Hon. Alain St. Ange has been one of the most outspoken and accessible ministers of tourism. His out of the box ideas, his carnival of the nations, his approach to d interested the world in his Island Nation known as paradise on earth, has earned him respect everywhere in the world.
He told eTN: 2016 has been another successful year for the Seychelles tourism industry. We succeeded to go against the trend and grow our visitor arrival numbers. Last year we recorded a 19% growth over 2014 and this year we are finishing the year with a further growth of 10% over 2015. A remarkable story of success and this was achieved because we remained united as One People for our One Seychelles.
Tourism in Seychelles saw its private sector trade work with the public sector as an example in what is today being called the Public-Private Sector Partnership. On the environmental front we are seeing the new buzz words of Sustainable Tourism, Green Tourism and Eco-Tourism making headway as the world takes notice of the need to preserve and protect what we have. For Seychelles this practice has always been on our agenda but it was simply referred to as Conservation and the drive for us as Seychellois to be seen as “Good Custodians of What We Have Been Blessed With”.
The Cruise Ship Business is flourishing in the Indian Ocean as a whole through the tireless effort of the Indian Ocean Vanilla Islands and the work of our regional organization should continue to bring more of this niche-market to Seychelles.
Our Air Access is today pitching Seychelles as being only one stop from anywhere in the world. Seychelles has succeeded in attracting airlines to its shores and this has helped to consolidate the island’s tourism industry.
Seychelles needs to continue to work hard if it wants to claim its fair share of the tourism trade. It is set to get tougher in the world of marketing as everyone is fighting for their share as well. Budgets for marketing is growing and smaller countries like Seychelles needs to continue to be innovative to remain visible at all times. This is the only way for Seychelles to remain relevant.
The Seychelles Ministry of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine is counting on each and every Seychellois to continue to work with them to defend, protect and help the consolidation process of the tourism in Seychelles. The wish is also to appeal to the negative news distributors to think of Seychelles and the Seychellois people instead of working against the industry that is so needed by Seychelles for only political reasons.
From the mid-ocean tropical islands of the Seychelles, I join the Community of Nations to wish Colleague Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine Ministers a great festive season. Together we have done a lot for our respective countries and we should continue to work positively together to consolidate the industry that remains the backbone of so many of our countries. To my fellow Seychellois and to the Business Community of Seychelles I also say Merry Christmas and Happy 2017. We have achieved a lot and we can do much more together for our One Seychelles. As we near the end of 2016 we all today know that the world has realized that the spreading of the disease of malicious and negative fabricated news on Social Media is damaging the industry that feeds many and that enables small entrepreneurs to stand side by side with big consortiums. It is not policies that will change this but the raising of awareness of this ‘mercenary approach’ and the need to shame the perpetrators that will bring common sense and the adoption of respect to these keyboard warriors.
Enjoy the Festive Season. Alain St.Ange – Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine, SEYCHELLES
