Seychelles thanks London tour operators and press |28 January 2012

Mr St Ange (above) addressing the tour operators and members of the press at the lunch

Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) chief executive Alain St Ange thanked them during a dedicated Seychellois creole lunch in London on Tuesday January 24. He said “no destination can survive alone and needs committed partners.”

Mr St Ange has urged the tour operators and the press to continue to support Seychelles as a holiday destination and help increase, this year again, the number of visitors to Seychelles from the United Kingdom.

Held at the Sanctum Soho Hotel in London, the lunch was an occasion to thank tour operators and the press fraternity for believing in Seychelles and for making their best to promote and sell the destination.

It was also an occasion to renew discussions and get the partners to commit to another year of business with the islands.
The press was called upon to continue to cover the islands and help to reach out to potential travellers all over the country.

“The STB has always believed in, and have always found ways to work with the press because we know that as a small destination which is still trying to stay at the top of every potential traveller’s mind, we need the visibility and to be constantly seen in the press,” said Mr St Ange.

He thanked all the press representatives present and said the STB, through its Public Relations and News Bureau office in London, will always give them the support they need through information for their articles or to arrange press trips.

“Today I will say what I always say to the press all over the world. We need you, and we invite you to come and see for yourselves the exceptional beauty of our tourist tropical islands, and then you can write about it and let others know that what we have is for real,” said Mr St Ange.

The Seychelles tourism head said the UK market enjoyed an 8% increase in visitor arrivals last year, and thanked the tour operators, airlines and hotel partners for driving the sales and creating business for the islands.

“It is a business where we support each other, and we, as the ones driving the destination’s marketing, we know we cannot exist on our own. We need you as partners to receive their clients, take care of their bookings and other needs, and we need you to ensure they have the best holiday ever,” continued Mr St Ange.

He explained that partners must feel their efforts and devotion are being recognised and appreciated for the business they bring to the country. 

“The UK market was slow for a number of years, but I’m happy to say we have pulled out of the downward trend and we are now working hard to keep the positives. Thank you to everyone who has helped and continues to help the country.”

Air Seychelles’ pull-out from Europe, including the United Kingdom, is one of the challenges the market will face during the new season, but Mr St Ange said all partners must find alternatives and continue to inform clients of other options.

"Today we have Emirates Airline that serves Seychelles 14 times a week, Qatar Airways daily, Etihad Airways four times a week, Kenya Airways with their cooperation with KLM and Air France flies twice a week to Seychelles and from April 1, Ethiopian Airlines will fly to Seychelles via Addis Ababa four times a week," said Mr St Ange.