GLOBAL MEDIA FLOCK TO THE SEYCHELLES
(Posted 17th April 2014)
Carnival time this year on the Seychelles is between the 25th and 27th of April, a week after the Easter weekend and the right platform for the global ‘carnivalistas’ to dust off their costumes and head to the archipelago for the 4th edition of this increasingly important carnival festival.
Co-hosted this year by ‘regular’ La Reunion, has the Vanilla Island of Mayotte come on board, as did Madagascar and the four are joined by South Africa’s Kwa Zulu Natal Province.
With a week to go until the festivities kick off at the Stade Popilar on Friday evening next week with what is promising to be the most colourful opening party yet, moderated by not one but three MC’s speaking in Creole, English and French, has a record number of foreign carnival troupes confirmed their participation, matched by a record number of journalists from around the world. Some 84 media houses are sending 151 journalists, photographers and camera teams to Mahe to not just cover the event itself but to also showcase the tropical Creole island paradise and its many natural, historical and cultural attractions.
In fact has the Ministry of Tourism and Culture had to close the list a few days ago when still more requests for accreditation came in to ensure that the team of minders from the Seychelles Tourism Board, the Ministry of Tourism and associated organizations were still able to give maximum attention to each and every media person and be able to answer all the questions which no doubt will be asked.
Media houses from France, Belgium, Germany, Italy, United Kingdom and Ireland, Russia, Sweden, Poland, Finland, Denmark, Netherlands, Czech Republic, the Americas, the Middle East, India, South Africa, East Africa West Africa, Australia, Korea, Japan, China, Hong Kong and the Indian Ocean Islands of La Reunion and Mauritius will all be in Seychelles to bring to the world the fourth edition of Carnaval International de Victoria.
Key participants in the huge media train of international press representing different continents are CCN International, French TV, BBC, Italy TV, CCTV, SABC, DSTV, MBC of the Middle East, Dubai Eye, Korean TV, Antenne Reunion, Zone Austral, MBC of Mauritius and more who will all be giving exclusive coverage of the event to their home audiences.
RFI Radio France International announced already that it will go live on Sunday 27th for the Kiddies’ Carnival in Freedom Square.
A visibly enthusiastic and geared up Alain St.Ange, the Seychelles Minister for Tourism and Culture said in a press release issued late yesterday: ‘Through this carnival Seychelles and the Region will be more than ever visible globally. We need to put our best foot forward and showcase the richness of our culture and the warmth of our people. We will ensure that every participating delegation and our co-hosts of La Reunion, Madagascar, Mayotte and South Africa KwaZulu Natal all receive due coverage as serious tourism destinations that have rallied together to showcase their culture and who are proudly putting their people at the centre of their tourism promotion’.
This year has the organization of the carnival festival for the first time be outsourced to an events company in Victoria, with the Seychelles Tourism Board and the Ministry of Tourism and Culture taking a step back from the sharp end of making things happen and concentrating on marketing the archipelago and showcasing the islands from their Sunday Best to the visiting media to get maximum coverage out of them.
On board this year for the first time are Air Seychelles and partner airline Etihad and main airline sponsors of the event and many journalists and participating troupes will in fact arrive on Mahe with the Seychelles’ national airline, which by ‘Flying the Creole Spirit’ will already put visitors into the right mood and mind set the moment they step on board for their journey to the archipelago.
Expect live reports and tweets from the islands together with pictorials, feature articles and interviews over the coming week and beyond, from Seychelles, which truly is Another World.
For more information visit www.seychelles.travel and follow the festival events next Friday, Saturday and Sunday by clicking on www.eturbonews.com/africa or www.wolfganghthome.wordpress.com
