Seychelles tourism falls out from Ukraine, Russia conflict

The military standoff between Russia and the Ukraine may have softened somewhat, but its effects are still rippling around the world. Tour companies in Seychelles, a popular destination for both Russians and Ukrainians say they’ve experienced a marked decline in the number of travellers coming from the region. The upsurge in geopolitical issues with economic ramifications are putting more pressure on countries like the Seychelles to diversify its tourism target markets.
Tourism is the lifeblood of the Seychelles economy, accounting for 70% of GDP. Over 240 000 tourists visit the islands annually. Europe remains the country’s biggest market.
"Without Europe we would be dead but when Europe went into economic difficulties we diversified very fast. (JC) Russia today is an important, very important market for Seychelles. they’ve not been affected with the crisis that is taking part but Ukraine was as important and there we’ve suffered," Seychelles Tourism Minister Alaine St Ange said.
The Island is famous for its pristine blue waters and white sandy beaches. China and the Middle East are also becoming key markets. While tourism is growing in Seychelles, the government is clear that it doesn’t want to over commercialise the Islands.
"We also don’t want every beach of Seychelles to disappear. We want the people to keep getting access to that so we have calculated with the land use plan where a hotel can be built and what types of hotels can be built," Alaine St Ange said.

While these beautiful white beaches remain the main attraction in the Seychelles, tourist operators are looking at other ways of using the island to provide a better offering to tourists.
"If they are staying on Mahe they will definitely want to do Praslin and La Digue. So during their stay they will not see only one island. Sometimes they will be doing three or four or five islands depending on the excursions. The excursions, they are daily excursions that we have," Doris Coopasamy, Product And Contract manager with 7 South, said.
Seychelles remains largely underdeveloped. A strategic move by the government to preserve the country’s natural beauty.
"The unique beaches that we have and you know the coral and the granite make-up of the islands is very unique and sets us apart from Maldives and Mauritius. And our eco tourism policy and stategy is about preserving the islands," May De Silva, marketing manager for 7 South said.
Seychelles is working hard to attract tourists from new markets and reduce its dependence on Europe, especially in light of what’s happening in Ukraine. But its hopeful that tensions in that region will soon subside.

http://english.cntv.cn/2014/06/24/VIDE1403567161509447.shtml

Comments

  1. Thanks God. No more prostitutes and mafioso for the time being.

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  2. 00.41
    There is a real different between victims of Sex trade which of course includes Ukrainian,Russians and real tourists.We are referring to the later.Yes,Morgan has illegally put in place a system that allowed Russian Maifias to live on our shores,even gifted them our paritmony so that they can operate with impunity their criminal business of our shores.Morgan as you well aware created an illegal system"which allow international mafias who have one million dollar to live here,and of course they are gifted our passport too.By doing so,international Maifias can hide,operate their criminal businesses directly from our shores,as Kempski hotel in known for doing.They can do it without worry ,they can launder the criminal money and of course Partielepep pocket their bribes from it.So do not put all in the same bag.Sex slaves are victims,we should defence them and expose the culprits instead.

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  3. Misel nou pas pour j'amais sirport ou encore.
    We know your back is stuck against the wall with all those comments the bloggers are voicing and you SIR knows very well it's the truth.
    No matter how many time you are going to repeat: LOZMAN,LOGMANTASYON,ATRAVERLON'N,ENTANTIFYE NOU ZEFOR,ZOT PROP LAKAZ, and not forgetting KOSTO and KAPAB.
    The end of parti lepip are near,and very near.

    En ansyen siporter SPPF Glasic

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  4. Russian are spreading violence all over Ukraine with outside fighters, Mafiosi are importing deadly drug and bitches on our shore.

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  5. Kerry US and EU to take though sanction on Russia I welcome it.

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  6. blah, blah, blah this system is still bullshiting our nation. Look at St ange well, scratching his bold head is a sign of lying to the people and thinking what bullshit to give next. Even the old silly man SNN discovered their secret bullshit and published for the whole world to read.

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  7. St Ange says"we must explore over non-European market and diversifies it----Well,St Ange we have not exploited all European markets yet--Sweden,Norway,Demark-- among European richest Nations and they do go on holiday too ,as massively as the French,Germany ,but we donot see a single one of them in Seychelles ..Australia is in fact Asian biggest market,there almost nothing has been done by St Ange attract them to Seychelles.The alter travel to South Africa in mass and other part of the world,Why not Seychelles St Ange?becuase there is bad flight connections to our shores.And one more thing St Ange---CAPO VERDE attracts over ONE MILLION visitors annually where are they from--well St Ange most of them are Europeans ,And you know why the alter go to CAPO VERDE in millions ?Becuase there is good connectivity from Europe to Capo Verde St Ange.

    On the Above blogger's comment--we are discussing about the fall of Ukrainian visitors to our shores not RUSSIAN - Ukriane conflict-----It is neither USA nor European who would stop Russian actions -but Putin alone.

    Jeanne D'Arc


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  8. Michel and apritlepep love Sir Lankan Preisdent---as partilepep he butcherd hundreds of thousands of his people.

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  9. All butchers like other butchers he also had butcher million of Tamil tiger during Sri Lanka war.

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  10. You know you I find ridiculous about St Ange comment--is that he tries to make us believe that Russia include all European countries therefore when we have less Russian ti means less Europeans--- I remind St Ange that 99.9 percent of CAPO VERDO tourist arrivals are Europeans and they add up to over one million annually.

    I repeat again--we have explore all the European markt as we should--the three most richest countries in Europe namely Denmark,Sweden,Norway.High price alos plays deter visitors(of course I donot want to see low price that would turn our country to a House-Wives tourist destinations as for instance MAJORCA Spain is known for--that is cheap massive tourism that would destroy the image of our country and a unique destination.But what we could do is develop FOO SEASON tourism-----which would mean lower price for this period to attract some of those Euroepans that could not afford to come during high Season.For instance,group travel,Elderly ,families,etc......This would provide a balance(I means would avoid that we have too much tourists only during high seasons that would put strees on environment,and natural resources as water,electricity,wastage but at the same time allow tourism industry to have a longer seasons ).OFF SEASOn is in itself another market with specific type of tourists(low buget tourists).it would surely not be that lot as during high season by would be enough to compensate the lost during high season because of high price.etc.....OFF SEASOn should be seen by St Ange as a menas for diversifying the market.Deversify should not only means new makrtet aside our main makrtet Europe.allowing those with lower budget is alos dversification St Ange.

    Jeanne D'Arc

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  11. Jeanne what is written on this video on tube open your eyes read it Russian conflict know?

    ReplyDelete

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