Category Archives: Seychelles

The European Diving Show (Eudi) is largely attended by groups from the tourism and fishing industry including didactics, tour operators, diving centers, and aficionados of the underwater world.

The Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) took part in the in the most important national and European show for divers and diving cruises held in Bologna, Italy, as from March 3 to 5.

Around 32,000 visitors are recorded annually, and this year was no exception with many big sponsors of the event present such as Turkish Airlines, Canon, and GoCamera GoPro.

STB was represented by the Regional Manager for Italy, Monette Rose, partnered with tour operator, Albatros Top Boat, the most important tour operator that sells diving, which gave a share of its business to Seychelles during the fair in Bologna, Italy.

One corner of the stand was entirely dedicated to Seychelles and was a great chance to promote the beauty and underwater life of Seychelles to consumers and professionals in the maritime industry.

The tour operator advertised with dedicated brochures about cruises aboard MSY GALATEA and the diving experience in Seychelles in collaboration with Blue Sea Divers diving center.

STB representative, Monette Rose, also partnered with a new tour operator, Dont Stop Me Travel, based in Pomezia, which is strongly geared towards pushing Seychelles and its diving experience.

The Managing Director, Marco Benazz, along with Product and Sales Manager, Bernadette Romanati, who is a Seychellois and the former STB marketing executive based in Italy for several years, also moved fast in promoting the archipelago and organizing niche packages.

During the fair, not a chance was missed to broaden contacts and build essential relationships with key figures in the tourism and fishing industries.

Ms. Rose invited them to Seychelles for its underwater events such as the Underwater Photo Contest, which will take place in October on Praslin for diving, snorkeling, and underwater photography, being organized by Dont Stop Me Travel.

The fair closed with great success in terms of visitors and media coverage with many activities organized such as Eudi Movie, Eudi Selfie, workshops, and many VIP special guests such as Umberto Pellizzari.

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Seychelles holidays beneath the waves promoted in Italy - eTurboNews

Seychelles Tourism participated in a trade and consumer show that took place at the San Diego Convention Center in the state of California, from March 4 to 5.

The Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) was an exhibitor at the Travel & Adventure Show in the city of San Diego, in the state of California, located on the west coast of the United States of America.

It is one of the biggest trade and consumer shows in the United States, taking place every year for the past 13 years in important cities in America.

The shows serve to connect over 1.25 million US travel enthusiasts with over 3,000 unique travel destinations worldwide.

This marketing activity was part of STBs marketing efforts in North America for 2017 in order to provide support and updates to the travel traders and consumers present.

Furthermore, product knowledge and destination information were provided to the 5,000 consumers there.

STBs director for Africa and the Americas, David Germain, was present at the show in San Diego where STB had a 9-meter square stand, sharing with Qatar Airways, represented by its accounts manager, Nathan Venzon.

Qatar Airways and Six Senses Zil Pasyon Seychelles gave away a prize during the exhibition a holiday for 2 people to Seychelles, flights provided by Qatar Airways, and 3 nights accommodation from Six Senses, Zil Pasyon, Seychelles.

In order to increase arrivals from North America to Seychelles, STB must continue to take part in exhibitions and trade shows there. It is important that we are present and consistent with our efforts in the market place, Mr. Germain said.

Seychelles is included in various travel packages for North American tourists traveling to Africa and the Middle East, adding value to the package as well as an option for those tourists to consider visiting our islands, he said.

Arrivals from the Americas to Seychelles increased significantly since the past 5 years, and with the support of our trade and airline partners such as Qatar Airways, STB is confident that the market will continue to grow, said Mr. Germain.

North American Agents Fam trip to Seychelles took place during the month of February in collaboration with Gilt-edge Travel and Turkish Airlines. Another Agents Fam trip (USA & Canada) is scheduled to visit Seychelles during the month of March in collaboration with Ethiopian Airlines. In addition, various other marketing activities in the USA and Canada will be taking place going forward in 2017.

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Seychelles Tourism brings paradise to Travel & Adventure Show in San Diego - eTurboNews

Seychelles Minister Loustau-Lalanne is conducting a series of door-to-door visits to tourism properties in the country to meet the management teams and staff, and to get an idea of the various products that the Seychelles tourism industry has to offer to the world.

The Minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine, Maurice Loustau-Lalanne, visited another 10 tourism properties on Mahe last week.

