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Seychelles Tourism on the road again

Seychelles Tourism on the road again

Seychelles Tourism Board confirms success of second edition of Reunion Island road show.

A Seychelles delegation met tour operators and travel trade representatives in the towns of St. Gilles and St. Pierre on Reunion Island for networking sessions from October 4-6. One of the private sector representatives from Creole Travel Services said that the 2016 edition of the Reunion road show was a great success.
The Seychelles Tourism Board’s second edition of their Reunion Island road show confirmed private sector confidence in the potential of business for Seychelles from that nearby island.

The Seychelles delegation was comprised of 7 degrees South, Mason’s Travel, Creole Travel Services, Constance Hotels, Seychelles European Reservations, and a representative of the Seychelles Hospitality and Tourism Association. The roadshow was headed by Alain St.Ange, the island’s Minister for Tourism and Culture, and Bernadette Willemin, the Seychelles Tourism Board’s Paris-based Director for Europe and responsible for the Reunion market, as well as Bernadette Honore, the Seychelles Tourism Board Senior Marketing Executive for Reunion.


“The Reunion road show was well organized and very fruitful. It was the perfect opportunity for us to meet with our tourism trade partners in Reunion, and through various discussions we were able to identify the obstacles they are facing in selling the destination. The way forward now is to find out how, by working together, we can tackle those issues so that we can increase the number of visitors from Reunion who travel to the Seychelles,” said the Creole Travel Services representative after the event.

Nathalie Du Buisson, representing the Seychelles Hospitality and Tourism Association, also hailed the success of the road show.

“La Reunion was a great success through the networking possibilities with the different TA [travel agents] and TO [tour operators] and press that were present,” she said.

She added that the Air Austral new flight schedule effective November 2016 will be a great boost for further developing this tourism source market.

“The two direct flights with the new arrival/departure timing has been a major boost, and this will now encourage our smaller properties and hotel members to review their strategy on that market and set up packages for both couples and families that will benefit the Reunion market,” Mrs. Du Buisson said.

On their part, the Seychelles Tourism Board sees such an event conducted on Reunion island as an ideal marketing tool for this tourism source market.



Bernadette Willemin said: “This Seychelles event is a favorite amongst the travel trade, and this year was no exception, as this was clearly seen by the attendance in each town we visited. It is very important to host such dedicated Seychelles events in Reunion, not only to create the awareness but also to bring our beautiful islands into the lime light as we showcase the public/private sector partnership existing with our tourism trade partners. The roadshow also helps to reinforce the relationship between Seychelles and the Reunion travel trade.”

The Seychelles Tourism Board has already set the calendar for the third edition of their road show on Reunion Island for the April 2-6, 2017.

PHOTO (L-R): Bernadette Honore, Seychelles Tourism Board; Lucy Jean Louis, Mason’s Travel; Nathalie Du Buisson, Seychelles Hospitality and Tourism Association; Stephanie Ernesta, 7 degrees South; Alain St.Ange, Minister for Tourism and Culture; Bernadette Willemin, Seychelles Tourism Board; Daniella Payet, European Reservation; Melissa Quatre, Creole Travel Services; Karen Venance, Air Austral; Eric Reard, Creole Travel Services. Missing in the group photo: Fabrice Maingard, Constance Hotels.

For more information on Seychelles Minister of Tourism and Culture Alain St.Ange, visit alainstange.com.

Seychelles is a founding member of the International Coalition of Tourism Partners (ICTP).

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