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Indian Ocean Vanilla Islands group endorses Alain St Ange’s candidature for SG of the UNWTO |18 January 2017

 

 

 

The Vanilla islands group of Comoros, Mayotte, Mauritius, Madagascar, Reunion and Seychelles have endorsed the candidature of Seychelles’ former tourism minister Alain St Ange for the post of secretary general of the World Tourism Organisation.

This grouping of Indian Ocean islands joined together many years ago to form a new tourism block named the Vanilla Islands. Today they are seen in tour operator programmes as a region to themselves and the islands have seen remarkable successes in holiday combinations of two or three islands at a time and a major success story in cruise ship business now cruising the Indian Ocean region.

Mr St Ange, as the Seychelles tourism minister, was the first President of this regional grouping and was re-elected for a second mandate as he worked for unity in the Indian Ocean islands. Last year it was Xavier Luc Duval, the deputy prime minister of Mauritius who was at the head of the regional body having succeeded the minister from Madagascar and Reunion. Today the Comoros is at the head of the Indian Ocean Vanilla Islands.

Sitti Attoumane, the President of the Vanilla Islands and Head of the Comoros Tourism, wrote to Mr St Ange on behalf of the regional tourism organisation to endorse his candidature as secretary general of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO).

This endorsement is timely for on Monday Mr St Ange is due to travel to Madrid in Spain to present his official documents as a candidate to Dr Taleb Rifai, the current secretary general of the UNWTO. This is set to be done on the sidelines of FITUR 2017, the tourism trade fair of Spain. 

In her letter to Mr St Ange, Mrs Attoumane wrote:

“The social, economic and cultural development of a region is essential for the well being of the population. If this progression can be effected while respecting the environment then it is a success. It is with this vision that you guided not only the archipelago of the Seychelles, but also the Indian Ocean region for many years. As you participated in the creation of the Vanilla Islands, the grouping of the Indian Ocean Islands, you showed in the belief of a shared prosperity and also the spirit of cooperation inclusive of sharing your successes. This is the reason that the Vanilla Islands organisation regrouping the islands of the Union of the Comoros, Reunion, Mayotte, Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar are coming forward to extend their support for you as a candidate for the position of secretary general of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation. With both the francophone and anglophone cultures at your fingertip, we are persuaded that the world of tourism will find in you a competent and motivated partner at the service of tourism.”

Mr St Ange said that he was grateful with the letter of endorsement for his bid to become the SG of the UNWTO.

“The Indian Ocean islands are strong tourism players with tourism industries remaining important for their economies. Their support is indeed appreciated,” said Mr St Ange

 

 

 

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