Seychelles hails arrival of its 100,000th visitor for 2012

Seychelles hails arrival of its 100,000th visitor for 2012 -

Seychelles’ tourism continues to triumph as the country yesterday welcomed on its shores Dalila Ali Mohamed Minouni as its 100,000th visitor to arrive on the islands for 2012.

Seychelles’ 100,000th visitor with Minister St Ange and Mrs Grandcourt

Unknowingly, Dalila Ali Mohamed Minouni, who is of Moroccan origin but lives in Bahrain, stepped off her Qatar Airways flight that landed at the Seychelles International Airport at 6.45am, as the islands’ 100,000th visitor.

To mark the achievement, a special welcome was organised by the Seychelles Tourism Board (STB).

Dalila Ali Mohamed Minouni was personally greeted on her arrival and presented with a gift pack together with a flower garland by Tourism and Culture minister Alain St Ange along with STB chief executive Elsia Grandcourt.

Dalila Ali Mohamed Minouni, who is on her very first visit to the islands, is in Seychelles on a short two-day stay at Le Méridien Barbarons. She said she decided to visit Seychelles after hearing her brother, who frequently flies to the islands as one of the Qatar Airways crew, talk about the endless charm and beauty of the destination.

“I’m already impressed with Seychelles. It has an air of cosiness and I feel relaxed already,” said an overwhelmed Dalila Ali Mohamed Minouni, adding “I can’t wait to enjoy the lovely beaches that I’ve heard so much about and to taste the Seychelles Creole cuisine.”

Dalila Ali Mohamed Minouni said she hopes to come back to Seychelles on a longer stay later during the year.

Seychelles has this year received its 100,000th visitor earlier than last year, which was on July 16. This represents a positive sign for the islands’ tourism industry which is expected to break a new visitor record if the healthy growth of arrival figures continues throughout the year.

The latest statistical report of the Seychelles National Bureau of Statistics shows that as of Sunday July 1, 98,963 visitors arrived in Seychelles, compared to 92,271 for the same period last year, indicating a 7% increase.

Seychelles first tagged its 100,000th visitor in 1990 and has since then marked the occasion annually.

This year, Seychelles celebrates its 100,000th visitor achievement just a few days before it hosts Routes Africa 2012, the biggest route development event of Africa that is taking place from July 8-10.

Source Seychelles Nation
http://www.nation.sc/index.php?art=28029

Seychelles set to host biggest air transport networking event

Seychelles is set to host the 7th edition of Africa’s biggest air transport networking event, Routes Africa, scheduled to take place from July 8 to 10 at the Kempinski Resort.

Routes Africa is being organised by the Seychelles Tourism Board and Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority alongside the Routes team in UK.

This high level conference, which will be addressing some of the current issues in African aviation and providing opportunities to establish potential for new air traffic routes, has attracted some 286 delegates from airlines, tourism boards and aviation associations from across Africa, the Middle East and beyond.

Delegates at the event will be attending the Routes Africa Strategy Forum which will kick start tomorrow from 1pm with registration, followed by the opening at 2pm by Seychelles’ Minister for Home Affairs and Transport, Joel Morgan.

The Minister for Tourism of South Africa, Marthinus Van Schalkwyk, will then deliver a keynote address.

The forum will end at 5pm and will continue on the following day, Monday July 9, from 9.10am to 11.40am, after which there will be the Interline Workshop that will start with a presentation from 11.40am until 12pm.

Following the presentation, delegates will be able to meet one-on-one from 12pm until 5.15pm.
To officially welcome the delegates, a welcoming ceremony has been organised tomorrow after the last session of the strategy forum, starting at 5.30pm at the Kempinski Seychelles Resort.

The welcoming ceremony will also be attended by a number of Seychelles government officials.

A gala dinner has also been organised as part of the networking opportunities on Monday July 9 from 8pm at the Cap Lazare Restaurant, which will also be attended by Seychelles government officials.

Part of the gala dinner also includes an award presentation by the Routes team. One of the highlights of the evening will be ‘Skippy’, a twin-otter that was part of the Air Seychelles domestic fleet. Skippy has been moved to the restaurant and branded with the Routes Africa logo for a photo opportunity that evening.

The three-day event has also attracted a number of international press that are airline and airport orientated, as well as related to the travel industry.

Source Seychelles Nation