SEYCHELLES REBRANDS SUBIOS INTO ‘SEYCHELLES OCEAN FESTIVAL‘
(Posted 02nd August 2016)
21 years after successfully staging the first ocean festival under the name of SUBIOS, short for Sub Indian Ocean Seychelles, has the Seychelles Tourism Board rebranded the festival and widened its scope.
Between the 02nd and 09th of December will the 01st ‘Seychelles Ocean Festival‘ take off, according to information received earlier today from the Seychelles Tourism Board.
The new Seychelles Ocean Festival looks to build on the foundations laid down by SUBIOS to include today’s wider spectrum of marine activities and to include them in a week-long programme of events which celebrate Seychelles’ extraordinary marine heritage.
In line with popular SUBIOS tradition, the Seychelles Ocean Festival will encourage hotels and accommodation establishments in general to honour the event by staging marine-themed happenings of their own that will appeal to their guests as well as the general public. As was the case with SUBIOS, there will also be special activities for schoolchildren in the form of talks, film shows, exhibitions and conservation actions.
The Ministry for the Blue Economy will be organising an investment forum to coincide with the festival at the same time that there will be voting on the Special Seychelles Ocean Festival Photographic and Video Competition. In addition will a week of specially-rebated diving holidays be made available through local DMCs.
The Seychelles’ Broadcasting Corporation will broadcast a number of films with marine themes during Festival week, echoed by a suite of radio competitions and interviews and dedicated film screenings at Deepam cinema.
While these programme components will run throughout the Seychelles Ocean Festival week, the official 3-day event programme is, according to information received, as follows:
Friday 3rd December
Official opening for dignitaries and invited guests at Eden Island Boardwalk against a background of live music and a flotilla of lit boats; a photographic exhibition of Seychelles and the Sea – consisting of rare, old photographs of Seychelles’ marine scene; an exhibition of the work of school children; exhibitions by NGO’s and an exhibition by Seychelles Sports Fishing Club. This is when the VIP Guest of Honour will be introduced and make his/her presentation followed by those of other event partners, marine clubs and NGOs.
Saturday 4th December
While various other SOF-dedicated activities take place during the morning and afternoon, the evening is reserved for a special Seychelles Ocean Festival Gala Dinner where there will also be the announcement of the winners of the Photographic and Video Competition, live entertainment, a special film screening and the auctioning of local works of art with proceeds going to worthy causes.
Sunday 5th December
Sunday is the special Seychelles Ocean Festival Family Fun Day which looks to involve the whole family in a day-long programme of fun and entertainment that includes: Ocean Festival Triathlon; boats rides, intro dives, snorkeling and canoeing; games and live music show with slots for new artists; fashion show with marine theme; food stalls; underwater treasure hunt and Grand Festival Raffle and prizes.
Don’t miss this new event in Seychelles’ calendar and a great opportunity to participate in and celebrate Seychelles’ amazing maritime heritage. Added information is available about Destination Seychelles via www.seychelles.travel and a link exists to the listing of all events across the year.
