Our strategy is to build a better Tourism Sector for SeychellesSherin Francis
Tourism Seychelles has revealed its commitments to building a tourism industry, which will be premised on high impact value for its tourists.
The archipelago country’s tourism sector has seen major changes to its offering as well as an incredible growth of new markets for the destination. Notable amongst the tourism offering is the introduction of ecotourism, hiking trails, mainstreaming the rich cultural heritage among others. Welcoming over 65 travel and media partners to the inaugural Tourism Seychelles mega fam trip to a cocktail reception, the Principal Secretary of Tourism Seychelles Mrs Sherin Francis revealed the plans of the island going forward with emphasis on product and market diversifications.
‘’50 percent of our landmass are today protected, and 30 percent of our sea territory are also today protected because we are not just safeguarding this for the future generation, but we are also making sure we are taking care of our bread and butter. .’’ Mrs Francis said.
We want the future generation also to be future tourists, your children, grandchildren to be able to come and visit Seychelles and experience the same thing that you are about to discover in the next few days. And our strategy, going forward, is to build a better kind of tourism for Seychelles. Higher value, lower impact. And when I say higher value, I mean people who really add value to the destination when they visit. Not just luxury clients here. You can have higher value tourism, lower impact as well. Highlighting on the wide range of accommodation offering, the Principal Secretary said, ‘’You would know we have a wide range of accommodation in Seychelles. We have beautiful resorts like this one, the Constance Ephelia, but we also have homegrown properties, self-catering apartments and and guest houses. We want them to provide exceptional services, we want their products to be of higher standards, so that they can attract better kinds of visitors that will benefit the whole destination at the end of the day.
The kind of visitors that will want to go out and discover, and go out and do an excursion, go to a hiking, experience a cultural product, living more than just, the waste that it would probably produce like we all do when we travel and also lower impact.’’ She assured of rich cultural experiences on the itinerary of every visitor.
“For those of you who have been here seven years, I know somebody who just told me seven years ago he was there, probably you did not get to experience this. But today, with, focus on product diversification, having more cultural experiences, We have also, encouraging our visitors to make time to discover more of the Seychellois culture. “The gastronomy, arts, dance, crafts, artisan, all this today are on offer, and you are able to experience and immerse yourself in more cultural experiences, activities, entertainment in general.
“Again, going back, you’d be able to tell your clients and the world that we are not just a country as small as we are as a population, as young as we are as a nation, we only just celebrated 250 years, two years ago, very young nation, but we still have a very beautiful story in terms of our past and we are known to be the melting pot of cultures, you’ve probably noticed how distinctively different we are,” she concluded.
Moreover, in her address during the media fam trip briefing, Director General for Destination Marketing at Tourism Seychelles Bernadette Willemin, underscored the importance of working together to showcase destination Seychelles to the world. She expressed immense appreciation to partners local and international for their dedication and commitments to the Seychelles project.
‘’So as professionals in the travel trade, you understand the transformative power of exploration. You are the architects of dreams, crafting unforgettable experiences for those seeking adventure, relaxation and cultural enrichment. This evening is a salute of your dedication and passion for creating moments that linger in the hearts of the travelers. And we do hope as well that when you go back there, you will be able to craft and create and propose the best sessions moment for your potential visitors,” Mrs Willemin said.
Touching on the objectives of the maiden mega fam trip, The Director General for Destination Marketing said the mega fam trip was to showcase the diverse product offering to the travel trade and media.
“This familiarization trip is intended to showcase aspects of intellectual discoveries, cultural discoveries, which our destination has to offer.
“It is not just a trip. It is an immersive experience designed to deepen your understanding of our unique offerings.
“Apart from picturesque landscape to vibrant culture, this trip aims to inspire and equip you with first-hand knowledge that will elevate your ability to create extraordinary journeys for our visitors. In the realm of travel, knowledge is the currency that enriches experiences. It is our shared commitment to staying informed,” she said further.
She was also optimistic the mega fam trip will be the catalyst for new connections, fresh ideas, and a renewed passion for the incredible world of travel. Tourism is the top contributor to the economy of Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean.
The event, which took place from November 29 to December 2, 2023 and had representatives from 46 travel agencies and 19 press partners. The participants came from United Kingdom, France, Germany, Austria, Scandinavia, the Americas, the Middle East, China, Japan, India, Saudi Arabia, and countries from the Indian Ocean, and Africa.