The Role of Local Food in Maldives Tourism - Scholarly Commons ...

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etter positioned to access produce grown in those islands than the businesses that are further away. For example, islands within close proximity take a few hours by mechanised boats to travel between each other. Mechanised boats are the usual mode for inter island transport. However, travel time between atolls and far flung islands could take between one to two or more days depending on weather conditions. Considering the fact that every island in the Maldives has coconut groves and coconut is a main ingredient used in almost all Maldivian food, the number of operators that work with coconut growers is less than expected (n=3 or 25%). In addition, it has been established earlier from the analysis of marketing materials that coconuts are among the most frequently featured local products. The limited number of operators that are working with coconut growers is an indication that not much local food is used in the resorts and hotels. The large majority of operators (n=11 or 91.7%) also feel that tourists are interested in consuming Maldivian food and that “tuna fish is very popular” among tourists. The perceived popularity of seafood and tuna among tourists certainly supports the argument that they are interested in local cuisine. Seafood was rated by operators as the second most important food in marketing. Seafood, fish and fish products are also given as the first choice in the type of food that has the highest potential to be developed for tourists. The expert survey also point to fresh fish and seafood as having great potential to link tourism and local food. A policy maker in the tourism industry stated: I am a firm believer that local food could be used as a marketing tool. There is abundant seafood here and why not promote this destination as is famous for with the crystal clear water, milky white sand, the sun and add it with the best seafood destination? Instead of sun, sand and sea (SSS) we should add that additional S (SSS+S) for seafood. The operator survey revealed that an opportunity exists to link local food and tourism. All respondents except one agreed that more local food could be used in their businesses. An operator noted that there is a need to introduce more varieties of local food, as at present “it is only grilled fish” that is available. Tuna and other fish form a fundamental part of Maldivian diet and there are a large variety of local dishes made with fish; local food at tourist businesses need not be limited to only grilled fish. All the operator respondents believed that closer links between tourism and other sectors could be successfully created through local food. As stated by one of the 126
experts, “It is of great potential. We have failed to utilise this vital component in the past”. Comments provided by some operators indicate that they believe such linkages will provide direct benefits to the local communities and increase their living standard and boost multiplier effect of tourism benefits: It will directly affect the living standard of the local community, since local products will be purchased from local farmers which will make tourism benefits to roll throughout the community. Increasing linkages with other economic sectors is emphasised in TTMP as an important avenue for the “equitable distribution of the economic benefits from tourism among Maldivians” in order to “ensure sustainable social and economic development of tourism” (MTCA, 2007c). The Plan further elaborates: The leakages from the tourism sector can be reduced through strengthening the linkages between the tourism sector and other supporting sectors namely fisheries, agriculture and handicraft (p. 32). The lack of cultural dimensions in tourism was highlighted by tourism operators and experts. It was noted that in the Maldives, local food is not given due recognition in the tourism industry. It was suggested by an operator that local food can be used as a tool to promote culture because “food represents the way of life” of Maldivians. Thus it is evident that tourism operators recognize that local food is part of Maldivian “cultural heritage” and that they believe interest in culture and heritage is a tourist motivator. Industry experts also noted that “local culture is a seriously neglected area” in promoting Maldives tourism, and that “there is an urgent need” to promote culture. It was also highlighted by two of the expert respondents that although development of cultural tourism is stressed in the TTMP, culinary tourism is not included. As a policy maker warned: Unless we have these added attractions we could lose the glory of being the most famed tourism destination in the world. This is the right time to take these additional strides in further developing our industry. One operator noted that tourists are conscious of Maldives’ “fragile eco system and are attentive to the local resources”. There is a strong feeling that adding local cuisine and the related cultural factors would enhance the uniqueness of Maldives and the overall 127
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The Role of Local Food in Maldives
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CHAPTER FIVE: THE CURRENT ROLE OF F
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Figure 5.26 Buffet dinner .........
