The Role of Local Food in Maldives Tourism - Scholarly Commons ...
The Role of Local Food in Maldives Tourism - Scholarly Commons ...
The Role of Local Food in Maldives Tourism - Scholarly Commons ...
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CHAPTER SIX:<br />
DEVELOPING LINKS BETWEEN LOCAL<br />
FOOD AND TOURISM<br />
This chapter discusses the potential for tourism to form closer l<strong>in</strong>ks with the local food<br />
sector <strong>in</strong> the <strong>Maldives</strong> and the opportunities that exist to enhance these l<strong>in</strong>ks. <strong>The</strong><br />
exist<strong>in</strong>g obstacles that h<strong>in</strong>der the achievement <strong>of</strong> this objective are discussed, followed<br />
by suggestions to overcome the difficulties. <strong>The</strong> chapter draws on the surveys<br />
conducted among tourism operators and experts <strong>in</strong> the tourism <strong>in</strong>dustry.<br />
6.1 Prospects for tourism and food l<strong>in</strong>kage<br />
<strong>Local</strong> food provided for tourists has the potential to add “diversity and excitement” and<br />
enhance ‘the <strong>Maldives</strong> experience’. As an expert who works closely with both tourism<br />
and the food <strong>in</strong>dustry stated:<br />
It would be an absolutely fantastic <strong>Maldives</strong> experience if you add local<br />
food to the menus for the tourists visit<strong>in</strong>g this country. I can surely state<br />
that if a tourist has a good Maldivian meal made with local produce he or<br />
she will never ever forget the experience. That taste will last a life time.<br />
It was put forward by a bus<strong>in</strong>essman <strong>in</strong>volved with the tourism <strong>in</strong>dustry:<br />
<strong>Maldives</strong> is the apple <strong>of</strong> the eye <strong>of</strong> the world as quoted <strong>in</strong> a recent<br />
forum <strong>in</strong> Europe. Maldivian food as well has immense potential to<br />
become popular as a tourist attraction.<br />
Although it is evident that local food is not used much <strong>in</strong> tourism market<strong>in</strong>g and tourism<br />
operators do not believe local food is important <strong>in</strong> promot<strong>in</strong>g their bus<strong>in</strong>esses, they have<br />
<strong>in</strong>dicated that if local food is used <strong>in</strong> market<strong>in</strong>g, it can improve and affect the image <strong>of</strong><br />
their bus<strong>in</strong>esses positively. Operators <strong>in</strong>dicated their op<strong>in</strong>ion for this question on a<br />
seven-po<strong>in</strong>t likert scale (1 is very negative and 7 very positive). Most <strong>of</strong> the responses<br />
are at the higher <strong>of</strong> the scale and the mean score <strong>of</strong> the responses is 5.7 (Table 6.1).<br />
<strong>The</strong>refore, it is clear that most <strong>of</strong> the operators believe that local food would have a<br />
positive impact on their bus<strong>in</strong>esses’ image.<br />
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