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| Alain St.Ange |
“It
was at the 2011 December marketing meeting at Le Meridien Barbarons
attended by the Heads of the Tourism Board, Members of the Island’s
Private Sector, all the Tourism Board’s overseas Directors and the
Heads of Ile La Reunion Tourism, that the forecast for the visitor
arrival target for 2012 was called. Today we can all see that the
Tourism Board had not only been realistic with their forecast, but
that had proposed a well calculated plan of action for
developing Seychelles tourism when they knew that the main
markets for Seychelles were suffering from their own
economic difficulties. It is easy to take the efforts of those in the
frontline for granted, but when we see what is happening in other
tourism destinations, and when we read what the big boys in the
regional world of tourism are saying, we must and we should be humble
enough to say congratulations to the Team at the Tourism Board who
have worked hard during the 2012” Minister St.Ange said.
“But
as we celebrate as a country on our achievements of 2012, we must
also appreciate that the existing public / private sector partnership
has brought positive results for Seychelles. The private sector
has worked side by side with the Government Agencies in the promotion
of Seychelles, and they have again shown their commitment
by comingout
last December to work with the Tourism Board on the country’s 2013
Marketing Plan. I have personally maintained a close working
relationship with the private sector and continue to meet their
elected representatives on a regular basis” the Seychelles Minister
for Tourism said.
Seychelles is
today receiving in visitor arrival numbers well over two times its
total population and around five times its adult working population.
These mid ocean tropical islands with a weather pattern that has
given them the name of the tourism destination with a perpetual
summer are dependent on their tourism industry. This is why the
island’s Minister responsible for Tourism and Culture is often
heard saying that they are not allowed to fail in their work to
market the islands and to continue to consolidate
the Seychelles Tourism Industry.
“As
we start 2013 my appeal is to the Tourism Industry as a whole to
continue to work as a united team forSeychelles. In so doing each and
everyone will see their respective businesses grow. You have been
calling for more funds to go to marketing and for 2013 Government has
heard your pleas and you will continue to be consulted on how we
spend these funds that will be operated from an account at a private
bank. We understand the need to now gradually increase further the
yield from tourism and we commit to working with the trade as they
review their rates they feel is most suited for their respective
business” Minister Alain St.Ange said.
Hotels
in Seychelles have always said that they are not competing
among themselves, but suffer when price dumping occurs in the region.
This is why Seychelles has been playing a leading role in
the Indian Ocean Vanilla Islands Regional Organisation. They have
said over and over again that if the region works as a team, then
each and every island of the region will come out as winners.
The Seychelles President,
Mr James Michel has declared that
2013 will be the year for “Striving for our Seychelles,” in
order to reinforce the progress that has been achieved and to
overcome the challenges of the continued global recession.
The Seychelles President said that the life of a people is
defined by the capacity to overcome difficulties, overcome obstacles,
without giving up and that these abilities are what make us stronger
as human beings and render us valiant as a people.
President
James Michel said as he declared the theme for the islands
that: “Life does not improve by chance. Progress comes from
positive changes and hard work. We have to sail away from the coast
in order to discover new oceans, new horizons. Have courage. Have
belief. Assume our responsibilities…”
The Seychelles President’s
message reaffirms the conclusions of the last Marketing Meeting held
at Hilton Silhouette Labriz Resort
and Spa where the private sector trade and the
Tourism Board sat together and agreed to move to discover new oceans
and new horizons for the country’s tourism industry.
“It
was agreed at the 2012 Marketing Meeting that Seychelles needed
to remain proactive and to continue to work on diversification of our
island’s tourism markets as we relook at measures to reclaim our
fair share of the traditional main markets. It was also agreed that
even more needed to be done to keep Seychelles visible in
the four corners of the world and here the Friends of Seychelles in
the Press Fraternity will be called upon to assist” Minister
St.Ange said.
