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

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development <strong>of</strong> the country. Resorts developed dur<strong>in</strong>g the f<strong>in</strong>al years <strong>of</strong> the second<br />

phase followed the FTMP. Policies set out <strong>in</strong> the FTMP that limit built-up space on<br />

resorts, require build<strong>in</strong>g heights to be compatible with the natural vegetation <strong>of</strong> the<br />

islands, and <strong>in</strong>clude measures for environment and reef protection are still adhered to <strong>in</strong><br />

resort development. Rules <strong>in</strong>troduced dur<strong>in</strong>g this phase also set the guidel<strong>in</strong>es for the<br />

quality <strong>of</strong> services and facilities provided to tourists. A regulation <strong>in</strong>stigated under the<br />

FTMP stated that the built-up area on tourist resorts should not exceed 20% <strong>of</strong> the total<br />

land area <strong>of</strong> the island. This regulation contributed to the creation <strong>of</strong> peaceful and quiet<br />

environments on resort islands – now a key feature <strong>of</strong> <strong>Maldives</strong>’ tourism.<br />

<strong>The</strong> third phase <strong>of</strong> tourism development, from 1989 to 1997, saw the open<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> 16<br />

additional resorts with a further bed capacity <strong>of</strong> 4920. <strong>The</strong> positive impacts <strong>of</strong> the vast<br />

developments <strong>in</strong> transport and technology experienced <strong>in</strong> the <strong>Maldives</strong>, and the world<br />

over, dur<strong>in</strong>g the early 1990s were reflected <strong>in</strong> tourism development dur<strong>in</strong>g this period.<br />

Thus, apart from growth and expansion <strong>of</strong> resorts, this was the phase when <strong>in</strong>novative<br />

and high-quality services were <strong>in</strong>troduced to tourism development.<br />

<strong>The</strong> Faculty <strong>of</strong> Hospitality and <strong>Tourism</strong> Studies (FHTS) under <strong>Maldives</strong> College <strong>of</strong><br />

Higher Education began to play a key role <strong>in</strong> the <strong>in</strong>dustry dur<strong>in</strong>g this time. <strong>Local</strong>s<br />

tra<strong>in</strong>ed by FHTS added to the quality <strong>of</strong> service provided to tourists. When the<br />

experience ga<strong>in</strong>ed <strong>in</strong> tourism comb<strong>in</strong>ed with modern facilities and high-quality services,<br />

the third phase <strong>of</strong> tourism development saw the <strong>Maldives</strong> emerge as a dest<strong>in</strong>ation<br />

capable <strong>of</strong> compet<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> the <strong>in</strong>ternational arena.<br />

Due to the fast rate that tourism developed, and with a shortage <strong>of</strong> local skilled labour,<br />

local manpower alone was unable to cater for the demand for jobs created by the<br />

tourism <strong>in</strong>dustry. As a result, dur<strong>in</strong>g this phase a large number <strong>of</strong> expatriates jo<strong>in</strong>ed the<br />

<strong>in</strong>dustry. By the end <strong>of</strong> 2006, out <strong>of</strong> the 22,000 jobs <strong>in</strong> the tourism sector (MTCA,<br />

2008b) 11,095 jobs were filled by expatriates (MPND, 2007a). This was <strong>in</strong> spite <strong>of</strong> a<br />

government regulation that states that the employment <strong>of</strong> expatriates <strong>in</strong> tourist resorts<br />

should not exceed more than 50% <strong>of</strong> the total employees (Yahya et al., 2005).<br />

<strong>The</strong> period from 1998 to 2001 was the fourth phase <strong>of</strong> tourism development <strong>in</strong> the<br />

<strong>Maldives</strong>. <strong>Tourism</strong> development dur<strong>in</strong>g this period came under the Second <strong>Tourism</strong><br />

Master Plan (STMP) which covers the years from 1996 to 2005. A key feature <strong>of</strong> the<br />

STMP was the plan to expand and develop tourism <strong>in</strong>to more regions across the<br />

country, with the aim <strong>of</strong> decentraliz<strong>in</strong>g tourism from Male’ atoll and spread<strong>in</strong>g the<br />

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