DESVAUX’S RETURN TO MTPA PUSHES MOOTOOSAMY TO THE ROPES
(Posted 19th January 2015)
Robert Desvaux has triumphantly returned to the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority as the organization’s chairman, following his appointment by the Mauritius’ government’s Council of Ministers, aka cabinet.
On January 07th, when the rumours began to emerge about his possible return to MTPA, did he tweet, almost tongue in cheek, the objectives and functions of MTPA. This was very likely meant to rattle the cage of incumbent CEO Karl Mootoosamy and his gang of merry wo/men who have in the more recent past acquired the attribute as the tourism world’s foremost copy and paste artists and needed this sharpish reminder of what MTPA was supposed to stand for.
He however only re-tweeted another tweet about his return to MTPA and refrained from rubbing salt into the wounds when his appointment was officially announced:
ilemauricetourisme @ilemaurice · Jan 16
Robert Desvaux nommé à la tête de la « Mauritius Tourism Authority » http://ilemaurice-tourisme.info/Robert-Desvaux-nomme-la-tete-de-la-Mauritius-Tourism-Authority-3039.html … #ilemaurice #mauritius
Robert Desvaux, highly respected for his acumen and understanding of the tourism industry in Mauritius, and in fact in the wider region where he was instrumental to help setting up the Vanilla Island’s organization, fell foul of the political games of the day in 2013, when he was unceremoniously removed from his position as chair by then tourism minister Michael Sik Yuen. Yuen, in an apparently unholy alliance with Mootoosamy, axed Desvaux, himself then falling out with his party before switching political allegiance, a move which cost him dearly. Booted out of office during the last elections he tasted the axe himself, the blow delivered by the electorate. With the return of Robert Desvaux, next in line for the axe is no doubt the notorious Karl Mootoosamy and his key confidantes, to make way for a full revival of MTPA.
Rumours at the time were that Desvaux’s close up cooperation with the Seychelles was at least in part a reason for being brought down by Sik Yuen and Mootoosamy, and Karl’s growing number of opponents within the Mauritius tourism industry are now holding their breath, champagne on ice, to celebrate when he follows his former minister into the political cold.
Under Karl’s reign did Mauritius engage in costly and ultimately failed attempts to copy the successful Seychelles Carnival, tried to copycat the Seychelles Festival of the Sea, aka SUBIOS and most notoriously constantly tried to undermine the Vanilla Islands organization, where the former tourism minister was the chief fence sitter.
Mauritius’ tourism sector, now that the return of Robert Desvaux is a fact – he has served in the same position for some seven and a half years between 2005 and 2013 – has taken fresh hope that the island’s tourism fortunes can be revived, which under the Mootoosamy had slipped from bad to worse.
Mauritius had surrendered her lead position as the most visited Indian Ocean island to the Maldives and Sri Lanka and the sector largely struggled with low occupancies, something many now hope will be reversed as MTPA will sooner or later get a new executive team. A fresh start, similar to what the Seychelles’ did in 2008 when the government in Victoria opened the door for a major re-organization and by bringing the private sector into the lead position for the Seychelles Tourism Board, is a similar fundamental change now expected in Port Louis.
As the saying goes, watch this space and be sure to read the latest news as and when changes happen.
