"More Arrivals, More Euros, Less Rupees"
 | |
| Alain Ste Ange |
Year-to-date figures for 2013 shows that a 14% increase over the 2012 figures have been recorded as of June 30, 2013.
“Despite all the challenges our tourism industry is facing, we are still riding a good wave. The economic difficulties in our main markets is showing no sign of redress, but the planning undertaken by the Tourism Board's Marketing Team and the Board's Overseas Offices at the annual marketing strategy meetings keeps us being proactive and intelligent in our sales and marketing actions," says Minister Alain St.Ange, the Seychelles Minister responsible for Tourism and Culture.
Seychelles has maintained a good level of visibility in all markets due to its strong links with press organizations and by working to get press to Seychelles during major events organized in the country. The major challenge is still to get maximum benefits from the visibility and this is to get travel agents selling Seychelles to get to know the destination once they have committed to push Seychelles. This remains a weak link in the Seychelles strategy which suffered even more since the Tourism Board loss the airline seats for travel agents previously provided by Air Seychelles from all the main markets. This point was raised only a week ago at the mid-year review meeting between the Seychelles tourism trade and the Tourism Board Marketing Team.
“We have broken into the world of events, because we knew that this would increase press coverage for Seychelles over and above providing entertainment for our people. The annual Carnaval International de Victoria continues to surpass the expected press coverage it attracts. We now have to raise the bar for the Festival Kreol, and we need to do for SUBIOS, our Festival of the Sea. Then we have to sell the events centered around our diversity of culture and promote our celebrations of the Commonwealth Day, the La Francophonie celebrations, and now the Indian Day in Seychelles, and we shall have to also promote the Chinese Spring Festival when this is finally launched. Our diversity is a unique selling point, and we need to be proud of the five source branches making the Seychellois nation we see today," Minister St.Ange said.
Today, Europe is showing a clear 12% increase over 2012 with France alone increasing by a 12 percentage point, UK by 14%, Germany by a staggering 29%. Asia is also showing signs of growth as is Africa and the Americas. “The diversification policy at the Tourism Board has worked, and the push to continue to claim our fair share from our traditional markets at the same time keeps us moving forward. We now need the private sector to look at how to increase yield from our tourism industry, and this is not and cannot be just the room rates. We need more for tourists to spend on, and this is where the private sector needs to continue to be encouraged to innovate," the Minister for Tourism and Culture said.
Minister St.Ange took this opportunity to congratulate SENPA and Kempinski Resort for working together to stage a weekly Artisanal Bazaar during the resorts’ weekly Management Cocktail for their guests. “This is a commendable initiative and more hotels and resorts should be encouraged to follow the example. The sales at such events is money entering our country from tourism. If we all get involved, we will see more benefits, and our artisans and local musicians will feel more part of the industry that remains the pillar of our economy," the Minister said.
http://www.forimmediaterelease.net/pm/9109.html
PP tourism policy just done work even St Ange is singing his own praises.Increase in arrival ashould automatically generate more revenues but it does not.WHy?For Five star hotels collect all the reveneus abroad and pay peanuts or nothing at all to govt.
ReplyDeleteThe diervity of our market that St Ange makes allusion to,is no producing more arrivals for as Sr Ange recognizes himself EUROPE is and would probably stay our main market for decades and in fact St Ange shoudl stop wasting taxpayers money to sponosr all kinds of celebrations and invest in other Euroepan market no yet develop namely SWEDEN;NORWAY; DANEMARK,FINNLAND etc.. the (riches European countries).
Morevoer,experts in the aviation indsutry would tell you that A NAtional carrier of a small island state depending on tourism as main source of reveneus is crucial for its TOURISM INDUSTRY ,thus should we want to see real increase in arrival and that genrate real revenues the Nationa lAirline must paly its active role as main mode of transportation else things become conplicated as we seeing under Pp and St Ange strategy.
