Seychelles Tourism Arrivals Up But Yield is Down
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| Seychelles |
This means visitors coming to Seychelles are spending less, staying less nights and worse over all, it exposes the little detail that our Tourism product has departed the realm of exclusivity and high yield niche and is becoming a mass tourism type of destination, something we said we should avoid at all cost as a Country since we lack capacity for mass Tourism.
I break down some issues that have been left unfettered and is the combined cause for the downturn in revenue which is real now to Government of Seychelles and the Trade alike.
1.Transfer Cost From Mahe To Praslin and La Digue Excessive
The three Island experience for visitors is a bit like visiting different stations for rides at Disney for the Seychelles. Each island has a unique experience, and unique assets that each visitor must visit, to sense the full breathe of a Seychelles holiday (Another World"). Because flights are expensive and Cat Cocos follows market trends to raise prices upwards, inter island frolicking is at an all time downturn, minimizing Visitor yield per day earned through excursions, ferry, taxis and handling. Government needs to take swift action to lower fuel tax incidences,and seek out cooperation with Air Seychelles, Cat Cocos and Cat Roses to lower ticketing pricing by at least 35%. It will take a year to feel the impact of such critical move to increase Yield. Government must reassess its fuel taxing policy which has a material impact on high cost of goods, services, in Seychelles.We are no longer competitive.
2. Fair Trading Commission needs to look into the discriminatory ticket pricing ongoing at
Air Seychelles domestic for a ticket to Praslin. This discriminatory pricing takes place on baggage allowance as well from other carriers, that have onwards guests going to Praslin.If Air Seychelles is implementing unfair trade practice on ticketing and baggage allowance, then its profits are artificial on the domestic route. Tickets can cost SCR. 1,500 one way and commonly cost SCR.1,200 one way for a 15 minute hopper using kerosene as fuel. This is totally not acceptable, and the Fair Trading Commission needs to investigate Air Seychelles and draw the line to protect the Tourism Industry and inter island trade and commerce. Why has SCAA stayed silent on this pricing scheme when Air Seychelles maintains a monopoly in the domestic air service business?
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| Cat Cocos |
3. Food Prices Are Still Too High In Seychelles
The cost of food in Seychelles remains still until today, very high. When we add the incidences of tax to the food bill and 15% VAT to a restaurant bill, the price is excessive for what a Guest pays comparably to other sun, sea and sand destinations. Many destinations are now selling "all inclusive, food, meals, beverage" in a holiday package. Some Guests demand it (South Africa). Players in Tourism need to wake up to this and government must address this issue to keep Seychelles competitive. The Fair Trading Commission should investigate the high pricing of hotel suppliers. These costs are passed on to the visitor. They must also see what can be done to reduce taxes on fuel for inter island cargo ships, who are passing on shipping costs today to the hotels at a rate that is unbelievable.
4. Airlines/Hotels Need Low/High Season Special Promotions
The Ministry of Tourism with SHTA should work out a strategy to encourage airlines flying to Seychelles, to offer low season rates throughout the year and specials for the same period. During high season, airlines need to be systematically encouraged to offer additional flights. Until now, the Ministry of Tourism and the SHTA have been shooting from the hip on the issue. The end result is a lop sided air capacity state of affairs during low season and High season. During low season, we do not have enough seats. A careful tweek of this situation could result easily with 20% higher yield for the Nation.
5. What Happen To Moratorium on Change Of Use Applications
We all appreciate the need to allow Seychellois entry into Tourism Industry. This has happen with 400 houses been granted change of use. But many of these "change of use" are non-Seychellois, owners, many do not even reside in Seychelles. This needs to be curtailed immediately. Non Seychellois have no business running hotel rooms out of their houses. This practice must be stop. The Government policy was hotels with under 30 rooms be reserve for Seychellois. What happen? Additionally because we have a over supply of beds in the country, and these small operators cause money to go unbanked and they are underselling the market. It was resolved two years ago that a moratorium on Change of Use applications would be put in place. Yet, Planning Land Use, is still accepting change of use for Tourism development. In many instances in subdivisions. This is the single action that will cause the greatest damage to the Industry, to encourage unfettered participation, a free for all in a limited demand setting. Tourism Industry is a serious industry and the Government must treat it as such. If it does not, it is government that pays the biggest price, not the guests.
