SEYCHELLES TOURISM WOOS RUSSIAN TRAVELERS
(Posted 16th September 2016)
The Seychelles Tourism Board led by its CEO, Mrs. Sherin Francis and accompanied by the Board’s European Marketing Director Ms. Bernadette Willemin and Russian Market Manager Ms. Karen Confait together with the Russian based representative Access Russia, conducted a two days promotional tour in the Russian capital, Moscow, from 13th to 14th September. A series of meetings was organized with both local travel trade, press and media culminating with a special Seychelles evening.
The gala dinner held at the famous Casta Diva restaurant in the heart of Moscow was well attended by the Russian travel trade, press, hotels, airlines and DMC partners as well as celebrities.
The timing was ideal, at the beginning of the season, to refresh those well versed on the destination and to also bring forth to the new comers the unique selling points which sets us apart, through a destination presentation.
Prior to taking the invited guests on a journey to that Seychelles islands, Sherin Francis, the CEO of the tourism Board addressed the evening highlighting the importance of the Russian market for the Seychelles both in volume and yield. She said: ‘Our past achievements and future market development can only materialize through your continued support and collaboration. The industry at large recognises the role played by each and everyone one of you and for this I thank you all‘.
Mrs. Francis continued by providing some updates on new developments taking place in the country. The latter was discussed and presented at length in addition with other topics relevant to the individual publications and or television through various interviews. Travel magazines such as Voyage, travel trade publication TTG Russia, Russia business daily Vedomosti and fashion TV LIS Channel, to name a few, each had their slot for a tête à tête with the tourism Board’s CEO to put forward their questions and seek clarifications on their different points of interest.
Other well-known high profile publications from different segments: Feminine glossies, lifestyle, travel magazines, such as Elle, Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Forbes, National Geographic, Condenast Traveller were also present for the event.
Mrs. Sherin Francis, the Seychelles Tourism Board CEO, and her team left the Russian Capital very satisfied after witnessing the enthusiasm and optimism of the Russian travel trade industry for the Seychelles tourism. All the ingredients are present to reinforce this conviction which is further boosted by the current airline dynamics to pull business not only from Moscow but also other Russian regions.
New flight links by Turkish Airlines and soon by Qatar Airways will give Russian travelers additional options over and above the current connections with Emirates and Etihad / Air Seychelles via their hubs in Istanbul, Doha, Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
For added information about Destination Seychelles click on www.seychelles.travel