St Ange says we need more toursists to spend.WEll St Ange <<<<<<OTuorists who booked in five star hotels have inclusive service meaning all are paid in advance abraod and when clients arrived in seychelles they do not spend a cent more.Should we need to see torusists spend more we must provide more amenities,night life,etc..I thing Seychelles is the only Tourist destination in the world whereby Trousists go to bed at six in the evening?Why?No possibility for them to go somewhere in the evening for nothing is offer.Just look at Praslin,the second biggest island,there is literally nothing for Visitors to do in the evening thus millions of revenues lost and many jobs that could have been created become unexisting.
The second reason though more arrival but less revenues is because Aisans,Arabs ,Pakistanis etc.. touirists are not the kinds of tourists as EUROPEANS :For instance,Arbs are more SHOPPING tourists not those types of tourists to go in the evening in a local RESTAURANTS.WHY?They do not eat anything esle than LAMB.In Muslim religion ,any animal must be killed (HALAL)else they wwon't eat.Food must be prepared sepearately from other FOODS ,not contact with pork etc... Those kinds of Torusists do go into a Pub. BAr,a disco,diving etc.. this in result is a lost in revenue for our economy.
Jeanne D^Arc
If we have increase in arrivals why is revenue low?
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteSome reasons are: foreign exchange transanction given by govt/central bank, has given false data of income from tourism.Wihle all Hotels and other establishment have reported a growth in their biûsiness,income from toursim is low.They might have clasified tourism income under other categories while reporting their income to the central bank etc...
The lenght of stayof visitors are shorter than normal this causes less revenues-The effect is more arrival and less revenues.
Unheathly competition to offer package (five star hotels)at low rate could affect revenues.Even when tourtist arrival increase ,we have to offer cheaper package due to competition or the inability of big hotels to fill their rooms.
SMost toursits establishment due to the bad strategy by the ogvernemnt and striving to survive have increase their room rate thus making less intersting or booking becuase of high price forced visitors to stay shorter than they would otherwise do.(Note that some establishment has no choice than to increase room rate to survie unless Pp govt.put in place intelligent strategy and have effective policy).
St Ange seems to be interested in developing mass tourism like in MAJORCA (Spain)which is bad for our toursim industry.
Jeanne D'Arc
In 2008 Mr. Afif advised the SHTA that Seychelles would have to be more competitive, and lower rates. Hence we were asked to reduce rates by as much as 50%.
ReplyDeleteSince that time, GST 15% was implemented, service charge 12% implemented, on top of rates.
Fuel went from 14.00 per liter to now 21.85 per liter.
Electricity rates have trebled.
International hotels keep funds overseas and PL has not rectified this or even begin to deal with it.
Seychelles Rupee has been kept at a artificially high level, to allow GOS time to build up reserves to repay external debt.
This is why Tourism fails even if numbers are up.
Seselwa Unite!
Sesel Pou Seselwa!
Christopher Gill
Leader
Seychelles Freedom Party
After all the hullabaloos about the two main economies of Seychelles, we still in the same situation where the poor gets poorer and the rich gets richer. This is because the Seychelles tourism industry and the Fishery industry are being exploited by foreigners and Seychelles gets only fringe benefits. Take the big Hotels, all holiday packages are paid at countries of origin and therefore the bulk of the money stays there. The tourists come to Seychelles where they bath, swim, eat and sleep. After a few days they fly back home, leaving you Seychellois to clean the mess. In fact they have consumed your food and polluted your environment, in other words they have used Seychelles for free!
ReplyDeleteSame for the Tuna factory, cheap local laborers clean and can the fish for European to eat and sale payments are made in Europe!
The same exploitations we see in many African countries, their industries are money-makers for or to the advantage of, foreigners and not the Africans. Have you realized that cocoa is grown in Africa and the foreigners eat the chocolate!
Plus sa change!
The problem with st ange plans is that we do not have enough flight seats coming into Seychelles to meet st ange plans of mass tourism. Under st ange blue panorama pulled out, transfers pulled out, Qatar pulled put, air austral pulled out. The report card for mr. St. Ange does not look good.
ReplyDeleteHe will of course tell you blame Joel Morgan.
Instead of announcing Indian week in July for October st ange, why did you not announce increase of flights to Seychelles from July to dec? Did you forget to do your job between ice cream?