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| Eden Island |
6. What happen to The Tourism Master Plan
I read a comment by the Chairman of SHTA Mr John Stravens about the need for a bed count and airline seat count. Indeed, Mr Stravens is 100% to raise this point again, as it is highlighted in the Tourism Master Plan proposals submitted by Miss Marquise David in 2009, when a call for moratorium was made until such time as some critical issues could be dealt with by government. 1. Lack of sufficient water, 2. Lack of sufficient electricity, 3. Lack of manpower, 4. Lack of direct flights or airline seats into Seychelles.
This year alone, we have lost over 24,000 airline seats inbound to Seychelles, from witnessing the departure of numerous airline that stop flying to Seychelles. Would it not make sense to everyone, in the Trade,that we see how we can increase flights inbound into Seychelles, before we run linen on another new bed in Seychelles?
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| Mr John Stravens |
7. SHTA
SHTA is not wasting time with this situation. The Chairman Mr John Stravens is now promoting South Korea as a new market. South Koreans have on average five days annual holiday per year. Taking a flight on Etihad from South Korea to Abu Dhabi will take one day en route and 1/2 to get to Seychelles. Same on the return. That will leave the average South Korean with three days to spend in Seychelles. They can island hop, Mahe, Praslin, Ladigue, one day each and rush back to catch the Etihad flight back to Abu Dhabi. Hence, a win-win scenario for both Seychelles and Abu Dhabi, in a twin destination holiday. Congratulations to SHTA and STB in this new approach to increasing our numbers. Sooner or later, the numbers will add up indeed. We will only have to add Vietnam Tourist market to the basket under our policy of diversification, but their average national for annual holidays is three days a year and average income is $200 per month.
8. Alain St Ange
Mr St Ange is really doing an excellent job with what he has. Can anyone really complain? Put politics aside, ignore the little details that he was once a executive member of SNP and the future leader of SNP, except Wavel Ramkalawan intended on staying on for life (Dictatorship in Opposition). Really, St Ange is doing fine at Culture, and Tourism, he is doing so well, we no longer need STB. All that can be run under the Ministry of Tourism umbrella, and we could save millions in wasted funds and SHTA shoulf support the winding down of STB and the increase in a marketing budget, if there is still one. We need every cent we can get for marketing now that our strategy is: "worldwide diversification of Seychelles Another World Product".
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| Alain St Ange |
9. What St Ange needs to get the Tourism ship moving, is the portfolio of Ministry of Transportation which Joel Morgan handles. Mr Michel should just hand that portfolio to St Ange with one objective: "increase any flight direct or indirect, to Seychelles, to make Seychelles the hub of the Indian Ocean Mauritius is claiming". Sure Mauritius is ahead of us now that they ploughed $400 Million of PRC money into an airport and not housing, or fancy National Assembly, that spends money, does not earn anything. a Palais de Justice that could have been built by European Union funding. But we were ahead of Mauritius in 1970's in Tourism, and we can take the challenge. What we need is the political will of James Michel, make Joel Morgan Minister of Tourism. He has shown that he can handle the SLOVAKIAN market real well, and produced a direct flight to Europe in a matter of hours when he found this MAFIA Tourist, wanted him dead.
Congratulations are in order to Minister Joel Morgan.
Joel Morgan really John Wayne (d) that Bozo Fabrike out of Victoria. Good job, But it should have been done at the point of entry.
Now who got the money for the fake passport and citizenship?
I did not hear anyone in the propped press conference address this little detail.
Seselwa Unite!
Sesel pou Seselwa!
May God Bless All Freedom Loving Seychellois!
Written by Christopher Gill, Leader of Seychelles Freedom Party.
I wonder what happened to Mr. St. Ange integrity since he left SNP. Maybe he has lost his tongues or his principles?
ReplyDeleteMICROBIOME :) :) :)
funny you should say that, because St. Ange never had any integrity. Neither does SNPL, all same shit. Kaka Dan latizann...toute la même merde, voila!
ReplyDeleteThen the President will not have a problem transferring Ministry of Transport to St. Ange.
ReplyDeleteMinistry of Culture can go to Minister of Internal Affairs, Joel Morgan.
Then St. Ange can take Ministry of Defence.
Then we can have a showdown.
Stop screwing with our bread and butter PL!
