China visit encouraging for Seychelles Tourism Board

The Seychelles Islands, another World brand was launched for the first time in China last Friday by President James Michel, during a high level
tourism seminar on that market.

A strong delegation had traveled to China for Seychelles’ biggest tourism exposure on that market, with the aim of paving the way for increased
business and partnerships between the two countries’ tourism partners. By doing so, this will create more possibilities for Chinese visitors to
choose Seychelles for their holiday.

The visit enabled the Seychelles Tourism Board’s delegation, headed by the Board’s Chairman, Maurice Loustau-Lalanne, as well as the Seychelles’ Director of Tourism Marketing, Alain St Ange and the STB representative for China and the Asian market, Karen Confait, to meet the Chinese travel trade and press.

The seminar was addressed by President Michel and Ambassador Phillipe Le Gall and saw Seychelles’ dedicated presentations by Mr Loustau-
Lalanne and Mr St Ange. The event was attended by numerous Chinese dignitaries and over 100 tour operators and travel agents. Mr Loustau-Lalanne presented the existing and proposed infrastructural developments in the tourism industry while Mr St Ange projected a power point presentation aimed at attracting Chinese visitors to Seychelles.

According to Mr Loustau-Lalanne, the possibility of increasing the numberof visitors from China is now a reality and he was hoping that a
conservative figure of 5,000 was achievable for the year 2010 to 2011, with the aim of growing that figure to 15,000 by 2015. Mr St Ange on his part said that he and the private trade partners who travelled to China were impressed by the potential that existed in that market.

“The market is big and we need only a small percentage to make a difference to our tourism industry,” he said. “The Tourism Board’s mission is to now follow up on this visit by working with trade partners to try and confirm air access possibilities to link Seychelles to China.”

STB is thankful to Ambassador Le Gall for organising the workshop in China and to President Michel for having given his personal support and
encouragement by being personally present at that tourism forum. “This support from the country’s highest office for the promotion of Seychelles as a tourism destination gives out a strong message,” said Mr St Ange, adding: ‘it tells the world that for Seychelles, tourism is an
important industry.”

From China, the tourism private sector delegates traveled to Singapore where STB led promotional workshops aimed at increasing travel
possibilities from Singapore to Seychelles.

Courtesy: Seychelles News Bureau