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Attestation of authorship “I here
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Abstract In the fiercely competitiv
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1.1 Background to the study CHAPTER
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attractiveness and promoting sustai
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Figure 1. 1 Map of the Republic of
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CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW The
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and nationalities are broadened (Sh
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focus on creating “meaningful tou
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quality of their services and produ
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waiting list for future Guggenheim
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Natural and cultural attractions ar
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local culture, built heritage, and
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Although the above inherent charact
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ituals and leisure (Tannahill, 2002
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and participation in the experience
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Cultural exploration is an integral
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2002). As Jones and Jenkins (2002)
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Figure 2. 2 Isle of Arran food trai
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globalisation strong local food ide
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vegetarian pizza outlets are run by
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tradition are made sustainable in t
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tourism” (p. 115). As their examp
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Slow Food Award in 2000 which recog
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eing researched. Although the small
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On the other hand, the focus of the
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A disadvantage of case sstudies is
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1. data triangulation: uses a range
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A number of international organisat
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Content analysis has been a valuabl
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3.6.2 Surveys “A survey is a good
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Table 3. 2 Advantages vantages and
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3.7 Data validity and reliability I
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3.8 Survey characteristics Out of t
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were doing doctoral research that w
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was a British protectorate from 188
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Figure 4. 2 Population growth rate
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4.3 Economy The Republic of Maldive
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4.4 Agriculture Agriculture plays o
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population was badly affected by th
Page 85 and 86: enefits of tourism among all the at
Page 87 and 88: As tourism became established in th
Page 89 and 90: prospect repeatedly proclaimed by e
Page 91 and 92: Table 4. 1 Maldives tourist arrival
Page 93 and 94: Figure 4. 8 Market share of top ten
Page 95 and 96: provided a slow burning barbecue to
Page 97 and 98: Figure 4. 13 Rukuraa and raabadhi S
Page 99 and 100: CHAPTER FIVE: THE CURRENT ROLE OF F
Page 101 and 102: possible” (Sarantakos, 1998, p. 2
Page 103 and 104: Table 5. 3 Frequency of images in p
Page 105 and 106: (Figure 5.3). As Figure 5.4 illustr
Page 107 and 108: Figure 5. 6 Dining experience Sourc
Page 109 and 110: Figure 5. 9 Website with no informa
Page 111 and 112: The description indicates that food
Page 113 and 114: Figure 5. 11 Screw pine Source: Mal
Page 115 and 116: Figure 5. 14 Local ‘tea’ ceremo
Page 117 and 118: Hence, the kind of analysis needed
Page 119 and 120: Figure 5. 18 Barbecue menus Source:
Page 121 and 122: Figure 5. 19 Seafood display Source
Page 123 and 124: Figure 5. 22 Unloading fish to the
Page 125 and 126: chefs in our booming tourist indust
Page 127 and 128: Figure 5. 25 Activities featured as
Page 129 and 130: Table 5. 5 Importance of using loca
Page 131 and 132: CHAPTER SIX: DEVELOPING LINKS BETWE
Page 133 and 134: Table 6. 3 Number of respondents th
Page 135: ight quality of products from these
Page 139 and 140: have failed to utilise”. One of t
Page 141 and 142: Figure 6. 1 Number of local and for
Page 143 and 144: local cuisine. This warning echoes
Page 145 and 146: • Since tourism operators and exp
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Page 149 and 150: products. This would pave the way f
Page 151 and 152: • Promote Maldives as an environm
Page 153 and 154: Figure 6. 4 Garudhiya bai meal Sour
Page 155 and 156: Figure 6. 7 Canned curries, garudhi
Page 157 and 158: Figure 6. 11 Screw pine fruit and n
Page 159 and 160: Figure 6. 14 Short eats Source: Mal
Page 161 and 162: Figure 6. 16 Smooth loofah, Thoraa
Page 163 and 164: Figure 6. 19 Malaafaiy Source: Leis
Page 165 and 166: Figure 6. 21 Drinks made with local
Page 167 and 168: CHAPTER SEVEN: CONCLUSIONS In an in
Page 169 and 170: list ‘local’ food items were of
Page 171 and 172: apparent from tourism marketing mat
Page 173 and 174: operator” (Omidi, 2009b). Those r
Page 175 and 176: Bibliography ADB. (2005). Country s
Page 177 and 178: Buhalis, D. (2001). The tourism phe
Page 179 and 180: Everett, S., & Aitchison, C. (2008)
Page 181 and 182: Heath, E., & Wall, G. (1992). Marke
Page 183 and 184: Lutfy, M. I. (1995). Dhivehiraajjeg
Page 185 and 186: MTCA. (2007b). Tourism Yearbook. Ma
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Ravenscroft, N., & Westering, J. V.
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Sheehan, K. (2001). E-mail survey r
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Veal, A. J. (1997). Research method
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Appendix 1 - Operators’ Questionn
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185
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Appendix 3 - Participant Informatio
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Appendix 4 - Ethics Approval 197
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Committee. Until full approval has
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