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created the “distinctive concept of ‘Resort Islands”’ (Domroes, 2001, p. 123) in the Maldives. Each resort island provides its own infrastructure, power, water supply, sewerage and rubbish disposal arrangements (Dowling, 2000). Government regulation dictates that for waste management, each resort must have incinerators, compactors and bottle crushers (Domroes, 2001). For the first time a public company was formed within the tourism industry to give locals a share in the tourism industry. Maldives Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) holds 45% government share and 55% public share. By the end of 2007, there were 89 resorts with a bed capacity of 17,802. In addition, safari vessels, hotels and guest houses provide lodgings totalling 235 tourist establishments with a bed capacity of 20,505 (MTCA, 2007a). Hotels and guest houses cater for tourists, business and domestic travellers. These facilities provide convenient accommodation for tourists who transit in Male’ before or after their stay in the resorts or safari vessels. Tourism has become the largest economic industry in the Maldives, providing 22,000 jobs (ibid) and contributing 30% of government revenue, 30% of GDP and 70% of foreign exchange (MMA, 2008). Today, the Maldives is a world-renowned tourist destination, with several international brand names in its tourism portfolio, and it continues to win numerous international tourism awards (www.visitmaldives.com). Most of the resorts in the Maldives are capable of providing state-of-the-art facilities and services, entertainment and high-tech telecommunication services (Dowling, 2000). Over-water bungalows built on stilts in the shallow lagoons surrounding the resort islands and spas are a popular theme of recent years (Jamal & Lagiewski, 2006). In addition, some resorts boast underwater spas and restaurants (MTCA, 2008a). At present each resort has its own fleet of speed launches providing fast and convenient travel. There are three airports serving inter-atoll domestic flights in addition to seaplane operators. In 2008, Gan International Airport commenced operations as a second international airport bringing tourists directly to the southern part of the Maldives. By the summer of 2007, 14 charter and 15 scheduled international airlines were operating flights to the Maldives from different destinations in Europe, Asia and Africa (MTCA, 2007b). 76
As tourism became established in the Maldives, it played a major role in the country’s economic and infrastructure development, especially the establishment of transportation links between the atolls and islands and the development of regional airports. Tourism has contributed both direct and indirect benefits. Among the direct benefits are increased employment opportunities and tourism-related construction (Brown et al., 1997). There are also a number of indirect benefits, though to a lesser degree, through increased activity in other economic sectors such as telecommunications and transportation (Shareef & McAleer, 2007), and the revival of the handicrafts industry (Brown et al., 1997). Due to the scarcity of resources, all major goods for developing and maintaining tourism services and facilities are imported, including building materials and equipment for the construction of tourist hotels and resorts (Shareef & Hoti, 2005). Hence, tourism does not generate a high overall multiplier effect (Brown et al., 1997). Instead, the high rate of imports, the large number of expatriates employed in tourism industry, and the prominent role that foreign investors play in the ownership, management and operation of tour companies are all factors that cause leakage of a major portion of tourism revenue earned by the Maldives. “This means that eighty cents of every dollar spent on tourist inputs accrued to foreign companies” (Yahya et al., 2005, p. 461). The TTMP’s emphasis on increasing linkages between tourism and other supporting sectors, namely fisheries, agriculture and handicrafts, was a strategy to reduce these leakages of tourism revenue. As acknowledged by the TTMP, in spite of having a rich culture, heritage and history, “cultural and heritage tourism has not taken root in the Maldives”, hence it is argued that these forms of tourism should be promoted along with the key attractions of sun, sand and sea (MTCA, 2007c, p. 58). Maldives’ tourism is dependent on the tropical beauty of the islands. The wealth of underwater coral gardens, white sandy beaches, crystal clear lagoons, underwater flora and fauna is the nucleus of the tourism resource (Domroes, 2001). All tourist experiences offered by tourism operators to various market segments are based on the identity of a tropical island destination. Usual tourist activities in the Maldives include water sports such as diving, snorkelling, windsurfing, catamaran sailing, water skiing and surfing. In addition to these, resorts organize fishing and excursion trips to nearby inhabited and uninhabited islands and to the capital island, Male’, by modern speedboats or traditional fishing boats (dhoni). 77
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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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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
Page 71 and 72: 3.8 Survey characteristics Out of t
Page 73 and 74: were doing doctoral research that w
Page 75 and 76: was a British protectorate from 188
Page 77 and 78: Figure 4. 2 Population growth rate
Page 79 and 80: 4.3 Economy The Republic of Maldive
Page 81 and 82: 4.4 Agriculture Agriculture plays o
Page 83 and 84: population was badly affected by th
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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 and 136: 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
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Buhalis, D. (2001). The tourism phe
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Everett, S., & Aitchison, C. (2008)
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Heath, E., & Wall, G. (1992). Marke
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Lutfy, M. I. (1995). Dhivehiraajjeg
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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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