Saint Ange Tourism Report

23rd July 2017

Welcome to Edition #7 of 2017

This last week was a sad week for Seychelles as we said goodbye to Louis D’Offay, the highly respected and much appreciated tourism personality of our island Nation. We issued a Special Edition of the Saint Ange Tourism Report (Issue #6 dated 18th July 2017) to mark his passing, and to honour this great man.

Reactions from our fifth edition of our Tourism Report revealed a marked interest across the board concerning the exorbitant costs of building material on Praslin and La Digue Islands. Government fees and levies on barges and cargo boats are crippling the tourism industry on these islands. Many commenters highlighted the necessity of Government to appreciate the plight of Seychellois and the repercussions that their decisions would have on those looking to build homes or small establishments on these islands. It is our view that Praslinois and Diguois should not be punished for living and working on these islands. These islands are strong economic providers and stimulators for Seychelles, and their inhabitants should be helped, not hindered, in their respective ventures.

The Alwyn Talma situation on Praslin also continues to generate significant public interest. This is one apparent injustice which many readers feel is unacceptable in this day and age. We will continue to monitor the unfolding of this saga closely.

Another dilemma voiced by the private sector recently is the lack of support by Government for public transportation. All public transportation in Seychelles today, with the exception of the SPTC buses and air travel, is operated solely by the private sector. Ferries and taxis are used to transport tourists and locals alike from one destination to the next. Gone are the days when the iconic, Government-owned and operated ‘Lady Esme’ would shuttle you across the sea, rolling sluggishly through the waves, and prompt you to reach for your trusty vomit-bucket. The four-hour long trip to La Digue was gruelling for those without sea-legs, such as myself.

Today the ferry services have been taken over by the private sector. Trips to and from La Digue, Praslin and Mahé Islands are more comfortable and take significantly less time than they used to. Public service buses, on the other hand, were once in the private sector and are today firmly and squarely in the hands of the Government.

Taxi services are also solely operated by the private sector. The importance of taxis in Seychelles cannot be denied; with hundreds of thousands of tourists flooding our island Nation every year, the reliance on public means of transportation and taxi services to get from one destination to another is very high.
With unlicensed taxis, or taxi pirat, on the rise in Seychelles, Government clearly needs to support the industry. At present, there are a number of incidents being reported to the police which implicate unlicensed taxis; one report has pertained to an unsuspecting victim being sexually assaulted in ataxi pirat after a night out in Victoria, and another involved an unlicensed taxi being used as the getaway car following a burglary from a guesthouse. The industry needs to be regulated for the benefit and safety of consumers. A centralised taxi service system ought to be implemented whereby passengers would call a central dispatch office for taxis and the nearest taxi would be directed to a waiting customer. Steps such as these will ensure the accessibility of licenced taxi services, thereby maximising the safety of locals and tourists alike, and minimising the likelihood of them being scammed by abstract and unregulated taxi fees.

The State supports bus services today and we must accordingly have similar support for ferries and for taxis. Each rupee in Government charges (including fuel levy) incurred in the public transport service is inevitably passed on to the customer. It is time to have parity across the board in Government-controlled and private sector-controlled transportation services, in terms of subsidized charges.

Seychelles can today boast that it is a leader in the field of the environment and sustainable development. Our environmentally-conscious youths have been pushing and lobbying Government to ban plastic bags in our small Island Nation for months. The youth is right to seek to protect the Seychelles that they will inherit tomorrow. Despite Government taking a firm stance on the issue and implementing the ban months ago, the National Assembly have raised the matter once again and opened the issue up for debate. Not only is questioning the Government’s decision on this matter a slap in the face for all those who lobbied hard to have their voices heard and to spearhead Seychelles into a cleaner and more sustainable future, but it reflects a step backwards and a significant danger to our Nation’s leadership role. It is hoped that Seychelles remains firm in its resolve to protect our fragile environment, and that it does not succumb to the pressure of the minority who seek to destabilize progress for the sake of convenience. We must respect the youth and the environmentally-conscious individuals who fought for this ban, and allow them to have a say in their own future.

