Category Archives: Seychelles

Seychelles has been enjoying unprecedented exposure on South African TV in the last three months. Besides the much publicized 7th season of Tropika Islands of Treasure filmed in Seychelles and aired on SABC 3 for 12 consecutive weeks the island destination is being featured in several other shows.

Dan Nicoll, the host of a celebrity talk show aired on SuperSport 1, made his debut with a rod in the waters of Alphonse in early June, showcasing the unique fly fishing adventure offered on the island by experienced fisherman Keith Rose-Innes and his team.

The Dan Nicoll Show, which hosts a range of sports and lifestyle celebrities from South Africa and beyond showcased a feature entitled Fishing Paradise in Seychelles which portrayed Alphonse not only as a leisure-oriented island, but also one which offers a range of activities to its guests. Besides fly-fishing, Alphonse one of the outlying islands of the Seychelles archipelago boasting kilometers of pristine tropical shorelines, lagoons and sea flats also offers diving, snorkeling, pedal skis, pedal boats and windsurfing.

After a week of fishing in both deep waters and on the flats, Nicoll described his first fly fishing experience as one he would never forget, adding that it has certainly given me plenty of reasons to come back.

Another TV personality, Gerrie Pretorius also visited the Seychelles for his Afrikaans Show, Leef Jou Reis (Live Your Journey).

He was able to explore the underwater world of the Seychelles while scuba diving and snorkeling at Le Meridien Fishermans Cove.

Once again, Seychelles came across as one of the most desirable destinations, offering some of the best snorkeling sites in the Indian Ocean. The tropical climate all-year round and unspoiled nature is something which has been proven to appeal to any potential visitor.

Its not only the Seychelles natural beauty that has caught the attention of South African media, as the islands conservation efforts have also been recognized. The 50/50 environmental program me on SABC 2 has so far broadcasted two episodes on Seychelles.

The first episode earlier in June featured the country as a pioneer in the field of conservation and how it is implementing the nationwide ban on common plastic items. The ban officially went into effect on 1st of July, meaning people will have to use replace their plastic bags, plates, or Styrofoam takeaway boxes with more environmentally-friendly alternatives. Government agencies are being joined by several non-governmental organizations to spearhead the campaign to see a more sustainable Seychelles.

Episode 12 aired on the last Sunday of June showcased how conservationists in Seychelles are utilizing their green fingers to save ocean reefs. The presenter Bertus Louw joined staff of Nature Seychelles for some underwater coral gardening.

Nature Seychelles a local non-governmental organization has developed a successful coral gardening technique which is helping to restore coral reefs affected by bleaching events in the Seychelles waters.

Both episodes have commended Seychelles for its excellent efforts in conservation.

It is to be noted that the exposure on South African TV falls in line with the STBs drive to reach South African consumers on a much broader scale. All programs featuring Seychelles had the added benefit of being broadcast during prime-time slots in the evenings, which means they reached maximum viewers.

The Tropika series is already believed to have won Seychelles over 10 million Rand-worth of exposure on the South African market.

Commenting on the ongoing and extensive coverage of the islands on national TV in South Africa, the Director of the Seychelles Tourism Boards office in South Africa, Lena Hoareau said that Seychelles was enjoying great mileage from the ongoing exposure.

We have intensified our marketing activities this year for both trade and consumer, which means that while we are equipping the trade with more knowledge on the destination through training and workshops, which will help them turn over more sales to Seychelles, South African consumers are also gaining a better understanding and insight into the destination through the awareness created by the different TV programs, she said.

Mrs. Hoareau added that there has been a notable increase in inquiries about the Seychelles, which serves as proof that these programs are helping to boost the destinations profile on the market.

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Greater destination awareness as Seychelles draws extensive exposure on South African TV - eTurboNews

Bigger, better, taller and more expensive is becoming less of a trend as top tourism destinations globally are shifting focus to the preservation and conservation of their tourism heritage and natural resources.

In many ways, the Seychelles has long since been at the forefront in protecting its environment against the possible adverse effects that can come as a result of tourism. Despite its small size, the island destination has actively been working to manage its tourism development with due regards to the environment. From reducing, reusing and the recycling of waste materials to actively promoting sustainable living to both residents and visitors, Seychelles Government and Environmental NGOs are doing its share to protect the environment.

