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experience gained from increased travel, “post-Fordist” tourists are keen and willing to explore new, authentic and varied experiences (Bentley, 2004). In 2001, Buhalis noted that consumer choice in tourism was inclined more towards those activities that enabled tourists’ participation and involvement. With reference to the transformations occurring in the tourism industry, Milne and Ateljevic (2001) noted that “the creation of meaning and experiences is becoming a key avenue for capital accumulation, with leisure and tourism at the forefront of this trend” (p. 386). Since ‘post-Fordist’ tourists are argued to reject mass tourism concepts in preference to alternative forms of tourism (Aguiló et al., 2005), recent years have seen a diversion from the popular mass tourism products offered at relatively low prices which are made possible by economies of scale and effective packaging of experiences (Brown & Hall, 2008). These are often standardized sun, sand and sea holidays widely referred to as ‘3S’s’ in tourism. The change in consumer demand is also a result of the demographic and social trends of present day populations (Ryan, 2003). Mature travellers of today belong to generations that have grown with tourism, travellers whose expectations for destination choice and activities are heightened with experience (Middleton & Clark, 2001). The younger generations, on the other hand, are growing up with global warming and warnings for environmental protection; these tourists prefer environmentally friendly tourism activities (Andereck, 2009). The aggressive marketing by the mass media about the availability of innumerable choices, as well as the rapid advancement in information technology providing tourists with instant information and images of every destination in the world, also contribute to a large extent to the change in consumer demand (Sharpley, 1999). Globalisation alters the competiveness in the tourism-generating regions and this, in turn, gives rise to changes in tourism demand (Buhalis, 2001). While there is fierce competition in the global tourism industry among nations, regions and communities for market share, (Ark & Richards, 2006; Ashworth & Voogd, 1990) travellers are faced with destination choices that are basically similar and easily substitutable. Therefore, building a positive and strong identity and image has become one of the most powerful strategies in destination management and marketing (Gnoth, Baloglu, Ekinci & Sirakaya, 2007). Buhalis (2001) points out that limitation on time have created a desire among consumers to seek value for time and money. Hence, tourism destinations should 10
focus on creating “meaningful tourism products ... which can delight consumers and enhance the competitiveness of destinations ... within the global market” (p. 71). As Crocket and Wood (2002) caution, “In today’s cut-throat market place, only those destinations which have a clear market position and appealing attractions will remain at the top of consumer minds when they book their holidays” (p. 124). Wahab and Cooper (2001) advocate that the most successful destinations are those that possess considerable tourist attractions and which offer varied and unique facilities and services that meet the evolving trends in international tourism. According to Skuras, Petrou and Clark (2006), for today’s consumers the level of attraction lies in the contrast with their daily environment. This preference reflects consumers’ growing appreciation of nature (Jacobsen, 2007). It was observed by Reichel, Uriely and Shani (2008) that tourists’ preferences are increasingly inclined towards experiences that focus on, and preserve nature and culture. Hence, tourism experiences considered as environmentally less friendly will be increasingly unacceptable (Cooper & Ozdil, 1992). Environmental concern will be the determining factor for consumers’ choice of tourist destinations and they will be willing to pay premium prices for the privilege (Dwyer et al., 2009). Consequently, as Aguiló et al. (2005) warn, “The emergence of this new type of consumer combined with the environmental deterioration experienced by mass tourism destinations would force the later into a phase of economic decline” (p. 219). As put forward by Urry (2002), “What makes a particular tourist gaze depends upon what it is contrasted with; what the forms of non-tourist experience happen to be” (p. 1). Aguiló et al. (2005) advise that for destinations where the tourism resource base is confined to sun, sand and sea, the best way forward would be to incorporate innovative products that are compatible with the emerging tourism demands. The authors demonstrated with the case of the Balearic Islands that “introducing innovations to a holiday product and paying particular attention to individual needs are not necessarily incompatible with sun and sand package holidays” (p. 229). The effects of globalisation are of course not limited only to increases in international tourism (Theobald, 1994). Globalisation involves “problems and benefits in equal measure” (MacGillivray, 2006). Several features of globalisation are spurned as threats to culture, the environment, health, safety, and employment opportunities and wages (Wells et al., 2001). Global media have a powerful influence on world tourism: a 11
Page 1 and 2: The Role of Local Food in Maldives
Page 3 and 4: CHAPTER FIVE: THE CURRENT ROLE OF F
Page 5 and 6: Figure 5.26 Buffet dinner .........