Last week we proudly announced the introduction of Mr. Ameer Ebrahim as our Environmental Consultant. This week we have the honour of announcing that Mr. Peter Sinon has also joined the Consultancy as the Development Consultant and Dr. Claire Holder of the UK has joined us as the expert for training seminars on the management of major events, festivals, carnivals, fairs, tourist attractions and the like to help them meet their objectives and achieve success.

His career began as an economist within the Department of Economic Planning of the then Ministry of External Affairs, Environment and Economic Planning. He eventually rose to the position of Director of Economic Planning. Mr. Sinon later established the first Resident Embassy of Seychelles in South Africa and went on to assume the role of Executive Director for the Eastern Constituency of the African Development Bank Group. In 2010, Mr. Sinon was nominated by former President James Michel as the member of his Cabinet, assuming the portfolio responsibilities for Natural Resources, Industry and Investments, until his resignation in 2014.

Mr. Sinon is currently an independent Development Consultant who is focused in ‘formulation and spearheading efforts to the realization of Development projects’.

For more information about Mr. Sinon, please visit www.peter-sinon.com

The organisation is able to provide tailor-made packages on different aspects of organisational management to suit any organisational environment and will work with managers of organisations to assist in enhancing their skills.

The organisation is headed by its Chief Executive, Dr. Claire Holder, who led and managed the Notting Hill Carnival for thirteen years. Her expertise is in designing systems for change management with emphasis on the need for professionalism and the importance of effective stakeholder management. The organisation’s Finance Director, Chris Nortey, also plays a lead role in seminars. He is a Chartered Management Accountant and retired Senior University Lecturer in Strategic Management and Financial Accounting. His expertise is in developing strategies and designing systems for the revitalisation and tong-term development of failing organisations across the various organisational sectors. Other areas of expertise that the organisation is able to contribute to seminars through its well-qualified partners are in public relations, press and marketing to enhance the profile of events and their organisation; the production of events, including choosing appropriate equipment to achieve the best impacts; and the management of events to ensure a smooth process and flow of activities.

As our Consultancy grows we shall become a One-Stop Shop for your Tourism Needs.

Finally, it is important to again say thank you all who are reposting the Saint Ange Tourism Report. From Africa wide to the Americas, to Australasia and the couple of Worldwide NewsWires for the Tourism & Travel Trade. It is very clear that our direct mail-out is being strengthened by the reposting being done by all the online NewsWires. Together, we are stronger and are doing a real service for the tourism industry.

Saint Ange Consultancy

Bel Air Hotel, a National Treasure

They attributed their Bel Air Hotel success to their homely atmosphere and good Seychellois Creole food. Today, Roland and Natasha Rassool have upgraded the small hotel, but the charm and delicious local cuisine remain a strong selling point for this establishment.

We extend our warm congratulations to Roland and Natasha Rassool on their well-managed establishment and fully recommend Bel Air Hotel as a home away from home.

Savoy Spa, Seychelles – a new Manager at the helm

Her career started then, when she stepped onboard her first cruise ship to take on a total new life and it marks the beginning of an incredible journey. Michelle travelled to all the continents of the world and has seen all the wonders of the world. From glaciers breaking in Alaska and the northern lights in Norway to the beautiful Islands of Hawaii, she now finds herself on the sandy shores of Seychelles.

She says that from a young age she has always had a zest for people, places and a fast pace of life. She entered the Beauty Industry at 17 years of age and has never looked back. She explains that she enjoys inspiring people to take their health and wellbeing needs seriously and that she is lucky enough to have evoked a passion for this in so many people.