Par où devrai-je commencer? Existe-t-il des gens heureux dans ce pays? J’aimerai bien les connaitre...Au nom de la liberté, n'ignorez pas mon message, je veux témoigner, informer, péter un câble peut-être, mais cela reste mieux que de m'immoler par le feu...je veux que ma voix retentisse, je veux parler pour ces jeunes, qui se donnent la mort rongés par le désespoir de pouvoir voir un jour ce pays se relever, ce pays au grand corps malade, aux membres défectueux, qui ne cesse de sombrer, nous tombons un à un de Charybde en Scylla, entre les barques de la mort, l’illusion de l'eldorado à l'autre rive de la méditerranée et le chômage, la pauvreté, la misère, l’amertume dans un pays où nous sommes devenus étrangers.
ReplyDeleteThe only happy people in Seychelles are the red parasites…...they live from our blood and sweat, and they have no shame.
ReplyDeleteWavel Ramkalawan
ReplyDeleteHi all,
it is a fact that Minister Joel Morgan and company are playing on the emotions of the Seychellois instead of sticking to the truth. They keep putting emphasis that they had to get rid of Marek Trajter because he was a criminal. This is their game. They NEVER tell us that whatever criminal activity they claim has nothing to do with the Court's judgement when cancelling his citizenship. There was only one ground on which his citizenship was cancelled: The application form that was filled by former Parti Lepep MNA had the wrong date of the first entry into Seychelles. If this had been right Marek Trajter's citizenship would NEVER have been cancelled by the court. So let us not allow emotions to blur the issue and I also believe Mr. Michel, Minister Morgan and government must simply acknowledge what they did and it would be appropriate for some to simply resign.
'Wavel is urging others to resign, when he should also resign after failing our country just to satisfy his dick head that son of a bitch'.
Under what concircumstances did the crimanal get to Seychelles?What was the motive of his stay?How he was granted our citizenship?These are questions that should be asked before discussing on Why he was deported for should he had enter illegally to our shores,stayed illegally and finally bought our passport these are all criminal acts.
ReplyDeleteTo the first tow posts.We might agree or disagree on St Ange integrity but we should also recognize that among all the PP so called ministers St Angeis the only one who can say i am making things move forward though we think much more could be done.
As Chris pointed out ,arrivals up but spending less for reasons given in his article.Visitors especially repeat ones,are boarding public busses instead of hailing taxis,car hiresTthey are buying in supermarkets instead of eating out,That means things are wrong PP .Usually,when a country devulate its currency locals but also tourists should have automatically more purchase power,though our rupee has consequently been devaluated still buying,and priuchasing remains extremely high,a durben on consumers as also industeries with the tourism industry as first victim.
Jeanne D'Arc
Indeed the write up is pathetic beyond belief, typical of Wavel Ramkalawan.
ReplyDeleteI do not side with Minister Joel Morgan on the issue. I have made my position quite clear. A MNA lying or a mistake on a form on original date of entry is a material fact to negate a passport and citizenship if fraud is alleged. Here we have a clear case for fraud. It is not a defensible position emotions or not.
The bottom line is this: Trajker was a Fabrike that obtained citizenship through collusion with the SPPF. He very likely paid for it.
Why would SNP jump up and take this man's side with emotions aside?
How much did he pay you Pathetic SNP to do this dirty job?
Seselwa Unite!
Sesel Pou Seselwa!
Christopher Gill
Leader
Seychelles Freedom Party
Others things should also be scrutinze before accepting or granting a foreigner our natuiobnality--namely such things as if pax has no criminal records from his country of orign,if pax did not breach host country law etc..etc.etc. all these are conditions which government should have in palce to determine should or not a foreigner be granted our Nationality.Note also ,Marek name was not publiched anywhere in governemnt newspapers as asks by law in order that any Seychellois could apporve or oppose.According to our law,Should any opposes the granting of our passport to a foreigner,the person application must be hold and the person can in anyway be granted our Nationality.etc.etc..etc.
ReplyDeleteIt is hight time Pp,SNP.NP abide by the rule of law-Note .there are two main conditions one can be a Seychellois 1)by birth2)by marriage to a Seychelles national.
So Stooge RAm,did this guy follow the law set up by Seychellois in their constitution to become Seychellois?It seems the answer is cristal clear--No.So why are you shading crocrodile tears for a foreign mafia who in the first place should had never set foot on our shores.