Probably one of the most fascinating developments, although not directly linked to conservation, is that, apart from 18 pre-approved hotel developments, the Seychelles government has banned large hotel developments indefinitely in what has been coined the moratorium on large hotel developments.

While the idea behind the moratorium was not to halt the development of all projects completely, it was implemented to encourage the construction of smaller locally owned resorts, reflecting Seychelles Creole architecture and culture. Perhaps a better understanding of this is that the Seychellois have a monopoly on hotels and resorts of up to 15 rooms or villas with this segment strictly reserved for local investors into the hospitality industry. Thus, putting the business back in Seychellois hands.

However, with more than half of the Seychelles land area and also a large section of the ocean surrounding the islands set aside for conservation, the moratorium has also proven to be instrumental in preserving the natural veracity of many of the untouched and natural areas and resources the Seychelles has to offer.

Despite growing tourism numbers, the moratorium also hinders the possibility that the Seychelles will become and overdeveloped mass tourism destination, leaving future visitors with an authentic and true island destination.

Although the hotel project was initially part of the 18 new tourism establishments excluded from the moratorium on the construction of large hotels, the Citizens Initiative took every effort to ensure public concern was raised on the project.

An earlier biodiversity assessment of the Grand Police showed that this specific location is considered an international key biodiversity area (KBA). It is flanked by two other key diversity areas on the hills of the Collines du Sud which are currently being merged. It is also a freshwater wetland and home to two species of endemic, critically endangered and nationally protected terrapins Torti Soupap as well as being a potential foraging area for sheath tail bats.

The group launched a comprehensive campaign on social media to gather public opinion to strengthen its cause and also organised a march and launched a petition, whereby over 7,500 signatures were acquired and submitted to the head of state. After meeting with Seychelles President Danny Faure, the acquired evidence and petition was submitted to cabinet ministers who agreed that steps are taken to have the section of land returned to the government and be declared a protected area.

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#CSIMonth: Why the Seychelles' ban on large hotel developments is a good thing - Bizcommunity.com

VICTORIA Air Seychelles, the national airline of the Republic of Seychelles, will be introducing SITAs state-of-the-art common-use passenger processing systems (CUPPS) at Seychelles International Airport from today. This investment provides greater flexibility for international airlines operating from the airport by allowing them to share common-use terminal equipment for check-in and boarding.

The airline which provides ground-handling services to airlines operating from Seychelles International Airport is currently upgrading its technology to ensure a smooth travel experience every step of the way. The upgrade is being performed in partnership with the Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority and SITA, a global technology provider to the air transport industry.

The new systems will optimize the use of terminal facilities, speed up the flow of passengers and improve service levels for all international travelers flying from Seychelles International Airport.

Roy Kinnear, Chief Executive Officer of Air Seychelles, said: The new common-use terminal equipment will enable Air Seychelles to connect to various Departure Control Systems used by other airlines operating to Seychelles, providing more flexibility to our ground handling operations.

Even more importantly, it will enable us to streamline the check-in and boarding process for all the international travelers that are handled at Seychelles International Airport, making sure they have a smooth experience. This development from SITA follows the long list of innovative technological solutions which we have implemented to ensure an improved guest experience.

Gilbert Faure, Chief Executive Officer of the Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority, said: Introducing cutting-edge CUPPS infrastructure at Seychelles International Airport puts us on par with some of the most modern airports in the world. Having a standardized system for handling passengers will improve the airport experience for all international travelers, irrespective of the airline they are flying with, which is a fantastic achievement. We have developed a strong relationship with both Air Seychelles and SITA and are pleased to have worked together to install this new technology."

Maneesh Jaikrishna, Vice President Indian Subcontinent, Eastern & Southern Africa said: Our common-use systems bring new efficiencies to Seychelles International Airport for both Air Seychelles and other operators. This in turn will have a dramatic impact on passengers who will benefit from a smooth and seamless travel experience.

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Air Seychelles introduces state-f-the-art passenger handling ... - Travel Daily News International

What do Indian travelers usually look for in a destination, what are their needs and expectations when it comes to Seychelles and what can be done to further develop the market?