"Working at sea seemed a natural step for me as I was able to meet people from all over the world in a high-pressured environment with high expectations for level of service and of revenue. I have managed teams of 23 to 78 since the age of 21 and pride myself on being a fair leader who instils energy, passion and enthusiasm in my employees in order to deliver a wonderful experience to our guests.

Becoming Spa Director at sea enabled me to spread one single message to over 200 therapists and showcase my training and development skills, a natural marketing ability and the natural tact, astuteness and flair for people a great leader needs. I am excited to be in Seychelles and having the opportunity to work with such an amazing team at The Savoy Spa and Hotel," says Michelle Barkhuis.

Wellness and Spa is today an integral unique selling point for tourism destinations. Michelle Barkhuis has a team of 4 Seychellois Therapists over and above 2 from Bali. The Spa has 2 Seychellois Attendants and also 2 Receptionists.

Savoy Spa is advertised by the hotel as being a unique place to discover and transform your mind, body and spirit. They have an extensive menu of fusion of traditional treatments and emerging trends in worldwide spa service environments inspired by local surroundings.

Dereck Barbe, the Seychellois General Manager of the Savoy Hotel says that their Spa, situated virtually on the beautiful Beau Vallon Beach, is today a unique selling point for their prestigious establishment.

The "Pirate Era" left its mark in Seychelles

Yield from tourism is not just pricing more (and giving less). It is opening doors for visitors to enjoy and, in so doing, spend their holiday budget. The next challenge is for the country to see the earnings of the tourism industry, but this is a discussion for another time.

Christopher Gill has opened one facility at his Iles Des Palmes Eco Resort on Praslin that needs to be seen by visitors as well as by Seychellois. Gill explains that pirates arrived to the Seychelles islands and greater Indian Ocean towards the end of the 17th century, and that they came from the Caribbean where royalist naval ships of England, Spain, France were making their trade more challenging. They initially based out of Madagascar, St. Marie island, and preyed on vessels approaching and leaving the Red Sea, and the Persian Gulf.

Oliver Le Vasseur, famously known as "La Buse", was born in Calle, France, in 1760. He was a famous pirate of the Indian Ocean laid to rest in the Mariners cemetery St. Paul, La Reunion. In 1721, he offended the government of France as a Corsair gone rogue, associating with English pirate Captain Taylor. Together, they attacked French and English ships alike.

The first maps of Mahé demarcate Beau Vallon to Danzille area as “La Place De La Buse". This area was a key treasure exploration site by Cruise Wilkins from 1958 onwards.

When the warrant for Le Vasseur, known to be on Mahé, was issued, it is believed that he fled his lair to set sail.

La Buse is known to have been on the run from 1729-1730, when he was eventually caught on St. Marie, Madagascar, alive. He was escorted to St. Denis, ILe De Bourbon, accused of high piracy. The sentence was to be hanging in town on the gallows.

Olivier Le Vasseur’s body was carted from St. Denis to St. Paul, and laid to rest at the Mariners cemetery where he still rests today, along with his secrets.

There are three known pirate ovens in Seychelles, one being the Silhouette oven, belonging to Jean Francois Hodoul (privateer). The other pirate oven is at Anse Forban, belonging to Corsaire Nageon.

These items, among others, such as a musket trigger with hand engraved Fleur de Lys and hearts, can be found in the display room of the hotel.

On the same property also lies a calorifer, distillery and patouli house, all national heritage sites. This property remains the only coastal plantation on Praslin, its structures the most intact and undestroyed.

The Pirate Oven remains the most significant archaeological discovery made in the last 25 years that links us to the Pirate era. The Praslin property remains an archaeological treasure trove, with numerous sites still undergoing investigation, such as the Pirates’ cemetery towards Anse Badamier and Colin Medar treasure site, by Dr. Wilkins and his team.

Creole Travel’s New Attraction

Activities and excursions can and will help increase the yield from tourism. Creole Travel offers with their new boat an opportunity to enjoy the underwater life without getting into the water.

