Category Archives: Seychelles

Almost halfway through the year 2017, Germany has taken the number one spot as the Seychelles main tourism market.

According to latest statistics the National Bureau of Statistics released on Thursday, Germany has sent 21,642 visitors to the island nation up to Sunday June 18, 2017. The figure is 29 percent above that recorded for the same period last year.

This means Germany has surpassed its closest contender, France, which has long been the main tourism market for Seychelles. France, which was number one since the beginning of the year is now second, having sent 20,922 visitors to the island destination. This trend was last observed in 2014, when Germany outperformed France in terms of visitor arrivals before France regained its position in 2015.

Air links between the Seychelles archipelago and Germany received a huge boost this year, which is surely contributing to the increase in German visitors. The national airline, Air Seychelles started twice-weekly direct flights to Dusseldorf in March 2017. In recent years, the route was primarily served by German leisure airline, Condor, which also started to charter a second direct weekly flight to Seychelles last year.

Commenting on the latest trend in visitor arrival statistics, the Chief Executive of the Seychelles Tourism Board, Mrs. Sherin Francis said: Seychelles today is more connected to its source market than ever and that is especially for Germany. More airlines to the destination also means more marketing support for Seychelles as well.

With Austrian Airlines scheduled to operate a once-weekly nonstop service to Seychelles in October this year, it is expected that this will further boost visitor arrivals from Germany and other German-speaking markets, including Switzerland and Austria.

It is to be noted that the Seychelles Tourism Board has been increasing efforts to create awareness of the destination among German travelers with the support of its partners, including the national airline and other international carriers that bring visitors from German-speaking markets to Seychelles.

It is important to always look at the big picture where growing the tourism number for the country. Where we see opportunity for growth, our team always look to capitalize on it. The team out there with our faithful partners has done a tremendous job and should be commended, added Mrs. Francis.

Visitor arrivals from Europe as a whole is also encouraging having increased by 21 percent so far compared to the same period last year. Aside from France, which has so far recorded a decrease of 4 percent, other European markets have recorded positive results so far Italy (6%), Russia (31%), Germany and UK & Northern Ireland (29%).

Ranked fourth among the leading markets, the United Kingdom is one that has also shown remarkable progress in recent years.

We also acknowledge the exponential growth of the UK Market over the last 2 years which has also allowed it to rise to the fourth position on the rank. The growth has been really encouraging. Again this has been possible through the consistent effort of our small team in UK and its partners, said Mrs Francis.

Generally, theres been positive results from the Seychelles tourism markets in Africa, America, the Middle and Asia in spite of a 17 percent decrease in arrival figures from China. To date, the total number of holidaymakers that have disembarked in Seychelles stands at 159,659, representing a 21 percent increase compared to last year, already positioning the island nation to record a tourism upswing in 2017.

Follow this link:

Germany leads the way in visitor arrivals to Seychelles - eTurboNews

The Republic of Seychelles is an archipelago made up of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean. These islands are classified into 42 inner granitic islands and 73 outer coralline islands. The 42 granitic islands, or the Granitic Seychelles as they are called, lie in the central position of the Seychelles Bank and are composed of granite rock. They make up the majority of the inner islands of Seychelles. The outer coralline islands, or Coralline Seychelles, are the group of islands that are not on the shallow Seychelles Bank, which is the location of the Granitic Seychelles.

The beauty that comes with the islands has made Seychelles a popular destination for holidays and honeymooners. Some of the most popular people to spend their honeymoon in Seychelles include Prince William and Duchess Kate, Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston, Ronan Keating and Storm Uechtritz, George Clooney andAmal Alamuddin, as well as Nicky Hilton andJames Rothschild. To ensure total privacy of their celebrity tourists, the Government of Seychelles introduced a law making it an offense for a Seychellois citizen to provide assistance to any paparazzi who was cunning enough to hire a fishing boat and try to take photographs from offshore. We want people, famous or not, to be able to relax on their holiday. They shouldnt have to worry about being spied upon, says Alain St.Ange, the Tourism Minister for Seychelles, to international media.

After their return to the UK, Prince Williams office at St. Jamess Palace released a statement thanking the government and people of Seychelles for the great time that the Prince and Duchess had spent there. The couple thoroughly enjoyed their time together, and they are grateful to the Seychelles Government for their assistance in making the honeymoon such a memorable and special 10 days, read the statement.

See the original post here:

5 Interesting Things about Seychelles - Africa.com

The grand finale of the 7th season of South African series Tropika Island of Treasure wrapped up Monday evening, after 12 weeks of spectacular coverage of the Seychelles islands.