During his visits, Minister Loustau-Lalanne discusses the main challenges that these establishments face as well as their success stories.

Last Friday, he visited small and large hotels in the districts of St. Louis, Bel Air, and Port Glaud.

His first stop was at JAL self-catering, only a few minutes away from the capital of Victoria. This property is managed by Winsley Coopoosamy and Jacqueline Leon. It is made up of two apartments, each consisting of three bedrooms.

Located in a quiet area at St. Louis, JAL self-catering has been in operation since October 2016.

Hilltop Boutique Hotel, up Serret road at St. Louis, was the next property visited by Minister Loustau-Lalanne, who was being accompanied by the Principal Secretary for Tourism, Anne Lafortune.

Located next to the famous Marie-Antoinette restaurant, Hilltop Boutique Hotel is made up of seven spacious apartments and four studio rooms.

The hotel runs on a bed-and-breakfast basis and came into operation in April 2015. Irine Fonseka, who runs the hotel, and her team, ensure that clients do get a taste of the local Creole cuisine while in Seychelles.

Fresh juices, home-made jams, fruit cocktails, and barbeque are all prepared using local ingredients and touch.

The seven-bedroom Hotel Bel Air, run by Roland Rassool was also on the list of hotels visited.

Mr. Rassool showed Minister Loustau-Lalanne and Mrs. Lafortune one of the rooms, before discussing several issues raised by guests at his hotel.

These include the issue of public toilets and signage on beaches or districts, indicating the name of the place, with the aim of making these places more welcoming and visitor-friendly.

The visit continued to the mountainous side on the western side of Mahe. Sans Souci is just the perfect spot on Mahe to indulge in an abundance of tranquility, with only the sound of the swaying leaves and the singing birds, with an ideal backdrop of the sky-touching Morne Seychellois mountain and the cool air.

Four tourism getaways are nestled in this beautiful green mountainous setting - Mountain Hotel formerly known as Mountain Rise hotel, the Station Retreat Hotel, Le Sans Souci, and Copolia Lodge.

Constance Ephelia Resort, Gigis self-catering apartments, and Villa de Jardin were also among the tourism establishments visited.

Minister Loustau-Lalanne has commended the owners of the establishments for the impressive products in the tourism industry. He has reaffirmed the ministrys support in helping to alleviate challenges affecting these businesses.

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Tourism Minister of Seychelles goes door to door - eTurboNews

Held at the ex-national assembly hall, National Cultural Centre, a training session was organized by the Seychelles Tourism Department in collaboration with the Seychelles Tourism Academy (STA).

With the aim of ensuring that visitors receive the best possible service during their stay in Seychelles, a one-day training session was organized for all the tourism commission agents in the country last week.

The training was a prerequisite for the commission agents to obtain the new license conditions to which they are to operate within.

In his opening statement, the Chairperson of the STA Board of Directors, John Stravens, said visitors instill a high level of confidence in the commission agents and, therefore, expect a quality service in return.

Led by consultant Gerard Port-Louis, the training focused mainly on the nature of business of a commission agent, and the manner in which they are to operate, as well as customer services skills.

Mr. Port-Louis explained that grooming and presentation is key as the first impression within tourism industry matters.

He also emphasized on approach and conduct around client as well as attitude towards other operators within the same trade.

The training ended with the presentation of certificates and new license conditions which they are to operate under.

Present at the certificate presentation ceremony were the Minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine, Maurice Loustau-Lalanne, who said the training, which is of importance for all operators on the front-line, will be organized for other tourism operators so as to ensure high-service delivery.

Also present was the Principal Secretary for Tourism, Anne Lafortune, who added that the training will help ease the work of the commission agents and will in turn allow them to be better equipped.

Such training will be organized in the near future for all those who are interested in providing the service and wish to obtain a license. Those wishing to obtain such license are to contact the Tourism Department on 4286500 in order to register for the next training.

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Seychelles ensures tourists receive best possible service - eTurboNews

A Seychelles delegation headed by the Minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine, Maurice Loustau-Lalanne, is on its way to ITB Berlin. The team also includes from the Seychelles Tourism Board Chief Executive Sherin Francis, Director for Europe Bernadette Willemin, Regional Manager Edith Hunzinger, and Marketing Executive Natacha Servina who will also be present at the event.