Eric Renard of Creole Travel says, "Our knowledgeable team welcomes you on board to sail and witness the beautiful marine life of Seychelles through the widening viewing glass of Zephir. The adventure starts from respective jetties all the way to its designated marine parks where clients would get the wonderful opportunity of glimpsing and identifying different marine species such as lazy sea cucumbers, cute starfishes, shy sea turtles, beautiful baby sting rays, school of colourful fishes and many more. Of course, the fun does not stop there! On your way back, you will get to see the picture-perfect skyline beauty of Seychelles as you cruise through the grandiose vast water of the North coast embedding you with remarkable experiences".

Congratulations to Creole Travel Services for this exciting latest addition to their fleet.

The Island Experience

Why go to a resort when you could escape to an island?

The Need for a Cleaner Seychelles

Pressure from environmentally-conscious youths and concerned citizens has prompted the Seychelles Government to impose a ban on the importation, sale and commercial use of plastic bags, cups, plates and cutlery as of January 2017. Moreover, as of July 1st, there has been a complete ban on the manufacturing, distribution as well as commercial use of all these items. This ban is a huge environmental win for Seychelles, and it was all spearheaded by the emerging youth movement in the country. Several young-lead NGOs have been pushing the agenda for a few years now, trying to sensitize people, propose alternatives, as well as broadcast the ill effects to human health, the environment and even tourism.

Unfortunately, this initiative was not without some level of resistance from the general public. Some members of the National Assembly recently voiced concerns about the ban, expressing that the economy would be negatively impacted as alternatives have not been carefully thought of. It was suggested that an extension should be given in order for retailers to use existing stock and for the government to propose useful alternatives. Social media was flooded with comments from both the youth, as well as other members of the public, following the broadcast of the National Assembly debate on television. One comment that struck a nerve with the youth was "Cancel the ban; let’s have a debate with adults not school children".

Reunion Island moves to Consumer Marketing

(Photo©Serge Gelabert / IRT)

At each of the 15 stops, a raffle will be drawn where the lucky winner will be able to enjoy a special holiday for two on Reunion Island.

The itinerary of the promotional tour will be as follows:-

• Antibes: 30 July
• Cavalaire: 31 July
• Le Lavandou: 2 August
• Six-Fours-les-Plages: 3 August
• Palavas-les-Flots: 4 August
• Saint-Cyprien: 7 August
• Leucate: 8 August
• Barcarès: 9 August
• Capbreton: 12 August
• Arcachon: 14 August
• Hourtin: 16 August
• Soulac-sur-Mer: 17 August
• Royan: 18 August
• La Tranche-sur-Mer: 19 August
• Quiberon: 21 August

Seychelles named Top Island destination in Africa & Middle East by Travel + Leisure

Results of the 22nd travel + leisure’s world’s best awards were revealed on Tuesday 11th July. This is based on an annual survey, which allows readers of the New York based travel magazine to rate their travel experiences around the globe. Readers get to share their opinions on top hotels, islands, cities, airlines, cruise lines, spas, among others.

The best islands by region are rated on a number of characteristics including their natural attractions, beaches, activities and sights, restaurants, food, people and friendliness, as well as value. Their romantic appeal also features as an optional criterion. For each characteristic, respondents are asked to give a rating based on a five-point scale of excellence.

Boasting lush tropical vegetation, powder-white beaches and clear turquoise waters, Seychelles, a 115-island archipelago in the western Indian Ocean came out on top of the readers’ list when it comes to the Africa and Middle East region. Mauritius has been voted the second-best island destination and Madagascar ranked third.

Announcing Seychelles’ number 1 position, Travel + Leisure quoted one reader’s description of the islands as saying: “It is like you are in the Garden of Eden.”

Commenting on the award, the Seychelles Tourism Board’s Regional Director for Africa and the Americas, David Germain said, “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.”

