Seychelles to host major tourism and aviation meeting

Seychelles to host major tourism and aviation meeting

05-July-2014
The United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) and the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) have launched invitations for tourism and air transport ministers of Africa to gather in Seychelles for the first ever UNWTO & ICAO joint meeting of its kind.

The invitation that is jointly signed by Taleb Rifai, the secretary general of the UNWTO; Alain St Ange, the Seychelles Minister for Tourism and Culture and Raymond Benjamin, the secretary general of the ICAO, reads:

"On behalf of the UNWTO, the ICAO and the government of Seychelles, we have the honour to request your participation in the First UNWTO / ICAO Ministerial Conference on Tourism and Air Transport in Africa. The event will be held in Victoria, Mahé, Seychelles, October 14-15, 2014, with a preparatory meeting for the experts to be held on
October 13, 2014.

The tourism sector in Africa has reached an above average growth rate. However, its full potential still remains untapped. In recognition of tourism's high dependency on air transportation and in light of the critical importance of both tourism and air transportation in the context of economic growth and sustainable development, the conference will focus on Tourism and Air Transport in Africa, with the aim of exploring how to maximise existing resources.

The main objective of the ministerial conference is to highlight and analyse the critical linkages between a robust and revenue-generating African tourism sector, combined with safe, efficient and profitable air transport operations, and forward-looking economic policies that optimise both immediate revenue potential and sustainable socio-economic prosperity for Africa.

As outlined in the enclosed provisional programme, the expert panel discussions will generate ideas and high-level inputs which will then be shared with the ministerial participants for consideration. We firmly believe that this joint UNTWO / ICAO ministerial event represents an important milestone for the two sectors and builds on the Luanda Declaration on Tourism and Air Transport Connectivity, approved earlier this year on the occasion of the 56th meeting of the UNWTO Commission for Africa.

We sincerely hope that you will be able to participate in this unique setting and occasion and we are confident that the knowledge and expertise that will be shared, not to mention the distinctive perspectives of participating African States, will contribute significantly to the delivery of pragmatic, forward-looking proposals that will allow international governments to obtain their fair share out of the future growth of global tourism, ensuring a prosperous and sustainable tomorrow for Africa.”

Minister St Ange told the press that he was thrilled that this historic meeting was taking place in Seychelles.

“Tourism remains the pillar of Seychelles’ economy. Because we are a mid-ocean tropical island nation, we are dependent on air access for our tourism industry. The conference on tourism and air transport by the UNWTO and the ICAO is covering the two key components of life in Seychelles and the economy of Seychelles and delegates to the conference by being in Seychelles will be able to better appreciate the importance of the topic," said Minister St Ange.

http://www.nation.sc/article.html?id=242220

For the first half of the year, Seychelles’ tourism industry has been influenced by external factors which one way or another have impacted on the Seychelles Tourism Board’s (STB) marketing strategies and its state of business.

Despite these unforeseen factors, STB has been able to push forward its set of goals within its marketing strategies.

The board’s forthcoming mid-year marketing meeting will be an ideal platform to present these achievements to its key trade partners and spur discussions on how its state of business has been influenced by these unforeseen tourism aspects.

Rose-Mary Hoareau, director of marketing at the STB, said that this mid-year meeting is crucial for the board.

“The purpose of the mid-year review is primarily to review achievements of the first half of the year and share these knowledge with local trade. It also serves as a forum to discuss aspects of tourism in the coming half of the year, particularly those which have taken place suddenly and were not foreseen at the beginning of the year such as the decrease in the French market and the prospects of direct flights to Seychelles,” Mrs Hoareau said.



STB’s chief executive Sherin Naiken on her part said that the mid-year marketing meeting is of strategic importance for the country.

“Now that we are half way through the year, it is the opportune time for the Seychelles Tourism Board to take stock of the trend on its various markets and take bold measures where necessary,” Ms Naiken said.

The STB mid-year marketing meeting will discuss its current business positioning , difficulties and obstacles in attaining its sets of marketing objectives, internal and external factors impacting positively and negatively on the market, its business operations.

It will also be the opportunity to draft its action plan for the second and third quarter of the year.

The meeting will see presentations by STB’s regional managers in Europe, Africa, Middle East and Asia and will take place on July 16 at the Savoy Resort & Spa, Beau Vallon.


http://www.nation.sc/article.html?id=242219

Tourism academy students on work attachment in Mauritius

05-July-2014
Twelve students from the Seychelles Tourism Academy (STA) who are studying for their Advanced Diploma in Hospitality Management (ADHM) are on a three-month work attachment at the Constance Belle Mare Plage Resort in Mauritius.

This is the fourth batch of advanced diploma students in hospitality management studies and they are seen by the STA as a very special group.

It was this same group that originally was attached with the University of Seychelles to pursue their course and who had requested to return to the STA for their ADHM that would also take them to Shannon College of Hotel Management in Ireland.

Prior to their departure to Mauritius, the students accompanied by their parents met the Minister for Tourism and Culture Alain St Ange at his ministry at Espace to collect their airline tickets, stipend and travelling documents.

Minister St Ange couldn’t bid them farewell without addressing them words of encouragement:

“If you are where you are today, it is because you’ve proven to have so much determination. I am sure all of you want to succeed with flying colours, not only to make yourselves proud, but to make Seychelles proud,” said Minister St Ange in the presence of STA principal Flavien Joubert; Peter Moncherry, general manager of the Hotel D’Application and Stella Bergman, manager of ADHM studies.

Minister St Ange gave the students an oversight of what awaits them in Mauritius.

“Work closely with the hotel’s general manager. Work on your weaknesses and build on your strength. Yes, there will be challenges. Go to people that will be there to help, put forward your constraints and climb your way to overcome your challenges,” Minister St Ange said.

The minister said it’s always rewarding for the STA and for the Ministry of Tourism and Culture to send students on work attachments ahead of their further training in Ireland.
The twelve students will be back in Seychelles in September 2014.

http://www.nation.sc/article.html?id=242217