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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Slow <strong>Food</strong> Award <strong>in</strong> 2000 which recognises those “who preserve biodiversity as it<br />
relates to food” (Kummer, 2002, p. 25), and “reward those anywhere <strong>in</strong> the world who<br />
defend, promote or enhance produce, knowledge or flavour, with public recognition,<br />
cash prizes and promotion <strong>of</strong> their activities” brought Slow <strong>Food</strong> movement to the<br />
attention <strong>of</strong> world media (Scarpato, 2002b, p. 135). As the movement cont<strong>in</strong>ues to raise<br />
awareness on issues related to local foods and strives to provide assistance to producers<br />
<strong>in</strong> sav<strong>in</strong>g foods that are threatened <strong>of</strong> ext<strong>in</strong>ction, more and more countries are jo<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g<br />
the movement (Mitchell, 2005). By 2005, there were 85,000 members <strong>in</strong> more than 132<br />
countries (www.slowfood.com).<br />
<strong>The</strong> European Network <strong>of</strong> Regional Cul<strong>in</strong>ary Heritage is another organisation that<br />
promotes local food. <strong>The</strong> network which enables consumers to locate restaurants and<br />
shops <strong>of</strong>fer<strong>in</strong>g local specialities was established with the aim <strong>of</strong> provid<strong>in</strong>g a rich travel<br />
experience, support susta<strong>in</strong>able regional development and enhance regional identities<br />
with<strong>in</strong> Europe (Ohlsson, 2000).<br />
2.7 Summary<br />
In summary, this chapter has shown that the homogeniz<strong>in</strong>g pressures <strong>of</strong> globalisation<br />
are not only lead<strong>in</strong>g to uniformity <strong>in</strong> experience, but also spawn<strong>in</strong>g a local back-lash<br />
where there is a need and desire to showcase the unique attributes <strong>of</strong> dest<strong>in</strong>ations. <strong>Food</strong><br />
with its <strong>in</strong>timate l<strong>in</strong>ks with culture, heritage and sense <strong>of</strong> place represents an ideal tool<br />
to foster this local presence and also provides an important way to l<strong>in</strong>k tourism to local<br />
development through economic l<strong>in</strong>kages. However, the challenge rema<strong>in</strong>s as to how<br />
dest<strong>in</strong>ations like the <strong>Maldives</strong>, that are not food tourism dest<strong>in</strong>ations, can enhance the<br />
role <strong>of</strong> food <strong>in</strong> tourism.<br />
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