Zanzibar — According to the World Food Travel Association (2022) culinary tourism is important as it increases local pride, it attracts visitors that are sustainable, Food and drink consumption plays an important role in tourism.

Everybody must eat during their holiday and research shows that tourists are increasingly interested in culinary experiences and prepared to pay more for local food and unique tastes.

It is due to this opportunity that the Maru-Maru Hotel in the Stone Town have decided to involve visitors or tourists in the hotel, and the staff led by chefs in mixing ingredients of a special cake for this year's Christmas Day.

Reception manager Phillip Mwakimo said at the event "Getting our visitors and staff from the kitchen in mixing ingredients for the Christmas cake, is an interesting exercise and sort of fun that many tourists enjoy."

According to the chefs, the 30kg big cake will be baked on Christmas Day after soaking for almost twenty days to have some of the ingredients softened by alcohol.

"I am happy to witness the mixing of the cake," Mr Odd-Helge Fjeldstad, an enthusiastic visitor in Zanzibar said during the mixing of the cake at the rooftop of the hotel.

Tourism is the leading sector of Zanzibar, contributing to more than 60 thousand jobs and more than 25 percent of the Isles GDP.