ReplyDeleteTo quote the article "Seychelles has maintained a good level of visibility in all markets due to its strong links with press organizations and by working to get press to Seychelles during major events organized in the country"
ReplyDeleteThat's a farce. Subios for example is announced well in advance, but there is no programme of events/artworks published. If it is a true exhibition of video art, why are there very few big international film makers. Why is it that when I go online to the Subios website, 1 week before the event, it says the programme will be updated shortly. Even on the day, it is not possible to find out what is on show. If you are travelling internationally to come to this event or even from Praslin or La Digue, you would still want to see a list of featured artists/works.
Marketing is a sham. There are frequently articles in Today and Nation newspaper that are publicising events which actually happened 2 days ago. Either press releases are not making it to the newspapers in time OR newspapers are so poorly organised that they print articles 2 or 3 days too late!
In response to Jeanne D'Arc. I agree with her generalisation about our tourists. But it can't be that hard to import halal meat and have halal signs at restaurants. A lot of our meat comes from Dubai anyway. The future market with the biggest growth has to be the Chinese market. There are over 1.3 billion just in China alone and with direct flights from HK, expect more and more of these wealthy tourists. They love to shop, but they also expect a certain standard in terms of customer service, infrastructure and decor. These are also areas that Seychelles needs to develop so that it can fully capitalise on the Chinese market.
Bill L-C
I agree that we must diversisy our tourism market--China is a potential one in regards to her population,but it must be recognize to that Chinese tourism as it is the case to Arab tourists are not the kinds of tourists who like doing for instance leisure activities like Euroepan would.For instance,Chines due to their culture prefer to travel in group(package)and theirvisit programmes are very limited(a cultural thing like Arbs).Moreover,Europe is still and will be in the future stay our main markets in regartds to the kinds of toursits who spend.Our Euroepan market is developed to 50 percent only namely in Freance,Uk,Geramny and Italy these are not Eureopan richest countires.We still have rich European coutntires like Danemark,Norway,Sweden, fInnland where our tourism industry has not been developed as well as Australia,Newseeland.
ReplyDeleteIt St Ange report we have more arrival less revenues.THat is caused by more Asian visits who came on short trips but spend little.What a party of Indain tourists(lets say 10 pax)spend in weeky is equivalent to what two Europeans spend in a week.
Diversity yes,but developing the right market is important to make a different.
Devloping Off-Season tourism can help boost arrival and acrued revenues.More night life and amenities would generate million of rupees in revenues.Seychelles is the only toursit destiantion where Toursits sleep at six in the evening becuase Pp does not offer any night attractions.
Right Halal meat should not be difficult to import,but you must also remeber that is not only the meat the problem,but also how it is prepare.Not in the same kitchen where for instance pork etc.. is prepared,not with the same knife etc...
(Halal =anaimals must be slaughtered in the name of Allah.Blood and blood products,no land animals without exteranl ears etc..).
Jeanne D'Arc
One more point,St Ange CARNIVAL is done during the high season.That is not the right time for it,for any way it is the high season tourists would have come with or without Carvinal.(it does not attract more tourists).On the other hand should it has been done during the low season and as part of an off-season attraction to entice foreigners during this time,it could have had an effect.
ReplyDeleteDuring a low apart from Carvinal.As to fishing competion,a yacht copetion could be interesting.Or a Misc festival(concert) mainly of African artists could attract tourists.etc...
Jeanne D'Arc
The poepl of Nase Royal has demonstrated to St Ange how dearly they honor their culture,But also how Acabaret--Musical in which all our traditional dacne and music,peom, etc.. could be combined to produce a real tuorist attraction/amusement etc.. instead of attempting to steal foreign cultures to introduce into our culture.
ReplyDeleteJeanne D?Arc
St ange is becoming a total joke. He says we have 15percent tourist arrival increase but yet, the immigration card at the point of entry says visitor or resident.
ReplyDeleteVisitors mr. Joker are also seamen on tuna ships and Chinese navy. They do not spend money in port, that is why yield is low and arrivals up.
Stop fooling people and James Michel to make them believe you are doing a good job when you are in fact more like chicken without a head and destroying tourism.
Where is blue panorama?
Where is transfers?
