Tourism Destinations meeting at the World Travel Market in London sees Seychelles promoting itself as a sustainable tourism paradise

 (Posted 03rd November 2015)

Alain St. Ange, the Seychelles Minister responsible for Tourism and Culture was busy on the first day of World Travel Market highlighting to the press the virtues of Seychelles as the holiday destination where sustainable tourism approach is high on the island’s government agenda. In the presence of Marie Pierre Lloyd, the High Commissioner for the Seychelles in the United Kingdom the Seychelles delegation posed for a souvenir photo after the opening of the World Travel Market, London that is being held from the 02nd November to the 05th November 2015.

Sixteen Seychelles companies wanting their fair share of the UK tourism market are this year on the Seychelles stand at WTM working alongside the island’s Tourism Board.

These include Air Seychelles with Cindy Vidot and Christine Ozouf, Masons Travel with Amy Michel and Lenny Alvis, Creole Travel Services with Blaisila Hoffmann and Hanifah Morel, 7 South with Anna Butler Payette, Avani Seychelles Barbarons Resort & Spa with Anna Pothin, Banyan Tree Seychelles with Mourad Essafi, Berjaya Beau Vallon Bay Resort and Casino with Wendy Tan, Coco De Mer Hotel & Black Parrot Suites with Ash Behari, Cerf Island Resort with Foram Varsani, Coral Strand with Denis Verkhorubhov, Enchanted Island with Thierry Macquet, Denis Island Private with Bessie Etienne and Alan Mason, Hilton Seychelles with Smital Shah-Boultwood, The H-Resort with Isabel Le Strat and Dominique Richard-Hebert, Saint Anne Resort & Spa with Norbert Couvreur and Savoy Seychelles Resort & Spa with Ravil Zaripov.

The Seychelles Tourism Board is being represented by Bernadette Willemin, the Director for Europe, Tinaz Wadia , the Tourism Board’s UK Office Manager, Eloise Vidot – Marketing Executive – UK and Maria Morel – Senior Marketing Executive from the Tourism Board head office.

The UK currently holds the 5th position for tourism arrivals to the Seychelles and arrival figures have this year increased by 33% year on year. Minister Alain St. Ange said at the WTM on its first day that Seychelles was now in a consolidation phase for its tourism industry. Seychelles has tourism as the pillar of its economy and Minister St. Ange thanked the island’s tourism stakeholders who joined the Tourism Board to ensure that the islands remain visible in the UK.

‘We are here as a united group because we are conscious that we need to remain visible if we are to be relevant as a holiday destination” said Minister St. Ange. “We are lucky not having to run after mass tourism. We have developed our sustainable tourism label because we want our tourism industry to feel as committed as the Government in understanding the need for all of us to be remembered as good custodians of what we have been blessed with. Hotel and resorts who are in board with us and qualify for the label will get it and then from now in be promoted as such. We need to support those who are supporting the country and who are here with us in the Seychelles Stand to work together to keep Seychelles visible in the world of tourism’ Minister St.Ange told the press.