Seychelles’ Tourism Minister Alain St. Ange welcomes Qatar Airways’ intended return to Mahe

Qatar Airways confirms the announcement that they will resume flights to Seychelles

(Posted 18th March 2016)

Qatar Airways, the national airline of Qatar and one of the fastest growing airlines in the world earlier this month announced its plans to resume flights to the Seychelles Islands effective from 12th December this year, after a lapse of three years.

The announcement to resume flights was made during the ITB Tourism Trade Fair 2016 – the world’s largest travel and tourism trade show in Berlin.

The announcement by Qatar Airways comes at a perfect time for Seychelles. We are now working to consolidate our tourism industry after a number of successful years with back-to-back increases in visitor arrival numbers. As we now move to increase the yield from tourism we know that we need to ensure that the strategy of supply and demand comes into play thus the importance of air access. Qatar Airways has its network and they have their own clients who transit Doha and Seychelles being only four odd hours from Doha makes us an ideal twin centre destination‘ said Minister St.Ange after his meeting with Mr. Akbar Al-Baker, Qatar Airways’ Group CEO.

Minister St.Ange, who was accompanied at that meeting by Sherin Naiken, the CEO of the Seychelles Tourism Board and Bernadette Willemin, the Tourism Board’s Director for Europe went on to say that the island’s Tourism Board would be a supportive partner for Qatar Airways and that they stand ready to work with the airline to ensure that their seven flights to Seychelles are successful.

In 2013 the award-winning airline decided to halt operations into the archipelago.

Meanwhile, guests dining in the sky with Qatar Airways at this year’s Qatar International Food Festival (QIFF), which is taking place from 22nd to 28th of March in Doha, will experience the airline’s world-renowned Business Class service and multiple award-winning hospitality, whilst enjoying spectacular views of Doha’s stunning sky line.

Qatar Airways, official co-host of QIFF, will this year welcome festival visitors to its two-tier premium lounge in the Museum of Islamic Arts Park for A Taste of Business.

Diners will enjoy a Business Class Lounge pre-flight experience before boarding a ‘flight’ to taste the national airline’s exquisite Business Class menu and world-renowned five star service, from up to 50 metres above the ground in the heart of one of Doha’s most beautiful landscapes.

Qatar Airways Senior Vice President Marketing and Corporate Communications, Ms. Salam Al Shawa commented: ‘As QIFF has grown to become one of the world’s must-see city-based festivals, encapsulating the very best culinary hospitality that Doha has to offer, Qatar Airways’ Dinner in the Sky has become one of the festival’s must-experience signature activities. QIFF is our opportunity to create an unforgettable experience for festival visitors by sharing our award-winning service with the local community and welcoming visitors to Doha, uniting them at one of Qatar’s most popular annual events, in their shared passion for the world’s finest cuisine. Qatar Airways is a global airline; passengers choose to fly with us across the world, for business and leisure, every day sampling our extraordinary cuisine, unrivalled on board entertainment and world-renowned hospitality. As Qatar’s national airline, Qatar Airways welcomes the opportunity to partner with Qatar Tourism Authority to support QIFF and to express our gratitude to the many thousands of visitors who return year-upon-year to the festival to create special memories at Dinner in the Sky‘.

Post-flight, passengers can relax in the Qatar Airways ‘A Taste of Business‘ lounge and enjoy a selection of desserts and hospitality from Fauchon and Qatar Duty Free, retail providers at Hamad International Airport.

Dinner in the Sky flights will be available everyday throughout the festival; with an average of five flights per day starting from 1pm. Special sunset and firework flights will be available to book every day throughout the seven-day festival.

Agencies