World Travel Market 2015

World Travel Market 2015

06-November-2015
Seychelles promotes itself as sustainable tourism paradise


The Seychelles Minister for Tourism and Culture Alain St Ange was busy on the first day of the World Travel Market (WTM) this week highlighting to the press the virtues of Seychelles as the holiday destination where sustainable tourism approach is high on the island's government agenda.
In the presence of Marie Pierre Lloyd, the high commissioner for Seychelles in the United Kingdom, the Seychelles delegation posed for a souvenir photo after the opening of the WTM held from November 2-5, 2015.
Sixteen Seychelles companies wanting their fair share of the UK tourism market were this year on the Seychelles stand at WTM working alongside the island's tourism board (STB).
These included Air Seychelles, Mason’s Travel, Creole Travel Services, 7 South, Avani Seychelles Barbarons Resort & Spa, Banyan Tree Seychelles, Berjaya Beau Vallon Bay Resort and Casino, Coco De Mer Hotel & Black Parrot Suites, Cerf Island Resort, Coral Strand, Enchanted Island, Denis Island Private, Hilton Seychelles, The H-Resort, Saint Anne Resort & Spa and Savoy Seychelles Resort & Spa.
The STB was represented by Bernadette Willemin, the director for Europe; Tinaz Wadia , UK office manager; Eloise Vidot, marketing executive – UK; and Maria Morel, senior marketing executive from STB’s head office.
The UK currently sits in fifth position for tourism arrivals to Seychelles and arrival figures have this year increased by 33% year on year.
Minister St Ange said at the WTM on its first day that Seychelles was now in a consolidation phase for its tourism industry.
Noting that tourism is the pillar of Seychelles’ economy, Minister St Ange thanked the island's tourism industry who had joined the STB to ensure that the islands remain visible in the UK.
“We are here as a united group because we are conscious that we need to remain visible if we are to be relevant as a holiday destination,” said Minister St Ange. “We are lucky not having to run after mass tourism. We have developed our sustainable tourism label because we want our tourism industry to feel as committed as the government in understanding the need for all of us to be remembered as good custodians of what we have been blessed with. Hotels and resorts who are on board with us and qualify for the label will get it and then from now on be promoted Minister St Ange with the CNN vice-president, Antonio Cantoas such. We need to support those who are supporting the country and who are here with us at the Seychelles stand to work together to keep Seychelles visible in the world of tourism,” said Minister St Ange to the press.
Meanwhile during the ministerial summit at the WTM, Minister St Ange met Antonio Canto, the vice-president of CNN International.
This is the second time that Minister St Ange and Mr Canto meet. The first occasion was in Ghana when the UNWTO (United Nations World Tourism Organisation) organised a ‘Branding for Africa’ meeting.
It was also at this week's WTM that Minister St Ange collected the sought after ‘Country Destination of the Year’ award which this year went to Seychelles. This is the highest recognition issued by the Luxury Travel Guide.

http://www.nation.sc/article.html?id=247389

‘Tourism trade fairs are the place to make one's mark,’ says Minister St Ange

http://www.nation.sc/article.html?id=247390

Can Minister St Ange become the next UNWTO secretary general?

20-November-2015
Tourism and Culture Minister Alain St Ange is among six personalities who can possibly become the next secretary general of the United NationsMinister St Ange World Tourism Organisation.

This is according to an article posted on online news wire www.eturbonews.com.

The article states that the present United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) secretary general Taleb Rifai, who has been in the post since March 2009, disclosed to ministers who were attending the recent World Travel Market in London, that he will be resigning at the next general assembly set to be held in Chengdu, China in 2017.

According to the article, Minister St Ange is one of the candidates for the highest government position in the global travel and tourism world.

A popular speaker at tourism forums and conventions, Mr St Ange has been credited with increasing the visibility of Seychelles in all of the islands’ key markets and having turned the Seychelles tourism industry around since taking office, first as director of tourism and later as chief executive of the Seychelles Tourism Board and then as Tourism and Culture Minister.

“This is good news for Seychelles and it proves that the country is getting a lot of visibility,” said Minister St Ange who has been extremely active in UNWTO recently and brought a lot stronger voice to Africa as a whole.

According to www.eturbonews.com, Minister St Ange is liked in all parts of the world. He is outspoken, approachable, and has helped brought Seychelles to the global map as a world-class island destination.

The other candidates are business executive Gloria Guevara Manzo of Mexico; Carlos Vogeler, the director-executive secretary of Member Relations at the World Tourism Organisation based in Madrid, Spain; the executive director for operational programmes and institutional relations at UNWTO Favilla Lucca de Paula; Xu Jing the regional director for Asia and the Pacific at UNWTO; and Walter Mzembi, a Zimbabwean politician.

http://www.nation.sc/article.html?id=247549

Developing strategies to boost cruise tourism

15-June-2016


Strategies to improve the competitive edge and market share of the eastern and southern African cruise tourism industry within the international cruise business are being developed in a workshop being held at the Seychelles Ports Authority (SPA).
The Seychelles Cruise workshop is in line with the African Union’s Maritime Strategy (Aims) 2050 which seeks to exploit Africa’s Blue Economy and a follow up to a recent study on the potential for cruise development in the Port Management Association for Eastern and Southern Africa (PMAESA) region.
It has been organised by the PMAESA in collaboration with Cruise Indian Ocean Association (CIOA), SPA and the Seychelles Ministry of Tourism.

http://www.nation.sc/article.html?id=249834