Saint Ange Tourism Report 20th May 2019

The Editorial this week highlights:- a. Tourism- Government must remain the facilitators and they must allow the Private Sector Trade to lead the industry. b. Seychelles looses Elodia Payet – a pioneer of its tourism industry. c. Indian Ocean Integration is a fiction – but these great islands could see a different future if Foreign Military Bases bring super power rivalry to the Indian Ocean. d. President of the African Tourism Board I have been invited to speak at the IATA Regional Aviation Forum in Ghana. e. Statue of Sir James Mancham erected in Victoria Peace Park. f. Tourist Excursion Rates go up in Seychelles. g. Flying the Flag – Arnold Classic Africa men’s bodybuilding over all winner Ziad Mekdachi, Seychelles. Stand alone articles this week:- 1. Alain St.Ange, President of the African Tourism Board to speak at the IATA Regional Aviation Forum in Ghana. 2. This is the life:- a charming yet elegant cottage encapsulated by a tropical garden with your own private beach on Denis Private Island. 3. Domaine de La Reserve of Praslin in Seychelles says it has the three ‘P’ for success. 4. Seychellois Islanders taking the lead in island’s hospitality – Sunset Beach Hotel & Village du Pecheur. 5. Basil Soundy says:- OUR ISLANDS, OUR HOME “One Country, One People, One Seychelles” . 6. Anita Mendiratta Recognised By IIPT on United Nations International Day Of Living Together In Peace. 7. Corals can be seen in stunning colours in the day – at night spectacular coral fluorescence. 8. Air Seychelles signs partnership deal with ‘AirFi’. 9. A New Luxury Resort Is Opening in Mauritius — and It’s Literally Paradise. 10. Maritime security the Seychelles way. 11. Tortoises rule on this isolated island. 12. International Cooperation between Seychelles and a Baltic Island, Minister Dogley Visits German Beach Clean-up Project. 13. Tanzania prepares for ban on plastic bags from 01st of June. 14. Marine Conservation Society Seychelles (MCSS) marks “World Turtle Day”. 15. Closing Notes.

Welcome to this 20th edition of Vol 3 of the Saint Ange Tourism Report of 2019.

Tourism continues to be talked about everywhere in Seychelles. The public interest in tourism shows clearly the importance of this industry that is now not only the pillar of the island’s economy, but that it is also the industry where so many Seychellois have invested heavily and where so many are employed in a bid to maintain their livelihood. The President of South Africa said, and I repeat his comment:- “Tourism is a new gold ready to be explored and that tourism is an industry that has tremendous potential for further growth and job creation”. This statement can easily be put into the Seychelles context as it can be placed in an Africa wide context.

The Government must remain the facilitators and they must allow the Private Sector Trade to lead the industry. The Private Sector Trade are the front line team and they are the first to feel the effects when the industry suffers a setback or a slow down. The facilitators are not, and they should not decide by themselves on matters that have a direct or for that matter, an indirect impact on the running of the tourism industry.

Those in the Tourism Industry must be treated equally. Favouring one player versus an other only breeds discourse and bad vibes that is then felt across the industry. Islands that are all part of the Seychelles Group must all be treated equally. The shocking news about a proposed landing fee of rupees two hundred for both Praslin and La Digue Islands will give operators on Mahe an unfair advantage over those making a living on the two tourism dependent islands of Praslin and La Digue. The people of these two islands will suffer with Government led increases. The disastrous ‘Gold Card’ trial many years ago, and its effects on Seychelles Tourism should never be forgotten. let alone repeated.

Today it is very clear that Praslin and La Digue needs a booking platform for their island’s tourism supporting industries and for their ‘home gown’ establishments. Government should be assisting to see this materialise and ensure everyone is working instead of being tempted to even consider punishing the tourism industry of these two islands and the Praslinois and Diguois as a whole by introducing landing fees for visitors venturing outside the main island of Mahe.

A call to respect those islanders is today being made.

Seychelles looses Elodia Payet – a pioneer of its tourism industry

Elodia Payet

A celebration to mark life of Elodia, Marie-Andree Ravinia Payet was held on the 22 May at the Anse Royale Church in the presence of her family, friend and many from the Tourism Industry. Madame Ravinia Payet and her late husband Frank joined the tourism industry of Seychelles soon after the opening of Seychelles International Airport with their very successful Rose Cottage Bungalows at Pointe au Sel. This gave them the confidence to move to Praslin and start the Cote D’Or’s Le Duc de Praslin that is today being managed by their son Robert.

Frank and Elodia Payet were both very active members of their industry’s association and they worked tirelessly to establish the base on which the Seychelles tourism industry is founded.

