GOING GREEN AND STAYING GREEN ARE THE CORNERSTONES OF SEYCHELLES’ NEW SUSTAINABLE TOURISM POLICY
(Posted 14th December 2016)
At its regular meeting earlier today did the Seychelles Cabinet of Ministers, chaired by President Danny Rollen Faure. meet at State House in Victoria and considered a report and recommendations on sustainable tourism carrying capacity for Mahé and the Inner Islands. The report notably recommended a moratorium on new large hotel establishments, as well as the need to consolidate on the quality and standards of existing establishments.
Some presently derelict tourism establishments should be restored it was noted. There should also be limits on smaller scale developments to avoid overcrowding in this market segment.
The expansion and enhancement of providing electricity, water and sewerage facilities should be a prime consideration for further development.
It was also noted that there should be a proper audit on tourism receipts from all establishments to ensure that the country benefited to the maximum from this pillar of the economy.
Cabinet was also advised that there should be a better control on the conversion of residential houses for tourism development. Allocations of land bank properties intended for residential housing should not be used for commercial tourism development.
Cabinet advised that there be greater decentralisation of services from Mahé so that more disbursements of loans and funds from public sector agencies, presently made on Mahé, could also be made on Praslin and La Digue.
