(Posted 08th March 2024)
Minister Sylvestre Radegonde, the Seychelles Minister responsible for Tourism and Alain St.Ange, the island’s popular former Minister of Tourism were both this year recognised at the Award Giving Ceremony held during ITB 2024 in Berlin.
Minister Radegonde pulled the “Tourism Minister of the Year Indian Ocean Region” and his predecessor, the island’s former Minister Alain St.Ange, who was this year not at the annual ITB Tourism Trade Fair of Berlin in Germany was recognised after he was called to confirm that he had been selected by PATWA International Travel Awards 2024 for the exclusive individual excellence award “PATWA Gold Award – Travel & Tourism”.
The Award Ceremony at ITB in Berlin on March 6th, 2024, was held just after the 2024 edition of the PATWA World Tourism and Aviation Leader’s Summit on ‘Tourism & Climate Change’ where Tourism Ministers Clayton Bartolo of Malta, Celso Sabino De Oliveira of Brazil, Sylvestre Radegonde of Seychelles, and Edmund Bartlett of Jamaica took to the podium alongside Yatan Ahluwalia, the Secretary General of the PATWA Organisation.
Minister Sylvestre Radegonde, the Seychelles Minister was personally on stage to receive his “Tourism Minister of the Year Indian Ocean Region” Award and it was Dr Jens Thraenhart, a German tourism consultant who is based in Malaysia who accepted the exclusive individual excellence award “PATWA Gold Award – Travel & Tourism” on behalf of Mr St.Ange. Dr Jens Thraenhart and Mr St.Ange are known to work together on different tourism consultancy projects.
The PATWA International Travel Awards are given to recognise governments, brands, individuals, ministers, and organisations that have excelled and are involved in the promotion of tourism from different sectors of the travel trade such as aviation, airlines, hotels, travel agencies, tour operators, countries, destinations, provinces, cities, government bodies and other service provider(s) related directly or indirectly to the industry.
Alain St.Ange who is now on his way to South Africa said that he is honoured to have again been recognised by PATWA at the ITB Award Ceremony.
‘Receiving the exclusive individual excellence award “PATWA Gold Award – Travel & Tourism” is humbling and as I say thank you to Yatan Ahluwalia, the Secretary General of the PATWA International Travel Awards, I can only add that the World of Tourism must continue to work to consolidate their Industry because the Community of Nations needs a vibrant and succesful Tourism Industry. I will continue to do my share to help ensure tourism works. Tourism is and remains an Industry and not just an Activity and it is up to Tourism Professionals and their Ministers of Tourism who need to grab their industry and ensure it works for their people, economies and investors, ” St.Ange said.
