(Posted 10th July 2023)
Alain St. Ange – The Story Behind the Name
Alain St.Ange, Head of Saint Ange Tourism Consultancy and a former Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine of the Republic of Seychelles continues to be honoured by being appointed on International Boards, Foundations & Committees.
ATCNews googled to learn about his outstanding contributions and dedication to advancing tourism, as well as the significance of his work in the field of tourism and travel through his recognitions.
Alain St.Ange, an expert in tourism and Head of the Saint Ange Tourism Consultancy has received many awards from right across the world including a declaration as the “most tourified Tourism Minister in and outside Seychelles” by the Sunday edition “Ozordi Dimans” of the Seychelles ‘Today’ Newspaper written by Christine Ouma just before pulling the “LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FOR PROMOTION OF THE TRAVEL TRADE” by Pacific Area Writers Association, an Affiliate Member of the UNWTO at ITB Tourism Trade Fair in Berlin Germany in March 2023.
He received the Tourism Eminent Achiever Award in Africa (2015), the “Global Achievers Award” at the 34th International Congress of the Non-Resident’s Indians (NRI) Welfare Society of India. He is also the recipient of the Key to the City Awards in the USA by the City of Detroit, an Honorary Citizen of Sioux City Iowa and a ‘Key to the City Award’ by Tuskegee Alabama, the ‘Mahatma Gandhi Samman’ Award for strengthening Indo-Seychelles relations at a ceremony in New Delhi in India to the highest decoration of “Commandeur de l’Ordre National” in Madagascar done in the presence of the Island’s full Guard of Honour followed soon after also in 2012 by being offered a Conseil Regional Medal by Didier Robert, the Regional President of La Reunion for work to develop the cooperation between the Indian Ocean Islands and ‘Commandeur de l’Ordre de L’Etoile de Moheli’ by the Island of Comores (2014).
Chosen as an Honoree to be inducted into the African Diaspora World Tourism Hall of Fame for all the work he has done in cultural heritage tourism and confirmed that at this Travel Award in the USA honoured as a world tourism leader by the African Diaspora World Tourism Awards in Atlanta in the USA. Received from the Seychelles Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SCCI) with a “Certificate of Recognition” for dedication and hard work in setting a record for Seychelles’ Tourism arrivals for 2016 and received a ‘Plaque of Honour’ at House of Lords, London from the Rt. Hon. Baroness Sandip Verma, the Minister of International Development of the United Kingdom in Recognition of Dedication, Passion, Courage, Commitment, Spirit Ethics & Excellence for Outstanding Endeavors (2015) and the “Travellinks Eminent Achiever Award” during their 7th Anniversary & Award Ceremony (2015).
Alain St.Ange is the Deputy Secretary-General of FORSEAA (Forum of Small Medium Economic AFRICA ASEAN) in Jakarta, the Vice President International Relations for TMN (Travel Marketing Network) in New York, Co-Chair of the SUNx (Strong Universal Network) Organisation in London, Vice President & Founding Member of ICTP (International Coalition of Tourism Partners) and named eTN Ambassador and coined as ‘A Seychelles’ Master of Promotion’ by International Kreol Magazine of the UK .
In September of 1995, the worldwide association of gourmets, the ‘Confrerie de la Chaine Des Rotisseures’ honoured Alain St.Ange for his work as a restaurateur and hotelier in Seychelles. He was awarded the Charge de Mission du Bailliage des Seychelles at a ceremony in Nairobi, Kenya in the presence of Mr Katana Ngala, the Kenyan Minister of Tourism. During that same era that he was admitted as a Member of the ‘Ordre Mondial des Gourmets Degustateurs’, The Tourism Society (MTS), The Cookery and Food Association (MCFA), the British Institute of Management (MBIM) & the Hotel and Catering International Management Association (MHCIMA).
For many years Alain St.Ange was a Consultant to PMAESA (Port Management Association of Eastern and Southern Africa) in Mombasa and CIOA (Cruise Indian Ocean Association) in Durban, a ‘Honorary Member’ of the “Patrick Victor Cultural Foundation” (2016) and received an “Address of Appreciation” from Shannon College of Hotel Management of Ireland for the valuable support in the education of Seychellois students for the hotel industry.
In 2012 he received a Message from Queen Elizabeth II on Diamond Jubilee Beacon Lighting event that said: “I am delighted that His Excellency Mr Alain St.Ange, Minister of Tourism and Culture, is attending the concert and Diamond Jubilee Beacon lighting event at Beau Vallon Bay to share the celebration in commemorating the Diamond Jubilee marking the 60th Anniversary on My Accession to the Throne. As a mark of sincere friendship and good will, I send you my warmest greetings and best wishes for the forthcoming year. Elizabeth R. “ followed by being named ‘Ambassadeur Ile de La Reunion’ (2012).
Alain St.Ange was the founding president of the Indian Ocean Vanilla Islands (Seychelles, Mauritius, La Reunion, Madagascar, Comoros & Mayotte), the African Tourism Board (ATB) and co-chair of Project Hope, an African initiative in response to the COVID pandemic.
During the Tourism Week celebrations of September 2017, the Seychelles Tourism Board presented Alain St.Ange with a “Certificate of Recognition” for the valuable contribution to Seychelles’ Tourism Industry as Seychelles Tourism Board Director of Marketing and Chief Executive Officer and as Seychelles’ Minister of Tourism. In 2019 Alain St.Ange was named as part of the “African Travel 100 Global Tourism Personalities” in the TOP 100 GLOBAL TOURISM PERSONALITY Award by ATQ News in Nigeria and on 24th of July 2019 in Johannesburg in South Africa he was named “Change Maker in Tourism Award” at the African Resilience Summit organised by the International Institute for Peace through Tourism (IIPT) in conjunction with the Resilience Council. In October 2020 he entered the “International Hall of Tourism Heroes”. In the same year he was appointed Chairman Board of Trustees of the Arab Tourism News Portal – Al-Masala-Official Tourism Travel Portal News At Middle East.
In 2021 Alain St.Ange was welcomed on the advisory board of the Global India Business Forum as an Honorary Member for the period 2021 – 2025 and was included in the Coffee Table Book “Global Icons of Travel & Tourism” written by the Pacific Area Travel Writers Association covering 50 Tourism Leaders from across the world. He made the 2021 list of “Top 30 Hospitality and Tourism Influencers in Africa” by The Pyne Awards.
Sayari Dunia Sustainable Tourism Foundation of Nigeria appoints Alain St. Ange as a Board Member – This climate action, sustainable tourism, and heritage non – profit and non- governmental organisation is leading a green and sustainability movement in tourism development in Africa through its climate action programmes in support of the UN SDGs and African Union Agenda 2063.
Mr. St.Ange has worked day and night for so many years to better the tourism industry and has been seen speaking at events around the globe. During his years in office as Minister he brought not only himself, but the reputation of his country to become a leading force in international tourism.
Friends with all, enemies with none is what drives Alain St.Ange in the love of the tourism industry.
Alain St.Ange was a directly elected Member of the Seychelles Legislative in 1979 and 2002 and was one of the three Presidential Candidates in the Seychelles 2020 Presidential Elections.
Alain St.Ange studied Hotel Management in Germany and Tourism Management in France. He worked in hotels in Seychelles, the Channel Islands and in Australia. He is a known and respected tourism personality and is often called on to address tourism or air transport on the international circuit because of his in-depth knowledge of the subject matter and his ability to speak ‘off the cuff or from the heart’ as he prefers saying.
