Tourism minister continues visit to Mahé’s establishments |10 March 2017

The Minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine Maurice Loustau-Lalanne visited 10 more tourism properties on Mahé last week.

Minister Loustau-Lalanne is conducting a series of door-to-door visits to tourism properties in the country, to meet the management teams and staff, and to get an idea of the various products that the Seychelles’ tourism industry has to offer to the world.

During his visits, Minister Loustau-Lalanne discusses the main challenges that these establishments face as well as their success stories.

On Friday last week, he visited small and large hotels in the districts of St Louis, Bel Air and Port Glaud.

His first stop was at JAL self-catering, only a few minutes away from Victoria, the capital. This property is managed by Winsley Coopoosamy and Jacqueline Leon. It is made up of two apartments, each consisting of three bedrooms.

Located in a quiet area at St Louis, JAL self-catering has been in operation since October 2016.

Hilltop Boutique Hotel, up the Serret road at St Louis was the next property visited by Minister Loustau-Lalanne, who was accompanied by the principal secretary for tourism Anne Lafortune.

Located next to the famous Marie-Antoinette restaurant, Hilltop Boutique Hotel is made up of seven spacious apartments and four studio rooms.

The hotel runs on a bed and breakfast basis and came into operation in April 2015. Irine Fonseka, who runs the hotel, and her team, ensure that clients do get a taste of our local Creole cuisine while in Seychelles.

Fresh juices, home-made jams, fruit cocktails and barbeque are all prepared using local ingredients and touch.

The seven-bedroom Hotel Bel Air run by Roland Rassool was also on the list of hotels visited.

Mr Rassool showed Minister Loustau-Lalanne and Mrs Lafortune one of the rooms before discussing several issues raised by guests at his hotel.

These include the issue of public toilets and signage on beaches or districts, indicating the name of the place, with the aim of making these places more welcoming and visitor-friendly.

The visit continued to the mountainous western side of Mahé. Sans Souci is just the perfect spot on Mahé to indulge in an abundance of tranquility, with only the sound of the swaying leaves and the singing birds, with an ideal backdrop of the sky-touching Morne Seychellois mountain and the cool air.

Four tourism get-aways are nestled in this beautiful green mountainous setting – Mountain Hotel formerly known as Mountain Rise hotel, the Station Retreat Hotel, Le Sans Souci and Copolia Lodge.

Constance Ephelia Resort, Gigi’s self-catering apartments and Villa de Jardin were also among the tourism establishments visited.

Minister Loustau-Lalanne has commended the owners of the establishments for the impressive products in our tourism industry. He has reaffirmed the ministry’s support in helping to alleviate challenges affecting these businesses.