The Seychelles Tourism Board, local and Indian trade partners were recently given the opportunity to ponder on these questions in a half-day seminar dubbed The Indian Traveler.

The seminar was held at the Avani Seychelles Barbarons Resort and Spa on Friday 30th June.

India is still a relatively new market for the islands whose bulk of visitors originate from Europe. STBs efforts really started 4 years ago, with the appointment of its representation office, based in Mumbai.

2016 was a great year for the Indian market with total arrivals amounting to 10,916, which represented an 88 percent increase over 2015 figures, finishing the year as the 10th largest source market for Seychelles. From January to 2nd July 2017, a total of 6,653 visitors from India have disembarked in Seychelles compared to 5,680 during the same period in 2016 representing an increase of 17 percent. With great accessibility; enjoying 5 direct flights a week from Mumbai, Seychelles is however yet to see the desired growth on this market.

One of the guest speakers at the seminar, Jai Bhulwalaand, the founder of a Mumbai-based travel agent Holidays Box gave an overview of the typical Indian traveler.

Seychelles is new in this market and the Indians are very different to Europeans, Indians are a lot about customized features and shorter stays, very geared on value for money options, he said.

Mr. Bhulwalaand said that Seychelles has it all but just needs to be packaged and delivered in a way that would be even more appealing to the Indian visitors.

Theres a very positive trend in bookings to come to Seychelles, and this is being boosted by more road shows where representatives can come and gain exposure for their own experience and to promote Seychelles, he added.

After directing efforts at promoting honeymoon, family, adventure, eco-tourism, small groups, wellness and spa holidays in Seychelles among Indian travelers, the STB more recently started to focus on Indias destination wedding segment. And during the seminar it was confirmed that Seychelles Indian market definitely has potential for further growth, especially within the honeymoon and wedding segment.

Mr. Parthip Tyagarajan, the founder of weddingsutra.com, a popular online platform already promoting Seychelles as a wedding destination, noted that there are several opportunities to tap into considering the various segments involved in an Indian wedding.

There are several stages in an Indian wedding, and Seychelles may be ideal as the proposal destination, as well as the pre-wedding photoshoot and/or the family moon which is where the family comes to relax after the wedding, said Mr. Tyagarajan.

While the wedding segment remains the main focus, it was agreed that there was a need to ensure that all potential Indian travelers are given the opportunity to hear about the Seychelles islands and its products.

Ms. Lubaina Sheerazi the chief operating officer at Mumbai-based Blue Square Consultants, which represents the STB in India said many of the almost 22,000 tourists that have visited Seychelles over the past three years, have been involved in word of mouth publicity, leading to increasing interests in the destination. She added that there is a need to build on this advantage to further increase the visitor numbers.

Going further, Mr. Ashutosh Mehere the chief operating officer of Alliances at Cox & Kings, one of the oldest travel company headquartered in India urged the STB and local trade partners to find ways to ensure that there are more local goods available as well as more activities on which the Indians can spend as they love to splurge on extras.

Air Seychelles head of marketing, loyalty and guest affairs Ms. Sabrina Agathine also a guest speaker at the seminar spoke about the airlines connection to Indian highlighting the 5 weekly flights from Mumbai to the Seychelles and its code share with Jet Airways to other destinations in India. Ms Agathine also elaborated on Air Seychelles short-term objectives to benchmark itself against competing airlines and destinations when it comes to the Indian market.

In her introductory remarks at the event, the Chief Executive of the STB, Mrs. Sherin Francis highlighted the fact that India being just a three-hour flight away stands as a prime destination for Seychelles, adding that that the STB would like to see increased tailor-made efforts to ensure that Indian travelers enjoy a wonderful experience in the Seychelles.

It is an opportunity right there and then, ready for us to tap into. We just need to understand their requirements, and to recognize what makes them tick, said Mrs. Francis.

At the end of the seminar, Mrs. Francis also called on stakeholders to invest in the little things rather than restructuring their business model around the Indian market.

A small effort goes a long way and with the Indian market its important that what is on offer in a specific package is made available, although they might not use it during their stay, she added.

