Election for SG of world tourism body |24 January 2017

Africa ports of the region back Alain St Ange’s candidature

The Port Management Association of Eastern and Southern Africa (PMAESA) which isbased in Mombassa, Kenya has expressed its support to Alain St Ange, Seychelles candidate for the post of secretary general of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO).

Ports are an important facet of the tourism industry and Mr St Ange, it is said, has always been keen to work with this port management association.

Nozipho Mdawe, the secretary general of the PMAESA said in a letter addressed to the UNWTO that the association is formally endorsing Alain St Ange as a candidate for secretary general of the world tourism body.

“Mr St Ange is the former Minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine Seychelles. He has made enormous contributions to the promotion and development of tourism and culture in Seychelles in close cooperation with the private sector. The results today speak for themselves. After suffering a decline in cruise ship tourism since a surge in piracy off the Horn of Africa in 2009, the number of cruise passengers visiting the Seychelles archipelago is set to increase in 2017 (from 6,800 in 2015 to 15,000 in 2017).

“He has collaborated with the Port Management Associaton for Eastern & Southern Africa (PMAESA) during a Cruise Tourism Workshop held in Seychelles in June 2016. The aim of the workshop was to develop strategies to improve the competitive edge and market share of the Eastern and Southern African cruise tourism industry within the international cruise business.

“Mr St Ange also participated in the creation of the Vanilla Islands, the grouping of the Indian Ocean Islands, which underscores the belief of a shared prosperity and also the spirit of cooperation between Francophone and Anglophone cultures in the islands of the Comoros, Reunion, Mayotte, Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar

“His understanding of the tourism industry in Seychelles and the Indian Ocean archipelago and the tie-in between cruise tourism, ports and air travel have made him a crucial partner and facilitator.

“Mr St Ange is not only the minister for Seychelles, he was also a friend to the Indian Ocean Islands region and supporter. It is his firm belief that the social, economic and cultural development of a region is essential for the well-being of the population,” said Ms Mdawe in her letter of endorsement.

Mr St Ange on his part has written to the PMAESA to thank it for that letter of support which endorses his bid for the position of secretary general of the UNWTO.

“Ports and airports, the ICAO, IATA, the ACI, the AFCAC, ASAA, AFRAA, the IMO, the PMAESA, APIOI, the Association representing Cruise Ships among others are all part of the supporting bodies that make tourism work. Engaging with these bodies, as well as with the private sector bodies such as WTTC and PATA will remain high on my agenda should I win the May election for the post of secretary general of the UNWTO,” said Mr St Ange.