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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Figure 4. 8 Market share <strong>of</strong> top ten markets, 2006<br />
Ch<strong>in</strong>a<br />
4.4%<br />
Japan<br />
6.6%<br />
Switzerland<br />
4.4%<br />
France<br />
7.2%<br />
Russia<br />
3.6%<br />
Source: MTCA (2007 (2007b)<br />
4.8 Maldivian cuis<strong>in</strong>e<br />
Korea<br />
2.7%<br />
Germany<br />
11.8%<br />
Austria<br />
2.3%<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Maldives</strong> has a rich variety <strong>of</strong> traditional cuis<strong>in</strong>e which varies considerably between<br />
the atolls. Be<strong>in</strong>g an archipelago <strong>of</strong> islands with limited cultivable land, it is not<br />
surpris<strong>in</strong>g that a wide variety <strong>of</strong> fish and other seafood should form an <strong>in</strong>tegral part o o<strong>of</strong><br />
the Maldivian cuis<strong>in</strong>e. Initially, traditional fare was fairly basic, consist<strong>in</strong>g ma<strong>in</strong>ly <strong>of</strong><br />
fish and coconuts, breadfruit, millet and tubers. However, as the <strong>Maldives</strong> are at an<br />
important crossroad <strong>in</strong> the Indian Ocean, over time traders and visitors have left their<br />
mark on Maldivian cuis<strong>in</strong>e just like they have contributed towards the mould<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> the<br />
country’s culture and norms (MTPB, 2007). With travellers from different parts <strong>of</strong> the<br />
world, new season<strong>in</strong>gs and vegetables were <strong>in</strong>troduced <strong>in</strong>to the country and a aadded<br />
to the<br />
exist<strong>in</strong>g repertoire. Each new discovery was <strong>in</strong>corporated <strong>in</strong>to the diet <strong>in</strong> quantities most<br />
palatable to Maldivians. Thus Maldivian cuis<strong>in</strong>e today is a comb<strong>in</strong>ation <strong>of</strong> Asian,<br />
European and Middle Eastern tastes, blended <strong>in</strong>to a unique cuis<strong>in</strong>e that em embodies a<br />
cul<strong>in</strong>ary identity dentity <strong>of</strong> its own. “ “Maldivian Maldivian cuis<strong>in</strong>e <strong>of</strong>fers a wide range <strong>of</strong> tastes rang<strong>in</strong>g<br />
from mild to very hot and almost always the dishes are prepared us<strong>in</strong>g local<br />
<strong>in</strong>gredients” (www.maldiviancuis<strong>in</strong>e.com/recipes.html<br />
www.maldiviancuis<strong>in</strong>e.com/recipes.html).<br />
83<br />
Italy<br />
19.8%<br />
United<br />
K<strong>in</strong>gdom<br />
17.9%