It is important to note that with over 62 million passport holders who are potential travelers, India has emerged as the worlds second fastest growing outbound market after China in terms of visitor numbers.

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The Indian traveler: Seychelles Tourism explores potential of Indian market - eTurboNews

Seychelles has for the second consecutive year been named the topisland destination in Africa and the Middle East in the Travel + Leisures 2017 Worlds Best Awards.

The survey is held every year and readers are asked to weigh in on travel experiences around theglobe, to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise lines, spas, airlinesamong others.

Islands are rated on the following characteristics: natural attractions/beaches, activities/sights,restaurants/food, people/friendliness, value, and as optional criteria, its romantic appeal. For eachcharacteristic, respondents are asked to rate a candidate on a five-point scale of excellence.

Boasting white and pristine sandy beaches, Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean,came out on top of the readers list.

Seychelles Tourism Board, Director for Africa & the Americas, David Germain says, Achieving thedistinction of top island in Africa and the Middle East for the second year in a row is a tremendoushonour for the Seychelles, recognising that the region has much to offer in terms of world-classisland experiences.

He adds that Seychelles is a unique group of islands with outstanding natural beauty and uniqueattractions, a destination with a committed approach to sustainable tourism, providing an exampleof best practice for other destinations around the world.

The Award helps to garner recognition, and provide a significant amount of visibility for our islandsto a worldwide audience, It proves further, that our beautiful islands is becoming more and morepopular, topping the list of the most desirable holiday destinations worldwide, says Mr Germain.

Visitor arrivals from South Africa to the Seychelles increased by 19 percent from January to June.

To date, the total number of holidaymakers that have disembarked in Seychelles stands at 159 659,representing a 21 percent increase compared to the same time last year, already positioning theisland nation to record a tourism upswing in 2017.

For more details on this years Travel & Leisure Worlds Best Awards visitwww.travelandleisure.com/worldsbest

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Seychelles named top island destination in Africa and the Middle East - Independent Online

Thanks to climate change, the ocean is no longer a friend of Seychelles. But can its reefs offer this embattled nation a lifeline?

The meteorological event, a combination of ocean heat redistribution and wind reversal in the Pacific, occurs approximately every two to seven years and has far-reaching consequences. The last El Nino in 2016 was similarly dreadful, reducing coral coverage on Seychelles' reefs from 50% to 5%, say local researchers.

El Nino is a phenomenon: a devastating, uncontrollable exception to the norm. With carefully managed conservation, Seychelles can survive its wild fluctuations. But not if global warming continues. As baseline temperatures creep up, the ecosystem loses its ability to recover. Eventually El Nino could prove terminal.

"People that don't believe in climate change, maybe they need to come to the Seychelles," says Lisa Laporte Booyse, who runs a guesthouse on the southeast tip of Mahe, the largest island in the chain.

"We can show them photos of things that were very different before ... coastal erosion. We can see flooding that we never experienced, the higher temperatures that we've never experienced before. The season(al) changes that have had an effect."

"Before, we literally could tell you the day that our rainy season would start. Now, we have droughts that we never experienced before."

Bleached coral close to the coast. Coral coverage dropped from 50% to 5% on reefs in 2016.

So much of the affairs on land are dictated by the health of the biosphere in the water.

When it comes to coastal erosion, reefs are key, acting as a wave breaker protecting the shoreline, explains Savi Leblond, project leader at the Cerf Island Conservation Program, 2.5 miles off the coast of Mahe. Without strong reefs, the land is at the mercy of the ocean. At present, they are delicately poised.

"Our reefs here have been under several threats -- natural and anthropogenic," Leblond says.

Sea surface temperature rises cause "stress" to corals, which release an algae zooxanthellae, which makes up "90% of its food source, as well as its color." The result is bleaching and depleted nourishment. Bleaching is reversible, but if waters remain too warm for too long, coral starves and dies.

A turtle swims among bleached coral in Seychelles.

Either of these eventualities would be a catastrophe for Seychelles' biosphere -- above and below water.

"When corals die off, unfortunately we die off," surmises Leblond. "Everything relies on coral reefs."