Screened on South Africas SABC 3 channel, Tropika Island of Treasure Season 7 filmed in Seychelles was beamed to millions of viewers who tuned in for the one-hour weekly show.

TV personality Minnie Dlamini was the host of the season and equally well-known Jonathan Boynton-Lee starred as the Games Master.

Tropika Island of Treasure season 7 has subsequently been dubbed the best so far, since the start of the Tropika series. The picturesque powder-white beaches, clear turquoise waters and lush tropical vegetation of the Seychelles archipelago provided the perfect settings for the different challenges, while the contestants also got to enjoy one of the most desired tourist destinations in the world.

The PR value Seychelles has generated from this massive exposure is estimated at over 10 Million Rand, which is one of the biggest coverage the islands have ever received on international television in South Africa.

The Director of the Seychelles Tourism Board office in South Africa Mrs. Lena Hoareau said, This is a major boost to our marketing efforts on the South African market and the coverage was just incredible, touching many aspects of Seychelles as a destination.

During a Tropika Island of Treasure Reunion Special episode on Monday the contestants spoke about their unforgettable experiences while filming in Seychelles and how they were blown away by the beauty of the islands and warmth of the Seychellois people.

Several South African celebrities including actors, singers, musicians and professional dancers were recruited as contestants for the competition and they had to choose a partner through a series of auditions.

Once all teams were finalized, they headed to Seychelles for the challenges which saw them competing on several beaches, swimming and racing in the clear turquoise ocean, running through the streets of Victoria, cooking the famous nougat a local dessert made from coconut, making the perfect cocktail using the locally produced Takamaka Bay Rum and sorting out puzzles at the National Botanical Garden, among many other games filmed at several other breath-taking locations.

It was several weeks of fierce competition and battle of wits as viewers tuned in on a weekly basis to see the end product, which saw teams progress or eliminated along the way in their quest to take home the prize of one Million Rand.

Favorites Siv Ngesi and Khabonina Shabangu could not hold their lead in the final minutes of the competition. It was the team made up of singer Anga Makubalo and Bonginkosi Ndima who became one Million rand richer, after emerging as proud winners of the trophy.

Several local partners, including the national airline Air Seychelles, hotels, restaurant owners, private and government agencies, also supported the filming in return for coverage and credits. Air Seychelles also collaborated on a viewers prize at the end of the show for a holiday to the Seychelles, with accommodation sponsored by Savoy Resort and Spa.

Mrs. Hoareau who attended the filming of the show in Seychelles last year, has described the 12-week exposure of the islands on South African TV as something she has never seen before. She believes that this will undoubtedly contribute immensely towards raising the profile of the island destination on that market.

Ive never seen so much of Seychelles on international TV (from one project) like what I have enjoyed over the last three months with Tropika. It was stunning and without a doubt this will hugely complement our efforts in putting Seychelles out there, especially with the consumers, she added.

Mrs. Hoareau said that she has met a lot of people who have followed the show and have also been receiving a lot of queries at the tourist office.

People are excited and have been talking about the show and Seychelles a lot. We have also done our own social media campaign around the show, featuring snippets of the islands or running small competitions, to build a greater interest in the destination, she said.

South Africa is already Seychelles top market in Africa having sent 6,190 visitors to the island nation up to June 22nd this year, which represents an increase of 21 percent when compared to last year.

As the island nation continues to receive encouraging feedback from the market, other projects that will put the destination in the limelight are already emerging.

Im happy to say that weve had several other proposals for filming in the Seychelles in the next six months which will put Seychelles back on South African TV, notably on DSTV and the SABC channels, said Mrs. Hoareau.

Meanwhile, the 12 episodes of the Tropika Island of Treasure season 7 can be viewed on Tropikas Facebook page or on You Tube.

Read the original:

It's a wrap! Tropika Island of Treasure ends, boosting Seychelles tourism - eTurboNews

Seychelles the heaven you must visit before you die was the slogan used to attract visitors to the island destinations stand at the HanaTour International Travel Show 2017 in South Korea. The four-day event was held at the Kintex Exhibition center in Goyang city from the 8th to 11th June.

The opening day, dubbed a Family Day, was reserved for travel trade partners and members of the press, allowing them to visit the stands and conduct meetings with representatives of various travel destinations.

The three-day international show that followed provided the general public with the opportunity to discover the exhibits. Interested travelers could also book travel packages, while availing of special offers.

