"Is It Real St. Ange?"
Tourism arrivals by midnight, December 31, 2013, were quoted as an equally record-breaking number, 230.272 or up by 10.7 percent on a year-on-year basis according to figures released at the same time by the Seychelles National Bureau of Statistics.
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 and then went on to say: “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.
“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.”
When setting targets for 2013 a year ago, the archipelago’s tourism gurus were cautious in their estimates, projecting a growth of about 4 percent over 2012, but as the year went on, it became evident that these projections would be outpaced by strong demand for the Seychelles, boosted by an extraordinary campaign around the world where the islands are today known as one of the world’s most desirable destinations, stimulating demand and adding over 22,000 visitors to the previous arrival record set in 2012.
Constant engagement with the global travel media, and regular high-ranking sales and marketing missions to existing, emerging, and new markets, supported by national airline, Air Seychelles, and their partner, Etihad, and, of course, Emirates, which flies 12 times a week to Mahe, have made this possible.
Wrote another source only moments after the results were published and sent to this correspondent: “I think Seychelles has done a remarkable job to set new revenue and arrival records at the end of last year. Expectations are high that this trend continues in 2014 and the following years. But as the minister said, this is not the time to sit back and rest on our laurels. This is the time to be more determined than ever before to do better. The reorganization of the tourism public sector, the establishment of a professional events agency, the merging under one roof of culture and tourism-related departments and bodies, will allow STB [Seychelles Tourism Board] to concentrate on their main function, marketing. All other functions will in one way or another support this.
“STB will this year go to all the key trade fairs but over and above do sales missions together with our national airline and other airlines to grow traffic. Our calendar of events now includes many different kinds of festivals, and our membership in the Indian Ocean Vanilla Islands organization will also help to promote our events but also the events of our partner islands. Our No Visa policy will continue; our doors are open for people from around the world, but I specially mention our fellow Africans from the mainland, who do not need to go through a great deal of bureaucracy to visit Mahe, Praslin, La Digue, and the other islands. We will have new sales collaterals, a new destination DVD is coming out, and we will continue to work with airlines, tour operators, travel agents, and, of course, the media to continue what you always call our juggernaut.”
Congratulations to the entire Seychelles tourism industry, and public and private sectors, for these astonishing results and to the Central Bank of Seychelles and the National Bureau of Statistics for excelling and producing these figures within days of ending 2013 - something only a very few other countries are able to do.
Lots need to be done stll.NB also most revenues genrated was generated by Small.medium hotels and guest houses not five star hotels.Should Air Seychelles had direct flight operation to our main market probably the figure would have been much higher.No to mention the developemnt of low/off season tourism
ReplyDeleteSeychelles still lacks night life,more attraction and amenities for tourists.We cannot let tourists sleep at 6 Pm St Ange.there must be ativiites for them in order that they spend more and they wnat to spend more and feel less bored when evening falls.
Attraction like a Insectarium/botanical garden of edenmic spicies on Curiese Isalnd St Ange.A MUSUEM teem with all the diffrent bird ,plants,etc..spicies on Albadra,where locals as well as toursits could go espeically during the raining day.
hiking organizer could combine ZIP LINE in their programme.
CABARET where local dancers/artists could perform tradtional dance,music
but also their own creation.etc..etce.tc..etc.
Jeanne D'Arc
All the revenues ends up paying for their huge salaries and pensions.
DeleteJD it can be done by private and independent organizations however it is all control by PP of what and when to do. Every performances are done in PP style.
DeleteThis crooked increase of their salary is the Frankenstein^s monster that won't go unitl we chase Pp out of power.As to the army they have sorwn to defence the country and its people.They did it when Pirates attacked us now it is time for the them to protect Seychellois form State Organized terorism(dictatorship) by ousting PP criminals from power. I call on the army to do so,in the name of the people who will support you.And you have to do so,becuase this crooked governemnt does not represent the people --they elected themselves by fraud to power.YOu have to do so,becuase our sovereignity is at risks by illegal sell out of our land to Arab etc..
ReplyDeleteSalry increase should be for teachers,army ,firebrigade,nurses,workers at LAZIL;prisoner guards,not Pp crooks who bankrupted and robbed 2,5 billion from our coffers.
The butcher blah blahabout UNITY.No where is history there is prove that division result in UNity Michel.Why have been dividing the people forb the last 4 decades Michel then top call them Unite.Who is the victims who are the maojirty of Seychellois who you have been ensalving,robbing,selling,unite behind a criminal organization call PP?The rason seychelles is falling aprt Michel is becuaSE OF dIVISION--AS THE SAYING GOES UNITE WE STAND,DVIDIED WE FALL,and we have been falling since 1977.Unity without verity is conspiracy Michel.The seperation from evil(pp) is the necessary first principle that could lead Seychellois to unite.The seperation from Evil and their principles of division.
The military should take over now,end the surfering of their people--which is alos in a sesne defending our people from not Outside threats like PIRACY by DICTATORSHIP which is nothing than state terrorism.Take out Pp dictatorship.send those donkeys to the gualg they built at Montagnee Possee now.
Jeanne D'Arc
Just watch seychelles nonese today were faure is making his Speech Meriton is following at sleep,because faure speech is so boring and guy at the back row already at sleep.Bla bla dont do what their say.
ReplyDeleteJohnny
Sorry fulling.
ReplyDeleteJOhnny two under-educated communists trying to perpetuate Stalin's dream of ellimniating and radicating a whole Nation for pleasure and fun.They both know they are not competent therefore the willingnesss to create a police state.
ReplyDeleteJeanne D'Arc
His not fulling at sleep johnny his on a hang over from last night pp crooks their life are in a bottel of whisky and they are all alcoholic.Thats why Natahlie left Michel,he was abusing to much alcohol.
ReplyDeleteLike his abusing power.
ReplyDeleteHey man you mean falling.
ReplyDeleteJust look in Central African, violence and thousand peoples must die for oppressor to step down.
ReplyDeleteTHat is the kind of situation PP wants to create by importing Islam into our land.Contary to Cnetral Africa,Mali,Nigeria ,those countires Muslim allow exist at least for entury,while Seychelles Islam has been imported by PP to create friction,religous conflicts,risks to soveriegnty,stability,peace soley as politcal tool hoping it would help Pp grab to power.Seychellois as Chirstian have a legitiamte rights to complain about this invasion,for it has nothing to do in our society:it has nothing to do in our society becuase our Nation,Culturte,tradition,mentality and all we pocess are originated fromour Chirstianity hisotry--it is our identity ,that what makes us who we are and we have no intension of allowing imported Sectarian non-Seychellois beleif to infest our Land and pave the way for future conflicts,something Seychelles never had and should not have.
ReplyDeleteDoes Khalfia build Chruch in his country,does he allow other beleives,does he allow christian to build their church,or they forced you as foreigner when visiting thier Arb Muslim land to veil,abide by thier tradition,culture mode,and Islamic law.Why dfo you thing we should allow Foreigners to constrcut MOsque in a christain land whereby a handful of real Seychelles rasin haave convertzed into Muslim in the last decades and are mostly ex-drug addicts?
We have the same rights to control our soveriegn land as any other countires regardless how big we are.Nations are made by people,and regardle4ss of their amount,how big they are,they enjoy the same Huamn rights,Inrterantional rights and others like nay other countires.So donot think becuase we small we are stupid,primitive like Khalfia,and can be enslave,abuse,rob,dispossess etc..
Jeanne D'Arc