Soem like JP Isaac is calling for change of the law.The problem is not the law but the need to apply them.Immigration laws in Seychelles are clear and if they would be respected such cases as El Materi,Marek,SIVA,RAMADOSS and any others should not even be an issue.Abide by the law Pp,SNP.Note the same problem arise when it cvomes to the illegal sell out of our patrimony---The law is straight forward--namely not foreigner is allow to pocess or own land in Seychelles--why si PP and collaobrators still selling our our patrinomy when the law say the onctrary?
In a word,the country's definedrule of law should be apply not self-made laws by Pp thugs without legal basis.
Jeanne D'Arc
Jeanne DÂrc
Amazing the SNP Ramkalawan can turn from a green lizard into a a black lizard on the drop of one passport being cancelled, that was paid for in the first place.
ReplyDeleteJoel Morgan may have roughed this guy up, but Trajker was in bed with Lise Bastienne and others that led to this.
We are use to seeing Morgan cleaning up the dirty work for PL.
But what is Ramkalawan and Derjaques doing cleaning up the dirty work of PL to protect a Fabrike criminal.
Mr. Gill has been calling them sell outs for a long time. I even argued with him to protect Wavel Ramkalawan. Now I am beginning to understand exactly what Christopher Gill has been saying to us all along.
Mr. Gill I owe you an apology and I will do it in private at the right time.
These SNP's have really let us all down.
A Very Concerned Seychellois
Nice picture of an ugly artificial beach on Eden Island. I understand the buildings are unfit for human living, termites eating the hell out of the place.
ReplyDeleteHow does St. Ange manage to survive in a communist regime while not being one of them? Is St. Ange the new '2 boyo 4 fes'? He must be the best cook the PL regime has ever had.
ReplyDeleteMICROBIOME :) :) :)
It is his pocket.Astronomic Pension for life.Incentives for Khalfia not to push for direct flight by AirSey to our main market for Khalfia wants to control the market regardless of others concern.A ministry budget that is never audited thus leaving space for embezzelement.Free first class tickets and five star hotels on each of his visit abroad.And bribes from five star hotels owners to keep the status qou that favoraed them nad destroy small and medium tourism establishemnt---Note last week St Ange organized a BALL for foreign hotel owners with the eception of a few Seychellois all paid by tax payers money.The reasons why all foreign hotel owners were present is becuase most money spend by the state for advertising our tourism industry is done for five star hotel establishment.For instance,most Israel visitors are booked for five star establishment that offer package,thus local establsihment do not benefit from such arrivals and more over our economy also does not benefit for most money paid by such visitors is made aborad thus stay in bankaccounts abroads which is a lost in taxes,etc.. for our economy.
ReplyDeleteSt Ange should rather concerntrate of advertising small and medium establishment in order to devlop sustainable tourism which is best for our country,people and economy.An anecdote-Does St Ange,PP,SNL knows why Geramny even in a world economic recession has been successful?Well,St Ange ,Pp/SNP becuase German governemnt has devloped its small and medium enterpriese making it the motor of German economy while others crumble.Dito ,to Switzerland success base on small and medium enterprises .
Jeanne D'Arc
Seselwa are not idiot!They just dont know their right.basta
ReplyDeleteIs it idiotic not to know your right? With 90% literacy in the Seychelles, there is no reason for Seselwa not to understand the constitution.
ReplyDeleteAre we not subject to a crime by pleading ignorant of the law in the Seychelles court? If not, then we cannot hide behind ignorance when it comes to our rights.
MICROBIOME :) :) :)
Microbiome
ReplyDeleteOn this one I give you 100%.
The law, even in courts of law, does not protect those that sit on their rights!
What is happening right now, is many SNP people are going thru a morning stage over the loss of their leader, Wavel Ramkalawan, who they thought was a big man, and a fighter.
Ten years later, after Wavel stop fighting, SNP followers are now realizing Wavel who has become a Priest mega - millionaire, has stop fighting for Seychelles years and years ago.
He has just been doing scam after scam not unlike what he publically did for Marek Trajker a hardened Slovak Mafia given Seychelles citizenship.
Wavel says, concentrate on PL flying Trajker off and do not discuss how he was granted citizenship. Really now?
If the Protestant Church had 10 Wavel's, it would be shut down by now. SNP has 1 Wavel, so the death is slow but for sure. PL will keep him around as long as they can, because it is so convenient for them.
Seselwa Unite!
Sesel Pou Seselwa!
Christopher Gill
Leader
Seychelles Freedom Party
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