Where is Turkish airways?
Where is air austral?
Where is Qatar going in September?
Why is there no direct flights to main markets?
Bill L-C it seem you like to eat sheep meat every day now a days.What your grand ma put on the tabel from Monday to friday! befor Michel met kahlifa fish know!And it was in our tradition to eat fish monday till friday.
ReplyDeleteYou can not see when you go shopping in DUBAI with our tax money, arabs woman look fat by eating to much sheeep meat and Kahlifa have to bring some chiks from east european countries as sex slave on our shore for him to watch in bikini and naked on his pool.This meat you got from DUBAI are rest of meat kahlifa was going to throw to his sharks.And he took Michel for idiots gave him the rest of bad meat to give to SESELWA.
Any way me no eat meat only sea foods,because animals in some countries aroud the world have been inject to reproduce faster and been mistreated befor they been kill befor been brought on the markets especialy meat coming from Asian countries like China.
Johnny
You shouzld had get use of fabricated,manipuated of figures by Pp ,they have nothing to do with the reality.
ReplyDeleteSt Ange talks about increase in arrival.Chinese military perosnals,the go and come of Khalfia,a few charter plane teemed with poor State workers organized and send by Chinese governemnt to fool Seychellois.St Ange with a group of ofriegn collaborator was even named as best toursit destiantion.Usually for those who know the business well,like Mr D'offay,and others .they would tell you "a best destination often attract more tourists than any habouring destinations.This is no the case,Mauritius,Maldivers beat us by hundreds of thousadfns of arrival annuallly.
Seychelles is unique and should be the best destiantion under PP thugtocrats Seychelles tourism industry is not genrateing the revenues it should because of bad policy,strategy,organization,planning.Market St Ange wasted most taxpayers money to market such as Arab countries are not necessarily the market where millions should be invested for invertisement for reasons given befroe namely Arabs are mostly SHOPPING tourists and ativities they do on holiday are not comaprable to that of Euroepans thus many little businesses that depend on tourism such as boat charters,local restaurants,excursion,etc... do not benefit from such tourists who often travel in group and all inclusive.
More toursits but less spending means we heading to mass tourism like in Majorca Spain whereby lots of cheap and poor tourists who put stress on naturalresources like water,electricy,increase waste.The mass outirsm that St Ange wants to concot his arrival figures and amke him look professionqal is not the kind of tourists for Seychelles.
Seychelles needs quality toursits who spend -And the oturists who spend are those who like doing activities,going on excursion,big game fishing,go to local restaurants etc.. thus activities outside the package the inclusively paid for.
Comapre the Moutia feastival organized by Nase Royal and st multi-million doallrs Carnival.Tghe former with little advertisement,literally without money ,organized a successful festival that attracted many people.While St Ange Carnival is a waste of tax payers mo0ney for foreigners are invited and cater all inclusive to peorform their cultures (nothing to do withour cultures9For 15 munites annually without attracting more tourists.Why?it is done during the high reason ,aperoid when toursits were coming anyway with or without St Ange Carnival.
Now imagine St Ange Carnival as part of a strategy to develop OFF _SEASON toursit market,then the Carnival could have attracted toursists who would have prefer to come to Seychelles during this time because hotel price would have been more intersting,afforadable.Iamgine a Musical show of our traditional show as night attraction it would give Toursits the possibility of going out and spend instead of going to bed at six.Imagine during the OFF_SEASON St Ange would have targeted gruop travellers -many would use have use it to visit Seychelles for it would have been cheaper for them ,which otheriwse would have never come to our shores becuase of high costs.etc..etc..etc..
We are dealing with marons who their stupidity make them beleive they intelligent but their actions speak volume of thier incapacity to deliverAnything they.Anything they try to do or touch turned into shit instead into gold.
Jeanne D'Arc
Johnny they can eat whatever they want,but Arabs must not think we going to abandone our GOOD Cuisine to replace it by Arab Cuisine which offer limited dishes and possibilities.Nor would small restaurants spend dollars and build extra kitchen in their restaurants just to please a handful of Arbs.
ReplyDeleteWe proud of our RICh CUISINE.
Jeanne D'Arc