Germany is an increasingly multi-cultural country. For Indians, in particular, Germany is inviting because of the easy availability of vegetarian and vegan food, whether it's cutter plaice in Hamburg, cucumber salad with dill in Berlin or spicy vegan sausage in Munich, regional delicacies taste particularly good in the native country.

Romit Theophilus, Director, Sales & Marketing, India.

The German National Tourist office, India hosted an event recently for the media at the Hyatt Regency, Delhi, as part of their global campaign German.Local.Culture to promote itself as a culinary destination. The event showcased a combination of artisan craft, culinary excellence and warm, genuine hospitality to inspire potential visitors to Germany. The event also saw participation from visitBerlin highlighting the city and it's gastronomy.

German cuisine is as diverse as its scenery, traditional recipes and specialities, regional products, creative chefs - it is a combination of the old and the new, which makes a culinary gourmet tour through Germany so exciting. There is something for everyone. In the wake of the tourism sector emerging from its most challenging years, Indian tourists are increasingly looking at Germany as a preferred travel destination. In fact Germany is looking at more than 2 million Indian visitors by 2030.

Germany offers a wealth of choice when it comes to food and drink: from vineyard visits to guided tours of more than 1,500 regional breweries all the way to fine dining at around 300 Michelin-starred restaurants. At the event the media was treated to a lavish sit down lunch of classic German cuisine that began with an interactive fun master class by a German chef. The German luncheon also included a mixology session for its audience.

The German cuisine includes a huge variety of appetizing dishes from regions like Havelland which is known for its palaces and parks, and its churches and abbeys. But in the village of Ribbeck, (almost) everything still revolves around the pear. Here, the fruit is transformed into specialities such as Havelwasser (a mix of pear juice and wine), Eierbirne (pear-flavoured egg liqueur) and Williams Christ pear brandy.

Or the Larks from Leipzig, when hunting songbirds for food was outlawed in Leipzig in the 19th century, bakers invented a vegetarian alternative for this festive treat. Leipziger Lerche, or Leipzig lark, is made of shortcrust pastry, almonds, nuts and strips of marzipan. To this day, it can only be found in the local area.

‘‘There has been a increase in enquiries from Indian travellers for Germany. This is not only because of the plethora of activities available in the scenic country like adventure, sports, culture, food but also because of the multiple experiences it offers for all types of travellers be it solos, couples, families as well as the business travellers“, said Romit Theophilus, Director, Sales & Marketing, India.

With Germany opening up for visitors its definitely time to update your travel plans