(Posted 21st July 2026)
Amb. Dr. Alain St.Ange, the recently appointed Ambassador At Large for the
Republic of Seychelles, has been seen on programmes being put together
for coming tourism and aviation events across the world.
Seychelles must have done a good move as the name of Dr. Alain St.Ange is
today more in demand for coming events. We are privileged with years
of service behind our name to be updated of tourism and aviation events
and of potential speakers even before programs are even firmed up.
Feedback from Uganda, to Spain, USA to Bulgaria, Nigeria to India
among others see the name Alain St.Ange as a proposed speaker, the
man who loves to speak of the cuff “or from the heart” as he prefers to
say has created a name for himself and for his island nation.
I have had the pleasure as tourism press to have known Amb. Dr. Alain St.Ange,
and followed his work and successes. In particular is the creation of the Seychelles
Carnevale de Carnivals, the Seychelles International Carnival, still fresh in my
memory after more than 15 years since its launch, which put the paradise islands
on the global tourism map punching well beyond its given weightclass.
Every speech he delivers and any tourism conference he attends destination Seychelles takes center stage and the island’s visibility increases as he remains one of the most sought after speakers at tourism Hospitality and aviation events around the world.
He is of course very well remembered around the tourism world as
the very successful Tourism Minister of the Seychelles, and one who has
joined Sir James Mancham, the island’s founding President, as the ones
whose names have marked the tourism industry of Seychelles. They
come from different era in the island’s tourism industry, but both have
entered the history books as successes for their work in tourism.
Sir James Mancham is the one who launched Seychelles into the world
of tourism and Amb. Dr. Alain St.Ange, now Ambassador At Large for the
Republic of Seychelles is the one credited to have consolidated the
island’s tourism industry when the going got tough
Amb. Dr. Alain St.Ange on his part was brought into the Government at the
insistence of the tourism private sector trade when tourism, as an
industry, was suffering with a downward trend that was expected to
reach a drop of 25%. This drop was seen by everyone as a possible
‘catastrophe in the waiting’ for the island’s economy, and one that
needed everyone to rally to help. The much-needed dialogue between
the Government of President James Michel and the SHTA (Seychelles
Hospitality & Tourism Association) with Louis Doffay as its President was
called after the private sector trade had called for a “Cellule de Crise”
conference at the ICCS Conference Centre in Victoria. This was an
unprecedented PPP (Public Private Sector Partnership) in the making. This
we have reported on as it happened at the time.
The tourism private sector trade requested that the marketing of
Seychelles to be led by someone from the private sector, and after a
series of meetings President James Michel agreed and the SHTA
proposed Dr. Alain St.Ange to be appointed Director of Marketing for
Seychelles. This was in 2009.
Alain St.Ange was not new to the Civil Service and working within the
Government. In 1981, when the Seychelles Tourist Board was first
established, with John Enright as director, the then 27-year-old Alain St
Ange was his assistant. It was in that era that the new Logo ‘Unique by a
thousand miles’ was launched at the World Travel Market in London and
in a publicity campaign across Europe. President Albert Rene was the
one holding the tourism portfolio during that period.
In 2009 Alain St.Ange was appointed to head the marketing arm of the
Seychelles Tourism Board and fell under the Vice President Joseph
Belmont who was holding the tourism portfolio.
In 2010 he was appointed CEO of the Seychelles Tourism Board and
became the face for the island’s tourism industry falling directly under
President James Michel, who was also holding the tourism portfolio.
Dr, Alain St.Ange managed to maintain to receive the cooperation from the
island’s tourism private sector who had succeeded to have someone
from their ranks now heading and as one they worked to ensure success
for the industry that remained the pillar of the Seychelles economy.
Many things changed immediately. The visibility of the islands took
another dimension, and Seychelles became the sought-after destination.
Seychellois nationals were posted in Tourism Offices everywhere one
was in place. He worked on the concept of ‘Melting Pot of Cultures’ and
organised cultural events to put Africa, India, China and also moved for
La Francophonie and Commonwealth to make the French and British
links. He pushed the idea that these five links must culminated into a
bigger ‘Festival Kreol’ as what everyone should be defending today as
Creoles and ‘Friends of All and Enemy of None’ as pushed by Sir James
Mancham from Independence Day in 1976. He also pushed to enhance
the ‘La Digue’s 15th August Feast’ and launched the ‘Praslin Culinary &
Arts Fiesta’ to push the island of Praslin as the centre for good food and
culture.
Dr. Alain St.Ange was seen everywhere managing to meet the press at
every opportunity and in so doing keeping Seychelles in view of all
possible holiday makers. He worked close with the Management of the
Tourism Academy to ensure adequate training of young Seychellois and
stood behind the further training of many through the cooperation of
Shannon College of Ireland. He is known for working with tourism
establishments, large and small, to help raise the standard of the
accommodation block and push for ‘value for money’ as the needed
mindset for the islands.
In 1993, there was the First Tourism Ball. The Miss Seychelles Pageant
was reintroduced to push the local colour and to open doors for the
young Seychellois ladies. In 2003 also came the Tourism Incentives Act
and with so much being done for the tourism industry it became almost
inevitable by 2012 to see Alain St Ange appointed Minister of Tourism
and Culture. That year Seychelles received over 200,000 visitors.
In 2014 there was the First Congress of IORA (Indian Ocean Rim
Association) held in Seychelles after the ROUTES Airline Convention
had also used Seychelles for what was published as their most
successful event. Alain St.Ange was instrumental to the formation of the
Indian Ocean Vanilla Islands and became the organisation’s first
President. The regional body was an immediate success and St.Ange
invited to remain in office for a second consecutive year.
In the 2015 Seychelles Cabinet reshuffle he was reappointed a
government minister by President Danny Faure with an enlarged
portfolio when he was made Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine.
He used that amalgamation of an enlarged Ministry to push for the
opening of the airspace saying that Seychelles needed airlines to
guarantee a solid tourism industry.
He was conferred a Honorary Doctorate for his work in Tourism and well
as an array of other recognitions received from the four corners of the
world all making Seychelles proud. In 2017 he was the island’s
candidate for the post of Secretary General
The recent appointment by H.E. Dr Patrick Herminie, the President of the
Seychelles of Alain St.Ange as his Ambassador At Large for Seychelles
brings recognition of a son of the islands who has worked tirelessly with
his heart and soul for the industry that remains the pillar of the
Seychelles economy. The appointment is seen across the islands as
merited and a plus for Seychelles.
President Dr. Patrick Herminie is being congratulated in many forums as a
President who went outside his inner political circle to appoint respected
Seychellois to key posts. The world of tourism enjoys working with the
island man who has a flair on how to tweak tourism, the industry the
brings peace and helps many an economy to succeed.