Seychelles delegation at the 11th HanaTour International Travel show comprised of the Director of Digital Marketing, Mr. Vahid Jacob and Senior Marketing Executive Mrs. Amia Jovanovic-Desir from the Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) Head Office, as well as representatives of the STB Office in South Korea, headed by Ms. Julie Kim.

The Seychelles stand proved to be quite an attraction, as the delegation had found innovative and tangible ways to showcase the products on offer to the Korean visitors. In addition to photos and videos showcasing the heavenly beauty of the island destination, visitors were invited to take a sip of the delicious Vanilla tea made in Seychelles and hold the legendary coco-de-mer the largest nut in the world, also endemic to the Indian Ocean archipelago.

Additionally, visitors could partake in a social media event by taking photos at the stand, with the possibility of featuring among 20 lucky winners of a Bluetooth speaker.

Seychelles is highly reputed in the Korean market as an upper-end honeymoon destination, but we are now trying to expand the market to include affordable family holiday, niche, and incentive group travels while maintaining the luxury image. The Seychelles stand and the promotional activities were designed to appeal to this aspect, said Ms. Kim.

To emphasize the fact that Seychelles caters for the needs and taste of travelers from all market segments from celebrity extravagant to budget-friendly visitors to the Seychelles stand were reassured that the island destination also has affordable accommodation options from small guesthouses to self-catering establishments.

As interest in the destination mounted, the Seychelles delegation was also faced with numerous and frequently asked questions including where is Seychelles located? How do we get there? And why should we choose Seychelles for our holidays? This confirmed the strong need for continuous education and training of agents in key cities, so that they understand what makes Seychelles totally different from other competitive island destinations.

Focusing more on targeted promotional activities, in collaboration with solid based companies are areas that we need to strongly consider in the future, with the aim of generating promising growth and potential visitor numbers in the medium term, said Mrs. Jovanovic-Desir.

The Senior Marketing Executive believes that building a close working relationship with key partners that are pushing for twin destinations would also be a plus for Seychelles as it targets more visitors from South Korea, where they can enjoy a holiday safari combined with a dream holiday experience, surrounded by a clean and untouched environment setting.

The fact that there are adequate airlines serving the Seychelles route, presenting travelers with a wider option, it only remains for the destination to be continuously positioned as a must-visit holiday location in the minds of potential Korean travelers.

Seychelles could benefit from a good share of the market segment that our close competitors are extracting. From their facial expressions while visiting our stand it could be confirmed that the South Koreans want to explore the beauty of our magical islands. This could be achieved by increasing our visibility in key cities and tapping into the right consumer base and appropriate market segments, said Mrs. Jovanovic-Desir.

The Seychelles stand caught the attention of numerous Korean Media such as JoongAng Ilbo, MK News and The Korea Travel News among others at the HanaTour International Travel Show. Many Koreans from honeymooners to retirees also showed interest in visiting the island nation and even made reservations on the spot.

The Seychelles Tourism Boards Director of Digital Marketing, Mr. Vahid Jacob who was visiting South Korea for the first time, said he sees great potential in the South Korean market.

With a large affluent population and more than 90% of the population online, I strongly believe that we should invest more in digital marketing in this market and greatly increase visibility of the destination online. To that effect we are planning on launching several major influencer campaigns and online competitions on the market this year, said Mr. Jacob.

Hana Tour is one of the largest travel agency in South Korea and annually holds the HanaTour International Travel show, also known as HITS, at the Kintex Exhibition center in Goyang city.

This year the travel show saw the participation of almost 1,000 stands showcasing some 760 different travel destinations and companies from across the globe. The event also attracted some 100,000 visitors which was 5 percent above last years figures.

Go here to read the rest:

Aiming for greater visibility in South Korea, Seychelles emphasizes affordable holiday options at HanaTour 2017 - eTurboNews

Touchdown! Seychelles Tourism creates awareness at Durban rugby event

Every opportunity that helps Seychelles to be in the limelight counts!

That is exactly what a team from Alphonse Island, the Seychelles Tourism Board and Air Seychelles showcased in Durban, South Africa, last week.

A big rugby test match between South Africa and France provided the perfect opportunity for them to bring some warm Seychellois cheer to the game, while networking and promoting the island destinations tourism products.

Several tour operators and travel agents already selling Seychelles, as well as friends of Alphonse Island and past guests of the island were invited to the event.

