More Indian Tourists are lured to visit the splendid island. – By Dr Harold Gunatillake
The tourism industry is optimistic about achieving more than 1.55 million arrivals by the end of the year.
The Science of Taste is revolutionising Sri Lanka’s culinary scene, which is driving the creation of new and innovative dishes. This is because the tourist minister targets more than 1.5 million tourists to arrive in 2023 during November and December months and beyond. Sri Lanka tourist venture targets more Indian tourists coming to Sri Lanka, which is how the trend goes. Statistics reveal that this year, though Indian tourists hit the target, tourists arriving from Russia, China, France, Germany, Finland, and other parts of Europe lured Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka’s tourism industry is on the rise, with more Indian tourists being attracted to the island each year. The culinary scene in Sri Lanka is also evolving, with the Science of Taste driving the creation of new and innovative dishes. The tourism minister has set a target of 1.5 million tourists arriving in Sri Lanka by 2023, particularly during November and December. While Indian tourists have been the main target, visitors from Russia, China, France, Germany, Finland, and other parts of Europe are also being lured to the island.
During my interaction with Indian tourists who were visiting our island, I asked them why they chose Sri Lanka as their holiday destination, even though the two countries share similar historical and traditional backgrounds. Most of them mentioned that they were drawn to Sri Lanka’s rich history and were curious to explore the cultural and natural heritage that the two countries share.
Oak Ray series of island-wide hotels initiates to revolutionize the taste buds of Sri Lanka, including foreign tourists.
Sujeeva Palliaguruge residing in Kandy, from the rags to the riches Managing Director of Oak Ray hotels, has diversified to other tourist-attracting ventures bringing in forex to the island, such as Oak-Ray Wood Carving centres in many parts of the country towns, including Colombo, Kandy Galle, and Gem and Jewellery outlets, in addition to Oak Ray series of hotels, Island- wide, selected as the winner of the prestigious Young Entrepreneur of the Asia-Pacific Region in 2012 award, initiates to include exquisite Indian cuisines in all island-wide hotels.
On the left is Kolitha, the head circulating chef of OakRay Hotels in Kandy District, and Visiting Chef Sathiyaseelan, the Chief Executive Sous Chef at the Radisson Blu in Doha, Qatar, is on the right.
Sugeewa has sought the assistance of Siva Kumaran- Operations Director of Blue Elephant at Waldorf Hotel, Sydney, until recently, being a Gold Licence Caterer and a student of Cornell University in Hotel/Motel Administration/Management, on a recent visit to Sri Lanka.
Siva promptly flew to Doha and got down one of his favourite Master-Chef. Sathiyaseelan, working at the Radisson Blu Hotel – a 4-star hotel in the heart of Doha’s shopping centre- controls 19 restaurants and bars.
Sathiya arrived with his wife, a chef, on the 10th of November and initiated training and cooking demonstrations for the respective chefs in the Oak-Ray series of hotels.
It was a delightful experience to watch the chef’s cookery demonstrations in the kitchen with the spicy aroma lingering in the air. I was also privileged to taste his creations with complex flavour profiles, which included a careful balance and harmonious blend of sweet, sour, bitter, and umami curries.
Bringing in these Indian fusion cuisines with aromatic spices will attract Indian families to visit and enjoy a diverse culinary experience and share cultures and friendships. Additionally, Sri Lankan expats visiting the island and those living in the major provincial cities will benefit from such varied cuisines.
How healthy are Indian-cooked foods? Some of the spicy ingredients included in the Indian curries are plant-based.
Turmeric, used in every Indian curry, is anti-inflammatory, which reduces
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inflammation and helps your immune system to function correctly.
Ayurveda is the foundation of traditional Indian cuisine. It uses various spices and ingredients believed to help reduce inflammation, which significantly contributes to chronic illnesses such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. Even though the staple diet in India is high in carbohydrates, consisting of foods such as chapatis, naans, and other flatbreads, options are still available to manage blood sugar levels.
Yellow dhal, lentil soup with mixed veggies, and plant-based curries are all excellent choices for individuals looking to regulate their blood sugar levels.
Virginia Woolf said one cannot think of healthy sleep if one has not dined well.
I hope you enjoyed reading the information in this ‘Food article.”
