From the Four Seasons Seychelles to the Four Seasons Abu Dhabi
(Posted 23rd January 2016)
Seychelles’ tourism success is today the talking point in the four corners of the world. The success story of the island’s tourism industry is recognised as a text book example by many tourism experts and the promotion strategy put in place by the Ministry of Tourism and its Tourism Board is praised and raised by global media at every press conference when the Minister of Tourism and Culture, Mr. Alain St. Ange or Ms. Sherin Naiken, the CEO of the Tourism Board are at tourism trade fairs and meet the press.Not as well known and publicised is the fact that the archipelago island nation, small as it may be, today runs a new purpose built Tourism Academy where graduates are able to complete their Hotel Management Diploma in a unique partnership with the well established Shannon College in Ireland.
This partnership gives Seychellois graduates the freedom to work anywhere in the world once they have graduated from their courses at either the Seychelles Tourism Academy or the Shannon College.
But the successes of the island’s tourism industry does not end there.
A couple of years ago the Ministry of Tourism said that it was the island’s culture that was today positioned at the centre of the Seychelles marketing. This for the island’s Minister was a clear vision of placing the people of Seychelles at the very centre of tourism development of the islands when more often than not Seychellois hear about foreign managers arriving in the country to take up key positions.
Seychelles has an acute workforce shortage of skilled people to make a career in the tourism industry and hotels and resorts therefore continue to recruit from overseas. However, affirmative action to broaden the manpower base in the tourism sector has also led to another great success story.
Adrian Messerli, theGeneral Manager of the Four Seasons Resort Seychelles at Petite Anse in Baie Lazare has confirmed that Ms. Persia Benoit, a successful young Seychellois Departmental Manager at the Four Seasons Seychelles Resort is transferring in the capacity of Assistant Director of HR to the brand new Four Seasons Hotel in Abu Dhabi.
‘This is indeed great news for Seychelles. We are proud of Persia Benoit and we wish her continued success. She is today a role model for our younger tourism graduates because her name will echo the message that when you work hard you reap the benefits of your devotion and hard work‘ said Minister Alain St. Ange, the Seychelles Minister of Tourism and Culture when he was informed that Persia Benoit was packing her bags and moving to the new Four Seasons Hotel in Abu Dhabi in a few weeks.
Abu Dhabi in particular but also the entire United Arab Emirates enjoy a close relationship with the Seychelles and many investments, in national carrier Air Seychelles but also in resorts have paid dividends. Abu Dhabi has also supported the establishment of water desalination plants and assisted to instal wind turbines on the main island of Mahe to increase the supply of key utilities for not just tourism resorts but also the people of Seychelles.
