Tourism in the Seychelles according to Masons Travel

A meeting with Alan Mason, the Managing Director of Masons Travel, the oldest of its kind in the archipelago, who talks about tourism in the Seychelles and the effects of the crisis on tourism; the most important industrie in Seychellois economy.

How do you see the evolution of the Seychellois market, and the impact of the crisis on tourist arrivals in the Seychelles?

When choosing the Seychelles, the clients firstly want to discover the destination itself, the islands, the cities, the villages, the nature sites, the culture... They seek to go beyond the hotel as a destination. One can thus say that the client's way of thinking has greatly evolved. In any case, with our total of around 150, 000 visitors per year, we are certainly far from being a mass tourism destination. And although all destinations have been hit by the crisis, the fact that we are rather small has softened the impact for us somewhat.

Could one thus say that the large hotels in the Seychelles have suffered more by the crisis and this contributes to the benefit of the small or medium-sized hotels or guest houses?

Absolutely... And this once again adds to the idea that the Seychelles are more than just a hotel destination. We are actually hosting any kind of guests here. Some prefer to go for luxury; others prefer to spend less on accommodation but nevertheless enjoy of the many things our destination has to offer.

I am convinced that in the future, the smaller hotels will attract more clients . However, there is enough space in the Seychelles to develop both at the same time.

And which is the strategy adapted by Masons Travel to beat the crisis?

We have revised our operations and assured our efficiency. In this way, we have improved and consolidated our work. For Masons Travel, our clients needs are first priority. In the years to come, we will hence continue adapting to their needs and those of our partners as well.

Masons Travel has been in business since 1972. Which are your strengths?

I think the greatest one is our team. Many of our co-workers have been with the company for more than twenty years. We also put emphasis on a warm and welcoming company spirit, as well as on good quality work. For all these reasons, Masons has been ISO certified since more than ten years. We are known for the quality of our products on almost all tourism markets currently collaborating with the Seychelles.

Another reason for the success of Masons Travel is the fact that since more than forty years we have be known to keep the promises given to our partners, the tour operators. We not only identified their needs but also worked on strategies and services helping them to attain their goals better. And for these reasons, Mason Travel today is a well reputed company.

Interview by Jean-Philippe de Perceval