The guests met at the hospitality suite before the test match where the well-represented Alphonse Island team were all hands on deck to promote their products. The Tourist office provided destination knowledge while Air Seychelles, which started flying to Durban in March this year, assisted with all the flight queries.

Guests were entertained for two hours before the big game with drinks and snacks being served, adding to the jovial atmosphere that helped beat the winter blues as the beautiful sun set and temperature dropped in the city.

The guests were then invited to join the three host partners in the comfort of the VIP suite to watch the game, which was won by the South African national rugby team the Springboks followed by dinner which brought down the curtains on this beautiful event.

The General Manager of Alphonse Island Resort, Gordon Rankin, ensured that everyone present were acquainted with the extraordinary and unique experiences that the island has to offer.

Alphonse Island one of the outlying islands of the Seychelles archipelago lies seven degrees south of the equator and 400 kilometers south-west of the main inhabited island of Mah. Only a 60-minute flight away from the main island Mah, the Alphonse atoll boasts kilometers of pristine tropical shorelines, lagoons and sea flats.

Guests to the island, from honeymooners to families, can indulge a wide range of activities from game fishing, fly fishing, snorkeling, scuba diving among others. For those not too keen on hitting the water, the natural environment also provides wonderful experiences, where one can have an encounter with some giant Aldabra tortoises.

I am extremely happy with the event because it brought many people together, to learn more on and also to share their experiences of Alphonse Island. We managed to create some big vibes here and get more people interested in the product and in Seychelles. I believe everyones expectations were exceeded today, said Mr. Rankin.

The Seychelles Tourism Board office in South Africa was represented at the event by its Director, Mrs. Lena Hoareau, who was equally pleased with the outcome of the networking event.

The atmosphere was wonderful and people were able to learn more about the Seychelles without being in a formal setting or function. Such events should be encouraged because the interest is already there. We just need to reach the right people and bring them together around a common event, said Mrs. Hoareau.

I am happy that we have partnered with Alphonse Island on this event and I wouldnt hesitate to do it again should the occasion present itself because I feel that we achieved what we set out to do. The guests were happy and certainly went back home more knowledgeable about Seychelles and Alphonse Island, she added.

South Africa is Seychelles main tourism market on the African Continent. Figures from the Seychelles National Bureau of Statistics show that South Africa has sent 6,017 tourists to the island nation up to June 11 of this year, which represents an increase of 22 percent when compared to last year.

Air Seychelles launched twice-weekly flights to Durban in March of this year. This is the national airlines second destination in South Africa, bringing the total number of non-stop flights between the two countries to seven per week. Air Seychelles also operates five weekly flights to Johannesburg.

Link:

Touchdown! Seychelles Tourism creates awareness at Durban ... - eTurboNews

NAIROBI, June 21 (Reuters) - Seychelles' economy is seen growing at 4.1 percent this year from 4.5 percent in 2016, its finance minister said, while the International Monetary Fund said performance of its tourism sector remained vulnerable to external factors.

The Indian Ocean country of 93,000 people largely depends on tourism for government revenues but has sought to promote itself as a low-tax, financial services hub.

"For 2017 the growth prospects remain favourable...as tourist arrivals continue to rise at a sustained pace, while inflation should remain subdued, on account of the stability of fuel and other commodity prices," Finance Minister Peter Larose said in a letter to the IMF released on Tuesday.

Seychelles' inflation rose to 3.18 percent year-on-year in May from -0.78 percent a month earlier.

IMF said in a separate statement that Seychelles' economy was still vulnerable to external factors that could affect its tourism sector.

"The outlook for tourist arrivals remains highly susceptible to external developments, such as weak growth in advanced and emerging market economies, weakness in the Euro, and geopolitical tensions disrupting the Middle East, Africa, and Europe," it said. (Reporting by George Obulutsa; Editing by Angus MacSwan)

Read more here:

Seychelles sees 2017 GDP growth at 4.1 pct - finance minister - Times of India

The Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) has been accepted as a member of the United States Tour Operator Association, USTOA.

Through this membership, the Seychelles tourism marketing body seeks to establish strategic relationships with key organizations within the travel trade community in North America.

USTOA was created in 1972 by a small group of California tour operators, with the aim of having a unified voice to protect the traveling public, as well as to represent the interests of tour operators.

Today, the New York based organization brings together some of the top names in travel and tourism. It also accounts for a large share of the tour operator market in North America.

The membership will hence allow the Seychelles Tourism Board to connect with these industry leaders that represent top destinations and suppliers from around the world.