"It was the fishermen who said it's not like it was before," recalls Booyse.

Seychellois look to the sea for sustenance; they're custodians of over 500,000 square miles of ocean, and 15% of the population are engaged in fishing and fishing-related activities. But it's already proving harder for fisherman like Augustin Desaubin and others to eek out a living.

As a boy Desaubin remembers "the corals were beautiful; plenty of coral inside the reef, plenty of fish," he adds. "Now we can see only seaweed."

"When I was young, octopus was abundant. I (would) dive for about one hour, you'd have five or six octopus and go home." Now approaching 50, Desaubin says there are days when he returns empty-handed.

"Corals cover less than 0.1% of the world's surface area but they house over 25% of the world's biodiversity," Leblond explains.

"We, the People of Seychelles, grateful to Almighty God that we inhabit one of the most beautiful countries in the world; ever mindful of the uniqueness and fragility of Seychelles... declar(e) our unswaying commitment... (to) help preserve a safe, healthy and functioning environment for ourselves and for posterity."

Alongside government initiatives, citizens are taking action.

"We grow corals in a nursery and use these nursery-grown corals to rehabilitate the reef," explains marine scientist Jude Bijoux. Due to climate change, only corals most resilient to warm temperatures are selected, he adds.

The time-consuming process involves transferring coral fragments from one of five artificial reefs to rope lines, then to substrate or natural rock on the sea floor. It's a six to 12-month effort requiring epoxy resin and regular rope cleaning with a toothbrush.

"It's a bit weird," says Leblond, but their methods give coral "the best chance they have."

Rope-grown corals are tended to as part of reef rehabilitation.

Inspired by initiatives on Cerf, Booyse started the Anse Forbans Community Conservation Program, a group of neighbors setting up a coral nursery of their own.

"(It) won't be an immediate fix," Booyse says. "We're looking at a five-year lifespan to get the corals healthy, growing again and plant them back."

Even among one of the greenest societies in the world, ownership and responsibility lie at the heart of Booyse's motives. "My own generation, and generations before, have made a big impact on the environment," she says. "I have to try and lead and make a difference."

"When you're fighting the cause you've just got to go and keep going."

Seychellois know that in the fight against climate change, no half-measures will do. Their livelihoods and homes depend on it.

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'When corals die off, we die off' - CNN

For the second consecutive year, Seychelles has been named the top island destination in Africa and the Middle East in the Travel + Leisure's 2017 World's Best Awards - a survey held every year during which readers are asked to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe and share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise lines, spas, and airlines among others. Islands are rated on the following characteristics: natural attractions/beaches, activities/sights, restaurants/food, people/friendliness, value, and as optional criteria, its romantic appeal. For each characteristic, respondents are asked to rate a candidate on a five-point scale of excellence.

Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean, came out on top of the readers list.

Seychelles Tourism Board, Director for Africa and the Americas, David Germain says, Achieving the distinction of top island in Africa and the Middle East for the second year in a row is a tremendous honour for the Seychelles, recognising that the region has much to offer in terms of world-class island experiences. He adds that Seychelles is a unique group of islands with outstanding natural beauty and unique attractions, a destination with a committed approach to sustainable tourism, providing an example of best practice for other destinations around the world.

Visitor arrivals from South Africa to the Seychelles increased by 19 percent from January to June. To date, the total number of holidaymakers that have disembarked in Seychelles stands at 159 659, representing a 21 percent increase compared to the same time last year, already positioning the island nation to record a tourism upswing in 2017.

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Seychelles named top island destination in Africa and Middle East - Bizcommunity.com

Forming part of its many conservation efforts, the cabinet of Seychelles in September last year announced that it will join the likes of Rwanda, Bangladesh and Madagascar in implementing a ban on the use and importation of items such plastic bags, cups, cutlery and Styrofoam packaging in an effort to cut down on waste in the Seychelles.

The idea of going plastics free in the Seychelles was initially started in 2015 by the SIDS Youth Aims Hub (SYAH) which aimed to encourage the archipelagos population of around 93,000 people to opt for reusable bags.

