Luxury hotel on Long Island by 2007 |14 December 2005
The Shangri-La Resort and Spa, Seychelles, was launched in London on Monday where the signing took place, for the establishment that will introduce the first cable cars in Seychelles.The resort, which will comprise 55 villas, will be managed by TriGranit Development Corporation of U.K.
It will be the only development on the island which can be reached in 25 minutes from the airport by boat, or 10 minutes from Victoria.
The 55 villas will comprise 32 that will have one bedroom each, seven two-bedroom and 15 four-suite villas and a presidential suite.
A press release from Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts said the villas will be designed by Budapest-based Fazakas Gyorgy Architects Ltd and Dubai-based Interior Motives designers.
They will feature plunge pools facing the sea, spacious sundecks and outdoor showers.
The cable cars will transport guests from a spa that will be built on the island’s central hilltop, and will be scheduled to stop at a 30-capacity wedding chapel.
When delivering his Budget Address 2006 in his capacity as the Minister for Finance, President James Michel noted that tourist arrivals this year increased by six per cent compared to year 2004.
He attributed the rise in numbers to the marketing exposure of the country through the new airlines in late 2004 and the repositioning of Air Seychelles which have helped to broaden the clientele base.
He said that hotels themselves also played a part in marketing and that foreign exchange flows for the tourism sector between January and October were estimated to be R947 million, compared to R880 million for the same period in 2004.
“The improved performance is expected to continue as new hotels open,” he said, adding that new projects that are already under way which should provide investment to the value of US $54 million and over 400 jobs.
“A further 10 new projects are also scheduled for launch,” he said, noting that total investment from these new projects over the next two years is expected to be in the region of US $475 million and is expected to create over 1,700 new jobs.
Many international companies that are investing here have said they are doing so because they have confidence in this country’s economic future.