66443 skanuj0041 (52)

Maciej Jędrusik

KILKA ASPEKTÓW TURYSTYKI KULINARNEJ W TROPIKALNEJ OCEANII

Several aspects of the culinary tourism in the tropical Oceania

Summary: The tropical Pacific Islands became the place of destination of mass touristic travels relatively recently. The considerable distance to the wealthy tourists’ places of origin, the following long journey, and the smali capacity of the means of transportation discouraged to visit this Pacific corner of the tropical paradise. The introducing of huge, long distance airplanes caused significant changes. The increased freąuency of transport connections to the rich countries transformed some of the tropical Pacific areas into “touristic Meccas”. The Hawaii are visited by many millions of tourists each year. Important travel destinations are: Guam and Saipan in Micronesia, Fiji in Melanesia, Tahiti and its neighbour islands in Polynesia. The immensity of the touristic movement toward the Cook Islands, New Caledonia, Vanuatu and Palau is steadily growing.

The islands of Oceania attract the tourist from rich countries mostly with their natural values. Their charm and almost omnipresent 3 “S” - Sea, Sand & Sun - are the decisive factors. However, together with the increasing scalę of the touristic movement the number of the “S” was also growing, as they were considered to be a value attracting the tourists. To the three mentioned above another “S” were added: sex, scenery, surf, shopping, safety, sinceńty, sociability. Ten values but nonę of them related to the pleasures of savouring a sophisticated cuisine. The conclusions are that either the traditional diet of the islands of Oceania cannot delight or at least intrigue the tourists, or that the possibilities created by this diet are not exploited by the tourism.

A thesis can be advanced that Oceania, despite its interesting, original dietary traditions dating from the precolonial period, is retarded in profiting