Page 7 and 8: Attestation of authorship “I here
Page 9 and 10: Abstract In the fiercely competitiv
Page 11 and 12: 1.1 Background to the study CHAPTER
Page 13 and 14: attractiveness and promoting sustai
Page 15 and 16: Figure 1. 1 Map of the Republic of
Page 17 and 18: CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW The
Page 19: and nationalities are broadened (Sh
Page 23 and 24: quality of their services and produ
Page 25 and 26: waiting list for future Guggenheim
Page 27 and 28: Natural and cultural attractions ar
Page 29 and 30: local culture, built heritage, and
Page 31 and 32: Although the above inherent charact
Page 33 and 34: ituals and leisure (Tannahill, 2002
Page 35 and 36: and participation in the experience
Page 37 and 38: Cultural exploration is an integral
Page 39 and 40: 2002). As Jones and Jenkins (2002)
Page 41 and 42: Figure 2. 2 Isle of Arran food trai
Page 43 and 44: globalisation strong local food ide
Page 45 and 46: vegetarian pizza outlets are run by
Page 47 and 48: tradition are made sustainable in t
Page 49 and 50: tourism” (p. 115). As their examp
Page 51 and 52: Slow Food Award in 2000 which recog
Page 53 and 54: eing researched. Although the small
Page 55 and 56: On the other hand, the focus of the
Page 57 and 58: A disadvantage of case sstudies is
Page 59 and 60: 1. data triangulation: uses a range
Page 61 and 62: A number of international organisat
Page 63 and 64: Content analysis has been a valuabl
Page 65 and 66: 3.6.2 Surveys “A survey is a good
Page 67 and 68: Table 3. 2 Advantages vantages and
Page 69 and 70: 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
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enefits of tourism among all the at
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As tourism became established in th
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prospect repeatedly proclaimed by e
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Table 4. 1 Maldives tourist arrival
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Figure 4. 8 Market share of top ten
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provided a slow burning barbecue to
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Figure 4. 13 Rukuraa and raabadhi S
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CHAPTER FIVE: THE CURRENT ROLE OF F
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possible” (Sarantakos, 1998, p. 2
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Table 5. 3 Frequency of images in p
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(Figure 5.3). As Figure 5.4 illustr
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Figure 5. 6 Dining experience Sourc
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Figure 5. 9 Website with no informa
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The description indicates that food
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Figure 5. 11 Screw pine Source: Mal
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Figure 5. 14 Local ‘tea’ ceremo
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Hence, the kind of analysis needed
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Figure 5. 18 Barbecue menus Source:
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Figure 5. 19 Seafood display Source
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Figure 5. 22 Unloading fish to the
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chefs in our booming tourist indust
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Figure 5. 25 Activities featured as
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Table 5. 5 Importance of using loca
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CHAPTER SIX: DEVELOPING LINKS BETWE
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Table 6. 3 Number of respondents th
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ight quality of products from these
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experts, “It is of great potentia
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have failed to utilise”. One of t
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Figure 6. 1 Number of local and for
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local cuisine. This warning echoes
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• Since tourism operators and exp
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to authentic local foods. In additi
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products. This would pave the way f
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• Promote Maldives as an environm
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Figure 6. 4 Garudhiya bai meal Sour
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Figure 6. 7 Canned curries, garudhi
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Figure 6. 11 Screw pine fruit and n
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Figure 6. 14 Short eats Source: Mal
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Figure 6. 16 Smooth loofah, Thoraa
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Figure 6. 19 Malaafaiy Source: Leis
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Figure 6. 21 Drinks made with local
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CHAPTER SEVEN: CONCLUSIONS In an in
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list ‘local’ food items were of
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apparent from tourism marketing mat
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operator” (Omidi, 2009b). Those r
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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
Page 187 and 188:
Ravenscroft, N., & Westering, J. V.
Page 189 and 190:
Sheehan, K. (2001). E-mail survey r
Page 191 and 192:
Veal, A. J. (1997). Research method
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Appendix 1 - Operators’ Questionn
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185
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187
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189
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191
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193
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Appendix 3 - Participant Informatio
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Appendix 4 - Ethics Approval 197
Page 209:
Committee. Until full approval has
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