Let me today again express my sincere sympathy to her son and daughter-in-law Robert and Lisa Payet and to their family and also to Marinette, Gyslaine, Kathleen, May, Melita, Elvina, Charmaine and Benjamin, the sisters and brothers of Elodia. We pray for you all to have the strength and courage to cope in this difficult period.
Indian Ocean Integration is a fiction – but these great islands could see a different future if Foreign Military Bases bring super power rivalry to the Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean archipielagos part of Fiction State Great Islands
namely the Maldives, the Seychelles, Mauritius & Rodrigues,
and later Mayotte and Reunion
(National Geographic & Author’s composition)

JAMES P. MONFORT’s Narrative in progress and is expected to be completed soon. This fiction novel speaks about the three archipielagos in the Indian Ocean, namely the Maldives, the Seychelles and Mauritius with Rodrigues being among the most visited tourist destinations in the World per capita basis. Along an independent Chagos the four nations will integrate in the new Fiction State of Great Islands, to later join the Comoros, Madagascar, Mayotte and Reunion (French posessions) to accomplish the dream of Indian Ocean integration A fiction, yes but that is coming out when the Indian Ocean Islands are facing unprecedented challenges. These islands (with the exception of Maldives) are today working happily as the Indian Ocean Vanilla Islands, but the super power rivalry is slowly but surely starting to bring ripples that may destabilise these tourism dependent islands. Seychelles has seen politicians push for the military base then backtracking from their own stated commitment. Government did a country lap selling the military base concept only to then stand quiet. Tourism and Military Bases caught in super power rivalry cannot be the Unique Selling Point (USP) the Indian Ocean Islands will be pushing at the coming Top Resa Tourism Trade Fair in Paris or WTM in London and ITB in Berlin. Sir James R. Mancham, the founding President of Seychelles was right to have pushed for the ‘friend of all and enemies of none’ foreign policy. Let us commit to save our islands and keep power struggle as far away as possible from our shores. Seychelles has been lucky to have benefited from the NGO Preserve Seychelles under the leadership of Terry Sandapin with Julia Morin as Secretary of the NGO. They stood with their committed patriots even in the streets of Victoria to defend the sovereignty of Seychelles.

The challenges facing the Indian Ocean Islands comes at a time when world news speak of Oil price rising after middle East tensions. On the World News / Travel News Wire this week the following was posted:- “Crude prices rallied on Monday, hitting multi-week highs amid geopolitical tensions, as Saudi Arabia and fellow oil suppliers signalled that they might keep output cuts after the OPEC+ deal expires. Brent crude futures enjoyed a positive start to the week and rose 1.3 percent to $73.11 per barrel at 08:11am GMT, having earlier reached $73.39, the highest since April 26. Meanwhile, US crude benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) was up $1.05 to $63.81 a barrel early on Monday, the highest since May 1, before sliding to $63.32 later in the day”.

Let us all understand that uncertainty, and conflict zones are not compatible to tourism and that this pushes for the tourism industry to suffer.

Preserve Seychelles is set to be officially launched in a dinner dance on the 29th June. This date also marks Seychelles Independence from Great Britain and Seychellois should all come together to now say we want to remain independent and friend of all and enemy of none.

As President of the African Tourism Board I have been invited to speak at the IATA Regional Aviation Forum in Ghana

As President of the African Tourism Board I have been invited by Mr. Muhammad Ali Albakri, IATA’s Regional Vice President, Africa & Middle East to Ghana for the 24 and 25 of June for the IATA Regional Aviation Forum. Airlines development and tourism go hand in hand and this IATA invitation will give the perfect opportunity to push for tourism to support aviation and for aviation to see itself as the partner of tourism as Civil Aviation Authorities is reminded that it is through constant dialogue that positive measures are implemented for the greater good of the country.

Statue of Sir James Mancham erected in Victoria Peace Park

Standing with Sir James Mancham after he supported the Seychelles Candidature for the position of Secretary General of the UNWTO 

A statue of Sir James Mancham, the founding President of Seychelles has been erected in the Victoria Peace Park. The statue will be unveiled next month during the National Day Celebrations. Many in the islands had been advocating for Seychelles International Airport to be renamed JRM International Airport as he was personally instrumental in getting the airport for Seychelles which launched the island’s tourism industry.

Tourist Excursion Rates go up in Seychelles

Effective 1st June Cousin Island will be increasing its landing fees to Scr.600 per adult and the same amount for children who previously did not pay and the Seychelles National Park Authority will be increasing its fees to the Curieuse National Park to Scr.300 per adult. No change in child rate 02-12 years.

The increase in excursion rates with hit excursions that take in the islands of Praslin and La Digue Excursion on Mahe will remain unchanged

Flying the Flag – Arnold Classic Africa men’s bodybuilding over all winner Ziad Mekdachi, Seychelles

Ziad Mekdachi
Seychelles

Congratulations to Ziad Mekdachi for winning the Arnold Classic Africa men’s bodybuilding. He is credited through perseverance and dedication to his sport as the over all winner.

Flying the flag
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