Lanka to woo more tourists with indigenous food

by Lalin Fernandopulle

The tourism industry will promote Lanka's prime locations in 10 Indian states early August to woo more Indian tourists, a potential market for the industry, said Director Sales and Marketing Aitken Spence Hotels, Anil Udawatte.

He was speaking at the launch of the third dimension of food, nutrition and good health in Sri Lankan cuisine by the Aitken Spence Heritance Hotels and Resorts on Tuesday, a move to go beyond taste and presentation of food in hotels.

At present the country is not conducive to attract western tourists. The tourism industry has undertaken a series of promotional activities to highlight Lanka's prime sites among tourists in the region.

India is a large tour market but its potential has not been properly tapped to attract tourists. A small number of Indians visit the country. Indians have shown a keen interest on our prime sites and have always preferred to tour the country, he said.

Aitken Spence Hotels will be a partner in the promotional campaign to help the industry with innovative products.The hotels will promote indigenous food which are therapeutic and curative.

Food and Beverage Director Aitken Spence Hotels, Gemunu Goonawardena said there is a growing demand for safe and healthy indigenous food among tourists who prefer to savour Lankan food.

"We need to have an indigenous cuisine to showcase food which has ayurvedic and nutritional value", he said.

Food Consultant and Researcher Dr. Pubilis Silva, said we need to standardise food and introduce preparation of indigenous food in all hotels and restaurants rather than promoting western and fast food which are harmful to health.

He said half of the adult population are diabetic patients and the government spends over Rs. 10 billion on patients.

On average people visit hospitals thrice a year due to their dependence on fast food and poor dietary habits. We need to make people healthy and protect indigenous food from the fast growing western food outlets.

Our ancestors were healthy because they consumed natural food. There are over 200 varieties of vegetables that grow in the country but how many go for it, he said.

Senior Lecturer of Biochemistry, Human Nutrition and Dietetics University of Peradeniya, Dr. Ananda Chandrasekara said there are 40 spices and flavours identified in Sri Lankan cuisine which are used in Eastern and western systems of medicine.

Of the student population three out of 100 are diabetic patients, 15 are affected with height and 30 students with low weight due to consumption of unhealthy food which lacks nutrition, he said.

Chefs of Heritance Hotels and Resorts will launch a campaign next month to promote Lankan ingredients in food preparation.