The STB Director for Africa & the Americas David Germain who spearheaded the initiative to have the membership application processed and approved, said benefits to Seychelles include participation in all events organized by USTOA throughout the year.

Through publications, meetings, conferences, discussions and exhibitions, the STB will be able to stay up to date on the latest travel industry research, gain market intelligence and travel trends in North America, said Mr. Germain.

One of USTOAs main event is the Annual Conference & Marketplace which brings together leading North American travel companies with tourism suppliers and destinations from around the globe in an intimate and exclusive setting. The event is set for November 27 to December 1, 2017.

The Seychelles Tourism Board is intensifying its effort in North America as demand for long-haul travel and flights to the Seychelles continue to increase. The aim is to position the island destination as a destination of choice among the North American travelers.

To date, the National Bureau of Statistics has recorded a 67 percent increase in visitors arrival from America to Seychelles, compared to the same period last year.

The Seychelles Tourism Board is also a member of the Association for the Promotion of Tourism to Africa, APTA, which also facilitates partnerships and education of members throughout North America.

View original post here:

Better connections with North America's travel trade expected as ... - eTurboNews

June 20, 2017

On June 2, 2017, the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded the Article IV consultation [1] with Seychelles.

Macroeconomic performance continued to be strong in 2016. Economic growth reached 4 percent, reflecting increased tourist arrivals, stronger output in the fishing industry, and expanding credit to the private sector. Helped by low commodity prices and a stable exchange rate, inflation (year-on-year) was negative throughout early 2017. The external current account deficit remained largely unchanged, while gross international reserves at end-2016 reached 4 months of prospective imports of goods and services. Supported by lower than budgeted capital outlays and strong tax revenue growth, the 2016 primary fiscal surplus reached 3.4 percent of GDP, exceeding the target by 0.4 percent.

With continued foreign investments and rising arrivals in the tourism sector, the growth outlook for 2017 remains positive. The rising trend in international fuel prices since late 2016, along with fiscal measures in the 2017 budget, could put pressure on inflation and on the balance of payments. International reserves are expected to remain at an adequate level, anchored by strong macroeconomic policies. Downside risks to the outlook stem largely from the external sector.

Executive Board Assessment [2]

Executive Directors commended the authorities for making considerable progress toward macroeconomic stability under successive Fundsupported programs. While the growth outlook is favorable, the economy remains vulnerable to internal and external risks, including in the long run to climate change. Directors called for continued commitment to prudent policies and structural reforms to safeguard the gains thus far and promote sustainable and inclusive growth. In this regard, they noted the authorities intention for continued engagement with the Fund.

Directors encouraged the authorities to achieve their mediumterm debt target to preserve the macroeconomic stability gained through bold reforms implemented since the 2008 crisis. They noted that additional, permanent measures will be needed to meet the authorities target of bringing the public debt below 50 percent of GDP and to mitigate pressures on the countrys external position. Directors welcomed the progress made toward improving public finance management and strengthening the stateownedenterprise sector.

Directors highlighted the need to create further fiscal space over the medium term to accommodate priority investments to enhance resilience to climate change. In this regard, they called for efforts to boost revenue further and shift spending composition from current to capital expenditure over the medium term.

Directors supported the current monetary policy stance but advised the central bank to remain vigilant to inflationary pressures and further tighten policy if necessary. They noted that the flexible exchange rate policy has served the country well and advised the central bank to minimize intervention to keep reserve coverage broadly at the current level. They welcomed the progress made toward adopting a stronger monetary policy framework.

Directors supported continued efforts to reduce the financial sector risks and avoid further loss of corresponding banking relationships. They encouraged the authorities to move forward with a comprehensive strategy to strengthen the AML/CFT framework, aligning it with international standards.

Directors concurred that further structural reforms are important to promote economic diversification. They emphasized the need for measures to improve the business environment, including reducing crosssubsidies in electricity prices, using efficiently publicprivatepartnerships in infrastructure building, and addressing skills mismatch in the labor market.

Seychelles: Selected Economic and Financial Indicators, 2014-22

Main products and exports: Tourism, Canned Tuna

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

Est.

Est.

Proj.

Proj.

Proj.

Proj.

Proj.

Proj.

Proj.