The Seychelles tourism industry will once again be present with a 40-member delegation at the upcoming ITB Berlin tourism trade fair to be held from March 8-12.

A total of 28 companies from the private sector will be joining the fair, namely Air Seychelles, Alphonse Island Lodge, Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts, Beachcomber, Berjaya Resorts Seychelles, Coco de Mer Hotel, Coral Strand Smart Choice Hotel, Savoy Resort and Spa, Creole Travel Services, Denis Private Island, Dhevatara Beach Hotel, Eden Bleu Hotel, Hilton Seychelles, The H Resort, Kempinski Seychelles Resort, Le Duc de Praslin, Val Mer Resort, Le Meridien Fishermans Cove, Le Relax Hotel, Maia Luxury Resort, Paradise Sun Hotel, Masons Travel, North Island, Pure Seychelles Hotels, Raffles Praslin Seychelles, the Seychelles Hospitality and Tourism Association, 7South, and VPM Yacht Charter.

ITB Berlin is set to have a total of 10,096 exhibitors from 187 countries. It is the worlds leading travel trade show, which presents a wonderful chance to discover the entire world within a few hours and to meet business partners, and learn about new trends, concepts, and cooperation options, as well as deepen existing business relations.

Germany is one of Seychelles leading markets, and according to the National Bureau of Statistics for the week ending on February 26, the overall visitors from Europe increased by 27% compared to the same period in 2016.

An increase of 40% was recorded from the German market, which placed Germany as the second leading market for Seychelles during that period, with a total of 6,234 visitors arriving to the countrys shores.

The Seychelles tourism industry started on an extremely positive note this year, and this is being supported further by the enthusiasm of the travel trade partners whom are already eager to push the destination even more. This years ITB will be a very busy one, and remains very important given it sets the tone for the rest of the year, said Mrs. Francis.

I thank the local trade partners who will be part of the delegation this year and wish them success for the fair.

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Seychelles Tourism team on its way to ITB Berlin - eTurboNews.com - eTurboNews

PHOTO: A little slice of paradise Anse Coco in the Seychelles. (photo via Flickr/Jean-Marie Hullot)

Island life might not get much better than the Seychelles. The islands have long enchanted travelers from all walks of life.

The Seychelles are a great destination during any season, blessed with a warm, tropical climate all year long and located outside the cyclone belt. A quality that has earned them the nickname, the land of perpetual summer, writes Glynn Burridge for National Geographic.

It really is a land for all types of visitors.

This island paradise is not just about laying on the beach, however. Visitors can indulge in other activities, such as world-class diving, snorkeling, fishing, hiking, island hopping, golf, spa retreats, zip lining, and horseback riding, notes Burridge.

Make sure you get a taste of the local culture by sampling its culinary offerings.

READ MORE:'Unlock The Sea' at Le Meridien Fisherman's Cove in Seychelles

No stay in Seychelles is complete without tasting the delicious Seychellois Creole cuisine a blend of old French cuisine and piquant Indian and Chinese flavors. While this fusion is best enjoyed in local homes, many restaurants can also introduce you to its amazing flavors and textures, says Burridge.

Theres also a lively music scene.

If youre looking to relax and unwind to the sounds of live music, try the Boardwalk Bar & Grill, a magnet for weekend revelers. Hardcore partygoers should check out local clubs Katiolo and Tequila Boom, Burridge suggests.

There are also options for those who want a more spiritual experience or those looking for adventures. For more on what to do in the Seychelles, read on here.

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Get to Know the Seychelles - TravelPulse

A moratorium on large hotel projects in Seychelles, specifically on Mahe and the inner islands, was announced by former President James Michel in his address on the occasion of Seychelles National Day which falls on June 29, 2015.

The Seychelles Ministry of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine has published a list of hotels which was approved before the moratorium on new large hotels in the country came into force. Members of the local media were presented with the list yesterday afternoon during a press conference held at the ministrys headquarters, Espace building.

Speaking to members of the press was the Minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine, Maurice Loustau-Lalanne, and present were the Principal Secretary for Tourism, Anne Lafortune, and the Director of Standards and Regulations, Sinha Levkovic.

Projects for which approval had already been granted, or for which a commitment had been made by the government, were exempted. The moratorium is set to be enforced until the year 2020.

