mamulyan says some problems emerged while organizing the festival this year, it could even have been cancelled, but the Akhtala residents and travel agencies opposed to it, stating they had been looking forward to it throughout the year.

Various competitions are also expected to be held during the 11th Barbeque Festival, organizers said.