Tourism minister backs hoteliers in boosting the ‘Praslin island brand’ |11 April 2015

 
The Minister for Tourism and Culture Alain St Ange has urged the community to rally together to ensure the brand of Praslin island is protected.

Minister St Ange was speaking during a meeting held at Ros Kare on Praslin, the location where a German tourist was involved in an incident last month.

Present were the principal secretary for tourism Anne Lafortune, chief executive of the Seychelles Tourism Board Sherin Naiken and a group of hoteliers from Praslin.

Minister St Ange said nobody should bear such attacks or incidents.
“Praslin must rise after this incident and promote the right spirit that the island has always had,” he said.

“Everybody on Praslin is touched when tourism does not work, so let us rally to make this island become the Garden of Eden once more.”

The hoteliers present called on the police to increase the number of patrols on these beaches so as to prevent a repeat of such incidents.

Christopher Gill, an hotelier on Praslin and member of the Seychelles Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the incident has affected the image of Praslin and reminded the public that tourism is everybody’s business.

He thanked the minister and his team for giving their support to the Praslin tourism community, adding that it is vital for everyone to work together so that these social malaises can be addressed.

During the meeting other issues affecting tourism on the island were raised such as littering on beaches.

It was agreed that a ‘Clean Up Praslin Day’ be organised soon whereby the minister and his team will join the Praslin community in cleaning up beaches on the island and help to rehabilitate them.