In 2012, visitor arrivals in Seychelles stood at 208,034. The National Bureau of Statistics has today confirmed that as at the 31st December 2013 the visitor arrival figures for 2013 was 230,272.
This represents a percentage increase over 2012 of 10.7% . This figure is over two and a half times the total population of the Seychelles and over five times the working population of the islands.
The Central Bank of Seychelles on its part has also confirmed today that their estimates for tourism earnings in 2013 to have reached USD 343.6 million, this represents an increase of 11 percent over 2012 figures( USD 310.3 million).
These figures were communicated by the Forecasting & Analysis Branch of the Ministry of Finance at Liberty House.
Speaking after the figures were released, Minister Alain St.Ange, the Minister responsible for Tourism and Culture said that he was extending his congratulations to the Seychelles Tourism Board for a job well done. "The strategy in place for marketing Seychelles was working. The annual Marketing Meeting where the industry's Private sector and the Government sit together to plan the year ahead was bringing the results we all wanted and expected. The net has again been dragged to the beach at Beau Vallon and it was full of fish for those interested to come out and collect their share" Minister St.Ange said.
These figures have vindicated the approach taken by the Ministry oaf Tourism and Culture and by the Tourism Board. The country as a whole now needs to move to benefit more form the tourism business and in so doing increase the yield from tourism. "As a country we are often confused with regards to the yield derived from tourism. Government does not set hotel rates, this is done by the respective establishments and they charge depending on what they feel they can charge when faced by competition, not here but in the region and in the world at large. We have to work to reinvest, to upgrade so as to get a better rate, yes,, but at the same time we need to think outside the box and get more activities and facilities for our visitors to use and appreciate. We need to provide more for them to do so they are able to spend. The State will be proactive facilitators, but it is the private sector that now needs to grab opportunities that are up for grab and in so doing increase the country's yield from tourism" Minister Alain St.Ange said.