In a separate campaign, Sustainability for Seychelles (S4S) also lobbied against the use of polystyrene takeaway boxes. S4S, as part of its public awareness campaign, introduced biodegradable boxes made of sugarcane fibre for takeaways and other food outlets.

The Seychelles Trading Company (STC), one of the countrys largest trading companies, was quick to address and welcome the initiative. Since June last year, STC began to introduce biodegradable carrier bags for customers shopping at the STC Supermarkets and Hypermarket.

Meanwhile, Roline Trading was quoted by the Seychelles News Agency (SNA) as saying that the company will look into the use of paper bags. The company also noted however that importing their own bags is expensive.

Another businessperson told SNA that the ban has created the potential for new business ventures. After doing some research, this businessman started importing biodegradable takeaway boxes, cutlery, cake boxes and paper bags.

There is, however, a cost implication to both residents and visitors to the Seychelles associated with the elimination of plastic consumables. Retail outlets have said that they now sell bags separately whereas others have added the cost directly to the product they are selling.

But, regardless of any additional costs, most residents and even visitors have agreed that it is a small price to pay in conserving the island destination.

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#CSIMonth: No more plastics in the Seychelles - Bizcommunity.com

The Seychelles national airline was among the top winners at this years World Travel Awards bagging four major accolades.

The travel awards on Saturday crowned Air Seychelles as the Indian Oceans Leading Airline for the third consecutive year and also the regions best for Business Class and Cabin Crew service.

This is the fourth consecutive year that Air Seychelles has won both the Indian Oceans Leading Airline Business Class and Leading Indian Oceans Cabin Crew awards.

For the first time in 2017, Air Seychelles was also crowned as the Indian Oceans Leading Airline Brand.

Air Seychelles Chief Executive, Mr. Roy Kinnear led a delegation of the national airlines senior management at the award presentation ceremony. The red-carpet event was held at Sun Aqua Vilu Reef a five-star beach resort in the neighboring Indian Ocean island of Maldives.

Congratulating Air Seychelles on continuing its winning streak at the World Travel Awards, the Minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine Ambassador Maurice Loustau-Lalanne said, Its success illustrates how far a boutique airline can go when it has a strong vision and a team committed to success.

Air Seychelles Chairman Jean Weeling-Lee described the four awards as an outstanding feat for the Air Seychelles team who work hard to provide the best travel experience to its guests.

Every year Air Seychelles is growing its operations, improving its products and services, and delivering strong results for the tourism-based economy of Seychelles. Our success at the World Travel Awards underlines the strength of the business strategy and the core values that guide Air Seychelles, said Mr. Weeling-Lee.

For his part, Air Seychelles Chief Executive Roy Kinnear said clinching four accolades at the World Travel Awards is the crowning moment of what he described as an incredible year for the airline.

We operate in an extremely competitive environment and very often outpunch our weight compared to many larger operators. We will continue to stay focused on service improvements developing a sustainably profitable airline and offering opportunities for career progression within the airline. Winning these awards would not have been possible without our people or the strong support of our shareholders, the Government of Seychelles and Etihad Airways, said Mr. Kinnear.

Other Seychelles businesses in the travel and tourism industry also won accolades at the 24th World Travel Awards for the Indian Ocean in their respective category.

Port Victoria has been voted as the Indian Oceans Leading Cruise Port for the fifth consecutive year.

The Chief Executive of the Seychelles Ports Authority Colonel Andre Ciseau said the award symbolizes the collaborative efforts of all stakeholders to ensure a high level of service is offered to all vessels including cruise ships visiting Port Victoria.

Mr. Ciseau noted that discussions involving the relevant partners are ongoing to improve on the infrastructures and amenities to ensure that while cruise tourism gains popularity, the level of service also continues to be enhanced. Work is also being done to ensure that more souvenirs are on offer so that visitors can spend a bit more while visiting the Seychelles islands.

Improving cruise tourism in the region was in fact the topic of discussion at a recent workshop organized by the Port Management Association for Eastern and Southern Africa in collaboration with Cruise Indian Ocean Association and the Seychelles Ports Authority. The two-day workshop was held at the Savoy Seychelles Resort and Spa at Beau Vallon on July 4 and 5.