Minister Loustau-Lalanne said a number of governmental bodies were involved in the process of having these projects approved and thanked the Seychelles Investment Board, Seychelles Planning Authority, and the Secretariat of the Cabinet as well as the tourism ministry.

There are 18 large hotels projects on that list, which means those tourism establishments which are made up of 25 rooms or more. Twelve out of the 18 projects are on Mahe, 2 are on Praslin, and 4 others are on the outer islands, namely Ile Platte, Silhouette, Ile Longue, and Sainte Anne.

Speaking on the project on Ile Platte, Minister Loustau-Lalanne said construction started but has not been completed yet. He added that construction will restart, and this is why the project is on this list.

On the proposed capacity of these hotel projects, Minister Loustau-Lalanne said there are those which have received definitive approval, but there are a few that are still in the environmental impact assessment (EIA) stage.

He added that there are projects which have been approved since 2006, but since Seychelles went through the economic reforms in 2008, investors did not see it opportune to kick-start these projects.

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Moratorium update on large hotel projects in Seychelles - eTurboNews - eTurboNews

The latest figure from the Seychelles National Bureau of Statistics shows around 903 visitors entered the country in January, compared to 750 last year, marking a 17% increase.

Says David Germain, Seychelles Tourism Board, director for Africa and the Americas: We are extremely pleased about the latest figures from the South African market and we are looking forward to, in partnership with South African travellers and our trade partners, to grow at an even greater pace in the coming year.

Germain adds that the launch of Air Seychelles year-round flights from Durban to the Seychelles, on 30 March, will play a definitive role in opening up the destination to even more South Africans. The new service to Durban is in addition to Air Seychelles five flights a week from Johannesburg.

Also commenting on the latest figures, the deputy chief executive of the Seychelles Tourism Board (STB), Jennifer Sinon said: We are now reaping the rewards of all the activities and strategies of last year as the benefits trickle down in the months and years to come.

We acknowledge that this year is going to be challenging both locally and internationally but we are optimistic that the destination will remain resilient.

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Seychelles reports 17% increase in South African visitors - Bizcommunity.com

Never thought of visiting the Seychelles? Well, you might be soon. In our Breakout Role series, we take a look at places that have seen huge increases in tourism in the last few years, and try to figure out whats causing all the hype.

By any measure, Seychelles is a relatively tiny country. The African nation, made up of 115 small islands bunched together in the western Indian Ocean, has a population of around 90,000 people and a total landmass that is only about 2.5 times larger than Washington, D.C.

But if theres one thing in Seychelles thats enormous, its tourism. In its 2014 report, the World Travel & Tourism Council estimated that almost 57 percent of the countrys yearly GDP had either directly or indirectly come from travel. The country has been so successful in expanding its hospitality industry that its former minister of tourism, a man named Alain St. Ange, is now runningwith a great deal of supportto become the next General Secretary of the United Nations World Tourism Association.

And things arent slowing down in Seychelles either. In 2015 the island nation had the worlds 12th largest growth in international visitors, and in 2016 alone the country saw a 10 percent increase in total arrivals.

Lights

Photo: Didier Baertschiger, CC-BY

Turning an isolated archipelago into a tourism success story isnt done over night, and in Seychelles this process has been ongoing for decades. David Germain, Seychelles director of tourism for Africa and the Americas, says that when the country started to really frame itself as a travel destinationaround 35 or 40 years ago by his estimationone of the first goals was to include the entire population, and to educate them as to the benefits the industry could bring their nation.

I think we took the right step in getting the population involved in tourism right at the beginning, Germain says. The kids grow up understanding tourism.

A look at the countrys yearly climate statistics may lead to the conclusion that its smooth, clear-blue beaches were always destined to become a tourism hub. The weather is incredibly consistent, with average daily temperatures hovering in the mid-to-low 80s all year long. Additionally, the nations lack of any sort of visa requirement for entry makes travel from any countryfor any period of timeextremely accessible.

Over time, Seychelles began to emerge as a popular vacation spot for Europeans, but things changed in the 1990s when a rise in global tourism made some travelers a little more skeptical of taking such a long flight to the islands. According to Germain, it was after this period that the country began to look to new source markets, such as the Americas, Russia and other parts of Asia, for new visitors.

