Cape Verdean minister blown away by inner islands’ beauty |17 May 2018

“The experience of these two places we visited today exceeded my expectations. Truly this country is blessed and the people are also to be complimented for treasuring the marvels that nature has endowed this country.”

This is how the visiting Minister for Tourism and Transport of Cabo Verde, Jose Da Silva Gonçalves, has described his visit to La Digue and Praslin yesterday.

On La Digue the delegation visited L’Union Estate and Anse Source D’Argent beach.

“We were pleased to see the coconut and vanilla plantations, great granite rocks, the beautiful beach where a wedding was taking place,” Minister Da Silva Gonçalves shared.

The Vallée de Mai, described by Minister Da Silva Gonçalves as a treasure for both the country and the world, was the highlight of his tour on Praslin. There, the delegation received a short guided tour by the SIF staff where they also got to observe the dehusking of a mature coco de mer.

“I believe the Seychellois people are very proud and everyone has a common understanding of nature; this country is therefore in good hands whether it is on the level of sustainable tourism or the level of the Blue Economy,” he said.

“We have learnt much more than we could have possibly shared with this country. For example there are a couple of things in our tourism model that makes us concerned about our sustainability. We shared our experience of the all-inclusive mass market which we are glad the Seychelles has steered away from and we hope that you stay away from it. On the other hand, I have learnt how having a smaller, more upscale tourism is beneficial. I am thinking of trying a ‘one-tourist per home’ strategy when I go back home,” he said.

The minister expressed how both islands hold great tourism value and hailed the “very knowledgeable people who work and care so much for what they do”. 

“It is beyond understanding how nature has really crafted something wonderful here. The people are very kind and we were very well received on both islands. Coming from a Creole cultured country as well, I feel at home here.”

The accompanying photographs show the minister and his delegation during their tour of the Vallée de Mai on Praslin.

Text: Nadia Bedier

Photos: Romano Laurence