We brainstormed on how to develop a new concept Cruise Africa. If Cruise Africa is successful, this will mean more progress for the Indian Ocean islands and African countries, as cruise tourism is not an industry where you compete with one another but rather one where theres collaboration, said Colonel Ciseau.

Constance Ephelia, located at Port Launay is the Indian Oceans Leading Green Resort. Constance Ephelia bagged the same award last year.

Raffles Praslin, Seychelles has emerged as the Indian Oceans Leading Villa Resort, for the third consecutive year.

The World Travel Awards was established in 1993 to recognize the very best travel organizations in the world, through a global vote including by travel and tourism professionals.

Awards are presented for excellence in providing services in different categories of the worlds travel and tourism industry. This includes air services, car rental services, spas, travel agencies and tour operators, hotels and resorts, among others.

The awards are first given on a regional basis and the winners qualify for the grand final of the World Travel Award. This years grand final will be held in Phu Quoc, Vietnam on December 10.

Aside from presenting accolades to the best of the Indian Ocean travel & tourism businesses, the World Travel Awards also named businesses that stands out from the rest in their respective islands namely Mauritius, Maldives, Madagascar, Seychelles and Reunion.

The other Seychelles award winners are:

Seychelles Leading Boutique Hotel 2017 MAIA Luxury Resort & Spa

Seychelles Leading Car Rental Company 2017 Hertz

Seychelles Leading Conference Hotel 2017 Eden Bleu Hotel

Seychelles Leading Family Resort 2017 Constance Ephlia

Seychelles Leading Green Resort 2017 Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort & Spa

Seychelles Leading Hotel 2017 Constance Lmuria Seychelles

Seychelles Leading Hotel Suite 2017 Two Bedroom Presidential Villa @ Hilton Seychelles Northolme Resort & Spa

Seychelles Leading Luxury Hotel Villa 2017 MAIA Signature Villa @ MAIA Luxury Resort & Spa

Seychelles Leading Resort 2017 Enchanted Island Resort

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Seychelles' national airline, Port Authority & hotels shine at World Travel Awards - eTurboNews

The Minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine, Mr. Maurice Loustau-Lalanne, has expressed satisfaction with the progress of works at the new domestic passenger terminal building.

Minister Loustau-Lalanne visited the Seychelles International Airport on Friday, June 30, to have an appreciation of the current state of the construction, which started in January 2015.

I am happy with the progress done, and I look forward to see the project being completed without any further delays, he said after the visit.

Minister Loustau-Lalanne toured the newly-built structure, which is to support several airport operations, a restaurant, a spa, and a Commercial Important Persons (CIP) lounge, which will serve travelers going through the passenger terminal.

He was accompanied by officials of the Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority and the construction company.

The project, which is being undertaken by Allied Builders (Seychelles) Limited, is being done in three phases. This is to ensure that airport operations are not disrupted while the development and modernization of its structures and facilities are ongoing.

The General Manager for airport management, Mr. Patrick Hoareau, informed the touring party that phase 1 is set to be completed by mid-August 2017.

Mr. Hoareau said: 65% of the first phase of the project has now been completed, most operating facilities will be functional by the end of phase one, in August. This means we will have the departure lounge area, lift, ground floor public toilet facilities, offices on 1st floor and check-in area, partial area of the concourse, and possibly the food and beverages outlet operational.

Phase 2 and remaining part of Phase 3 are scheduled to start in September 2017. This will see the domestic ground operations moved to the newly built facility, while the new departure lounge has been separated to cater for both the arrival and departure operations, as the existing building will be demolished to construct a new arrival lounge. The project is expected to be completed in its entirety in July 2018.

When talking about the concept of the structure, Mr. Hoareau said the terminal will be a modern one with sustainable aspects and designs.

It will be a more modern centralized commercial passenger terminal with underground water harvesting tank facilities with capacities of over 3600 liters in total. This is expected to cut down on SCAAs operational cost, especially when it comes to utilities, which is expected to go down by 50 percent, he added.

While at the airport, Minister Loustau-Lalanne also took the opportunity to visit the newly-extended arrival terminal building.

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Civil Aviation Minister inspects progress of new domestic passenger terminal at Seychelles International Airport - eTurboNews