Camera

Photo: So Seychelles, CC-BY

In addition to minding the concerns of the locals, there is another factor that has always been an instrumental part of Seychelles tourism growththe environment. And the country has done so in grandiose fashion: in an attempt to protect its natural beauty from overdevelopment, the government has protected around 50 percent of the nations land and water territory as nature preserves.

This battle is natural ongoing, because as more and more tourists come to Seychelles for vacation, the higher the demand for increased land development gets. However, the battleso far, at leastis being won by the environment, with the country seemingly remaining steadfast in its commitment to conservation.

There are things that we can do, and things that were not allowed to do to remain this niche destination that we are, Germain says. We are not a mass destination. We will never bebecause of our conservation program.

Action

Photo: Jean Pierre Bovin, CC-BY

After one look at the countrys scenery, its clear why these landscapes are so worth preserving. Flat-sanded, palm-filled beaches are available around every turn in Seychelles, with Mahethe countrys largest and by far most populous islandleading the way. The main island is a popular resort destination, with beaches such as Baie Lazare and Beau Vallon standing out as elite relaxation spots.

Tourists looking for more adventurous attractions dont have to leave Mahe either. More than 20 percent of the island is taken up by Morne Seychellois National Park hiking trails, beautiful peaks and some rewarding, isolated beaches for those willing to travel deep enough into the park. Additionally, the Ste Anne National Marine Park, which is located just off the coast of Mahe, offers a five star resort as well as mangrove and crocodile sightseeing opportunities.

For those wanting to explore a little further, the tiny island of Praslinnot even 15 square miles in total sizeis home to the Vallee de Mai Nature Reserve. An established UNESCO World Heritage Site, the area is home to an almost untouched prehistoric forest, as well as a number of unusual plants and animals.

When You Go

Flight Rates: Current round trip flights from Los Angeles to Seychelles International Airport cost between $1,200 and $1,950, while flights from New York can be found for between $1,170 and $1,720.

Travel Concerns: The U.S. Department of State has no significant safety warnings for Seychelles, and there are no visas required for visitors.

Currency Exchange: 1 USD = 13.51 Seychelles Rupees

More Info: Lonely Planet has a fantastic Seychelles travel guide, and the tourism boards website offers information about travel, attractions and upcoming events.

Top photo: Jean-Marie Hullot, CC-BY

Dillon Thompson is University of Georgia student and freelance writer with a love for travel and an addiction to coffee and hip-hop music.

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Breakout Role: Seychelles - Paste Magazine

A workshop was hosted on Monday at the Kempinski Seychelles Resort whereby the trade was given an overview of the Guangdong Province and how Seychelles can get its fair share from this market.

A delegation from the Guangdong tourism industry was in Seychelles from February 26-28.

Led by the Vice-Director General of Tourism Administration of Guangdong Province, Zhang Zhenlin, the delegation consisted of the governors from the Tourism Administration of Guangdong Province, as well as representatives from travel agencies, tourism attractions, and hotel businesses there.

Mr. Zhang also introduced the 2017 Guangdong International Tourism Industry EXPO, which takes place in September in Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong Province.

He extended an invitation to the Seychelles tourism trade partners to take part in the 2017 Guangdong International Tourism Industry EXPO.

Attending the workshop were the Seychelles Tourism Boards Deputy Chief Executive and Senior Marketing Executive, Stephanie Lablache.

The delegation then met the Minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine, Maurice Loustau-Lalanne, and the Principal Secretary for Tourism Anne Lafortune.

Also attending the meeting were the Chief Executive of the Seychelles Tourism Board, Sherin Francis, and Principal of the Seychelles Tourism Academy, Flavien Joubert.

The partnership with Guangdong tourism is set to be consolidated after the meeting.

Both the Gross domestic product (GDP) and capita GDP of Guangdong Province are ranked the first place in China for nearly 30 years. Hence, Guangdong becomes the biggest outbound source market in China with eight million outbound tourists in 2016, exclusive travelers to Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Macau.

Guangdong Province also plays a very important role in Seychelles tourism roadmap on the Chinese market since the Seychelles Tourism Board office was established six years ago in China.

The delegation also visited the Seychelles Tourism Academy and had a discussion with the institutions Principal, Flavien Joubert.

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Seychelles vies for its fair share of the China market - eTurboNews ... - eTurboNews