National income and prices

Nominal GDP (millions of Seychelles rupees)

17,119

18,336

19,033

20,022

21,259

22,539

23,969

25,498

27,123

Real GDP

4.5

5.0

4.5

4.1

3.4

3.3

3.3

3.3

3.3

CPI (annual average)

1.4

4.0

-1.0

1.8

2.7

2.7

3.0

3.0

3.0

CPI (end-of-period)

0.5

3.2

-0.2

2.8

2.3

3.0

3.1

3.0

3.0

GDP deflator average

2.3

2.0

-0.7

1.1

2.7

2.7

3.0

3.0

3.0

Money and credit

Broad money

26.6

2.9

12.1

5.2

Reserve money (end-of-period)

13.9

9.5

14.5

3.9

See more here:

IMF Executive Board Concludes 2017 Article IV Consultation with Seychelles - International Monetary Fund

Seychelles recorded another successful participation at INDABA 2017, as the Seychelles Tourism Board joined local trade partners to promote the destination. The three-day exhibition was held in Durban, South Africa, from May 16-18, 2017.

The INDABA trade fair continues to offer a good platform for the Seychelles Tourism Board to strengthen relationships with the trade and close new deals.

Such opportunities to network with trade partners are especially important now that the Seychelles is doubling its efforts to obtain more visitor arrivals from South Africa, which remains its main market in Africa.

INDABA is one of Africas largest tourism marketing events which provides a meeting place for the continents travel industry. The aim is to showcase the widest variety of Southern Africas best tourism products. Its also the perfect opportunity for tour operators, travel agents, online booking companies, and destination management companies to network with both existing and new clients. The event also attracts widespread media coverage.

The Seychelles Tourism Boards Regional Director for Africa & the Americas, Mr. David Germain, led the countrys delegation at this years event, which also included representatives of Berjaya Beau Vallon Bay Hotel and Air Seychelles.

Miss SeychellesAnother World 2016 Christine Barbier, who also formed part of the delegation, assisted in providing visitors at the stand with information about the destination and its various products.

Commenting on this years exhibition, Mr. Germain said he was impressed with the amount of participants and quality of business which took place at the Seychelles stand.

There is always a need for greater awareness on Seychelles in Africa, and this is one of the reasons why the Seychelles Tourism Board continues to attend the INDABA Exhibition. People want to know more, and we have to be present at key events in Africa to ensure that our presence is felt, he added.

Mr. Germain said he was particularly pleased with this years exhibition, because he felt that the trade in general showed a lot of interest in Seychelles as a destination of choice for their clients, adding that Seychelles is doing extremely well, and actually better than expected as the arrival figures continue to increase, compared to last year.

Figures from the Seychelles National Bureau of Statistics show that visitors from Africa have increased by 11 percent so far in 2017 compared to the same period in 2016.

South Africa has sent 6,017 tourists to the island nation up to June 11 of this year, which represents an increase of 22 percent when compared to last year.

Air Seychelles launched twice-weekly flights to Durban in March of this year. This is the national airlines second destination in South Africa, bringing the total number of non-stop flights between the two countries to seven per week. Air Seychelles also operates five weekly flights to Johannesburg.

More:

Seychelles as a destination of choice generates interest among travel trade at INDABA Exhibition in Durban - eTurboNews

Share

Share

Share

Email

Air Seychelles, the national airline of the Republic of Seychelles, has expanded its codeshare agreement with Etihad Airways to offer travelers easy one-stop connections to the Chinese capital of Beijing.

The new codeshare deal will see Air Seychelles place its HM code on Etihad Airways daily service between Abu Dhabi and Beijing, a city of more than 21 million people and the home of six Unesco World Heritage Sites including the Forbidden City and the Great Wall.

The codeshare route is the island carriers fourth codeshare connection with Etihad Airways in East Asia after Hong Kong, Seoul in South Korea, and Tokyo and Nagoya in Japan.

Air travelers will have one-stop access between Beijing and Seychelles via Abu Dhabi, which is linked to the tropical island group through double-daily flights with Air Seychelles and Etihad Airways.

Roy Kinnear, Chief Executive Officer of Air Seychelles, said:

Our new codeshare route with Etihad Airways provides guests with convenient travel options to Beijing and reinforces the strong political and economic relations between Seychelles and China.

Nearly 6,000 travelers from China have visited our shores this year, and we are working hand-in-hand with our tourism partners to grow this number further.

For instance, this codeshare will support the Seychelles Tourism Boards recent roadshow in China by providing travel agents with new booking options to Seychelles.

GET MORE STUFF LIKE THIS IN YOUR INBOX

Subscribe to our mailing list and get interesting stuff and updates to your email inbox

we respect your privacy and take protecting it seriously

Read the original post:

Air Seychelles expands codeshare network to Beijing - Aviation Tribune