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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%

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