Týden turistiky viděný očima Alaina St. Angela

In the presence of the main tourism professionals of Seychelles and friends of the island’s tourism industry who had gathered at the Berjaya Beau Vallon Bay Resort and Casino for the Seychelles Annual

In the presence of the main tourism professionals of Seychelles and friends of the island’s tourism industry who had gathered at the Berjaya Beau Vallon Bay Resort and Casino for the Seychelles Annual Tourism Ball, Alain St.Ange, the Seychelles Minister responsible for Tourism and Culture, delivered his address to officially declare Tourism Week 2013 opened.

Present at the function were the Seychelles Senior Minister, Designated Minister Vincent Meriton, Minister for Home Affairs and Transport Joel Morgan, the Minister responsible for Labor and Human Resource Development Idith Alexander, CEO of the Tourism Board Sherin Naiken, PS for Tourism Anne Lafortune, PS for Culture Benjamine Rose, and many of the island’s senior civil servants and the local press.

Minister Alain St.Ange used the opportunity to review the happenings in the island’s tourism industry. The Minister said:

“Ministers, Excellencies, Friends of the Tourism Industry,

“It is indeed a pleasure to address you once again at our annual Seychelles Tourism ball, which this year will also mark the opening of our tourism week. This event is unique by a thousand miles, because it is the only public/private sector social event aimed at opening avenues for dialogue through a social gathering. You are here because you believe in our tourism industry, you are here because you understand it, and you are here because you want to see it grow and you are not shy to say so.

“This year, I believe the theme chosen by the UNWTO – ‘Tourism and Water: Protecting our Common Future’ – enhances the work we as a nation are doing to further promote eco-friendly tourism practices in our industry. Water is crucial for the sustainable development of our tourism industry, and water will be a win for Seychelles if altogether we can better manage this precious resource.

“Excellencies, friends of the Seychelles tourism industry, now in the last quarter of 2013, Seychelles’ tourism arrival figures are showing a 13% rise over last year as we continue to consolidate our traditional core European markets, while at the same time diversifying into new ones worldwide, such as neighboring Africa, the Middle East, the Americas, and the Far East.

“We are also developing new partnerships to ensure we remain accessible as a destination to our core markets, as well as our potential markets. Earlier this year in April 2013, Air Seychelles, now in equity partnership with Etihad, launched its inaugural flight to Hong Kong, and as of the month of November, another new airline partner, Sri Lankan Airlines, plans to introduce new direct services to Seychelles.

“The new service will operate initially twice a week and will connect the two Indian Ocean states directly. The routing is expected to be attractive to tour operators who could look to package more Indian Ocean countries together as Seychelles continues to push the idea of twin-hub holidays with partner destinations. Sri Lankan Airlines will be an added air connectivity to India, China, and more.

“This comes over and above our other partners, namely: Emirates, Condor, Kenya Airways, and Ethiopian Airlines. And we are hoping that early next year to welcome once again Air Austral and Air Madagascar to bring better air connectivity between our Indian Ocean Islands and beyond.

“Our efforts to ensure that we remain visible as a destination have not gone unnoticed. The awards we continue wining are testimony to that: these includes ADUTEI (Association of the Tourism Board in Italy), Best TV & Radio Program 2012, Best Honeymoon Destination (World Travel Fair China), Top Islands Destination (Guangzhou International Travel Fair), Best Emerging Destination (Travelling Daily – Tourism PR Company), and ROUTES Africa 2013 Best Destination Management Award, while its beaches have recently been ranked top in the world by CNN.

“Additionally, early this year Seychelles was also recognized for its visibility in the African region through the Travel and Tourism (T&T) Competitiveness report 2013, published by the World Economic Forum which is a vindication of efforts to push Seychelles’ brand in the region as well as globally.

“Excellencies, friends of the Seychelles tourism industry,

“Seychelles has made its mark by remaining at the forefront of the Vanilla Islands initiative, the regional umbrella organization to promote the tourism of its member countries: Seychelles, Madagascar, La Reunion, Mauritius, Mayotte, Comores, and now the Maldives where I have just been re-elected as the body’s President for a second mandate. Furthermore, Derek Savy, a qualified Seychellois, has been appointed as the organization’s Marketing Director – all moves that will greatly enhance our drive to grow the local tourism industry.

“Other successes that I wish to highlight is our attendance to the UNWTO General Assembly in Zambia and Zimbabwe at which our former CEO of The Seychelles Tourism Board, Elsia Grandcourt, was confirmed in her appointment as UNWTO Regional Director for Africa, an appointment that is a great source of pride for Seychelles. It is at this very UNWTO General Assembly that Seychelles got elected to sit on the UNWTO, the United Nations World Tourism Organization’s Executive Council. This should help keep Seychelles and the region in the forefront of world tourism.

“Other of our most recent achievements includes the inclusion in the ‘East-3-Route’ initiative. After a year-long process, we were finally admitted as a member of the ‘East-3-Route’ initiative that was originally a grouping of KwaZulu Natal of South Africa, Swaziland, and Mozambique, spearheaded personally by former President Nelson Mandela of South Africa, President Joaquim Chissano of Mozambique, and His Majesty the King of Swaziland, in 1998. Seychelles now joins as a proud new member to pursue the goals of promoting eco-tourism development, capitalizing on the region’s exciting topographical landmarks and emphasizing the existing blend of cultural and historical heritage.

“We continue to take new approaches and make great strides to remain relevant in the fast-changing tourism market.

“In line with our policy of reaching out to partners in the region and beyond, last month we signed an MOU of cooperation in the field of tourism, opening up new avenues of collaboration across a broad spectrum of activities with South Africa. The same was done with Zambia but a month later.

“But all these achievements would have been impossible without the help of our partners locally and abroad, who have recognized the need for change and the need for innovation – and have continually worked with us to keep the tourism industry booming.

“Excellencies, friends of the Seychelles tourism industry,

“Using such platforms as our annual carnival, Seychelles continues to act as facilitator between the Vanilla Islands members in their attempt to further highlight the individual tourism assets of these western Indian Ocean islands, enhancing their appeal to regional travelers.

“As we continue to work on the development of our first sustainability label, we strive to optimize economic benefits for communities and contributing to the preservation of natural and cultural treasures.

“As you all know, I keep an open-door policy, a policy which enables me to keep abreast with developments in the industry at large. This also permits me to work in close partnership and take further whatever issues that arise so that we may come to a compromise that is beneficial to the growth of our industry.

“It is for this reason that I am appealing to all of you present today, you who are committed to see our tourism industry grow, and you who are not shy to show that you believe in the tourism industry, I am appealing to you to continue the good work we have already completed so far. Let us continue presenting a united front in order to nurture this vital industry, the industry that remains the pillar of our economy.

“With this I declare Tourism Week 2013 officially open, may you benefit immensely from it.

“I thank you all for joining us for the first event launching Tourism Week 2013.”

O autorovi

Avatar Lindy Hohnholzové

Linda Hohnholzová

Šéfredaktor pro eTurboNews se sídlem v eTN HQ.

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