Mr. Germain noted that that the Seychelles Tourism Board continues to build a solid trade relations platform with the USA and Canadian outbound tour operators, travel agents and other trade partners in North America. He said that winning the award for a second consecutive year is evidence that the STB’s marketing strategy in North America is working.

“The Award helps to garner recognition, and provides a significant amount of visibility for our islands in North America and the region. The STB will continue to share and present the culture and tourism attributes of Seychelles to both the trade and consumers in the various North American cities, with the aim of increasing tourist’s arrival to Seychelles from this part of the world,” said Mr. Germain.

Visitor arrivals from the Americas to the Seychelles has increased by 69 percent from January to June.

Mr. Germain will be receiving the award for Seychelles at a ceremony which will bring all winners together in New York City on July 26. The award ceremony will be hosted by the Editor in Chief of Travel + Leisure, Nathan Lump.

Commenting on the choices of the readers this year, Mr. Lump said, “What’s clear to me this year is how much they are drawn to experiences that aren’t just enjoyable but provide something richer — cultural immersion, mental and physical well-being, a true sense of adventure."

“It’s not easy to satisfy this group, but the destinations, hotels and companies that are doing it know that today’s traveller cares about a lot more than creature comforts,” he added.

Praslin Business Association rally to bid farewell to one of their own – Louis D’Offay

Mr. Louis D’Offay was a successful hotelier and the longest serving Chairman of the Seychelles Hospitality and Tourism Association (SHTA), stepping down in 2013 after serving as the association’s Chairman for 15 years.

It is with great sadness that the Praslin Business Association gathered on 22nd July 2017 to pay homage to Mr. Louis D’Offay, who was a staunch advocate of the Seychelles tourism industry.

The Seychelles Minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine, Mr. Maurice Loustau-Lalanne, has acknowledged Mr. D’Offay’s long-standing contribution, dedication and faithful years of service to the industry. He stated, “Our Seychellois tourism family has lost a hard-working son, we will celebrate your contribution to Seychelles as we pray for you. Our thoughts and prayers are also with the family.”

The Chief Executive Officer of the Seychelles Tourism Board, Mrs. Sherin Francis said, “The Seychelles’ Tourism Industry has lost one of its pioneers. I am convinced that Mr. D’Offay will be remembered for the great work he has done for the industry and for Seychelles.”

Mr. Gill, Chairman of the Praslin Business Association (PBA) stated, "we have lost a great, great Seychellois, who first and foremost loved Seychelles, loved his people. Mr. D’Offay was a pioneer in tourism development. He advocated strongly [for] Seychellois participation and ownership of the Tourism Industry. He was solely responsible in his time for placing Praslin on the map of international tourism promotions at a time when big large hotels had grown insensitive to guests’ needs. He introduced us to boutique hotels with a high level of service [and] attention to detail, ever mindful [that] we must exceed guests’ expectations. “

Ton Louis could always be counted on for his sound advice and good humour. We will greatly miss this admirable Seychellois who, when he succeeded, took Seychelles with him and he never left us behind.

The Tourism Industry extends a heartfelt sympathy to all members of the D’Offay family at this difficult time.

Closing Notes:-

We hope you have enjoyed this Issue #7. For those who missed previous Issues, you may find them on the links listed below for your convenience. We continue to republish on Linkedln, WhatsApp and Twitter links to International Newswires that have reprinted our previous Issues – they are real friends; support them and work with them.

Google Saint Ange Tourism Report and see the exciting coverage we are getting.

The Saint Ange Tourism Report is a weekly publication that touches on tourism in Seychelles, the greater Indian Ocean Vanilla Islands and the surrounding Indian Ocean Countries, as well as Global Tourism Matters as and when necessary.

The Report goes to a large number of Seychellois locally and also those residing in the four corners of the world, the Business Community in Seychelles, Tour Operators and the Tourism Travel Trade, Airlines and is being reposted by several friendly and important newswires which will ensure a very wide global distribution.