A RECORD 28 COMPANIES FROM SEYCHELLES EXHIBIT IN BERLIN AT ITB2017
(Posted 08th March 2017)
The Seychelles tourism industry will once again be present with a 40 member delegation, representing some 28 companies, at the upcoming ITB Berlin tourism trade fair which kicks off in the morning
The delegation is this year headed by the Minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine Mr. Maurice Loustau-Lalanne. A team from the Seychelles Tourism Board including Chief Executive Mrs. Sherin Francis, the STB Director for Europe Ms. Bernadette Willemin, the Regional Manager for Germany Mrs. Edith Hunzinger and the Marketing Executive Natacha Servina will also be present at ITB Berlin.
A total of 28 companies from the private sector have this year joined the fair namely – Air Seychelles, Alphonse Island Lodge, Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts, Beachcomber, Berjaya Resorts Seychelles, Coco de Mer Hotel, Coral Strand Smart Choice Hotel, Savoy Resort and Spa, Creole Travel Services, Denis Private Island, Dhevatara Beach Hotel, Eden Bleu Hotel, Hilton Seychelles, The H Resort, Kempinski Seychelles Resort, Le Duc de Praslin, Val Mer Resort, Le Meridien Fisherman’s Cove, Le Relax Hotel, Maia Luxury Resort, Paradise Sun Hotel, Mason’s Travel, North Island, Pure Seychelles Hotels, Raffles Praslin Seychelles, the Seychelles Hospitality and Tourism Association,7°South and VPM Yacht Charter.
ITB 2017 in Berlin is set to have a total of 10,096 exhibitors from 187 countries. It is the world’s leading travel trade show, which presents a wonderful chance to discover the entire world within a few hours and to meet business partners, learn about new trends, concepts and cooperation options as well as deepen existing business relations.
Germany is one of Seychelles’ leading markets and according to the National Bureau of Statistics for the week ending on February 26, the overall visitors from Europe increased by 27% compared to the same period in 2016.
An increase of 40% was recorded from the German market, which placed Germany as the second leading market for Seychelles during that period, with a total of 6,234 visitors arriving to our shores.
‘The Seychelles’ tourism industry started on an extremely positive note this year and this is being supported further by the enthusiasm of the travel trade partners whom are already eager to push the destination even more. This year’s ITB will be a very busy one, and remains very important given it sets the tone for the rest of the year. I thank the local trade partners who will be part of the delegation this year and wish them success for the fair‘ said Mrs Francis after figures released last week show a rise in arrivals for the first months of the year of over 30 percent.
STB has also taken the opportunity to thank the French press for their overwhelming support to make the archipelago visible in what is the Seychelles’ top source country for visitors. Ms. Willemin said arrival figures from France virtually doubled over the last 10 years alone and reached a new record year in 2016 with 43,300 visitors, remaining the top producing market for the Seychelles.
She was joined at the press conference by STB’s Marketing Executive Valerie Payet, the general manager of Hilton Northolme and Double Tree Allamanda Resort & Spa, Mr. Gregory Thierion and Ms. Devi Pentamah the Paris-based cluster sales manager for Hilton Seychelles Hotels and Resort.
Mrs Willemin gave a presentation on Seychelles, providing an overview of the islands’ tourism products and emphasizing on the natural beauty of our country.
Also in Berlin will be UNWTO candidate Alain St. Ange whose ‘portfolio’ of endorsements from around the world has been growing over the past weeks, a recognition of the clean and high ground campaign he is running, undeterred by other campaigns which have turned negative. St. Ange is expected to take his campaign to fellow tourism ministers present at the world’s most important tourism trade show to make his case why he should be the candidate of choice to take UNWTO into the future.
