STB trains Seychelles Sustainable Tourism Label assessors |14 February 2015

Eight Seychelles Sustainable Tourism Label (SSTL) assessors have been awarded their certificates after following a one-week training workshop.
They received their certificates from the hands of the Minister for Tourism and culture Alain St Ange in a short ceremony at the Espace Building yesterday afternoon.

The principal secretary for Tourism, Anne Lafortune, was equally present.
The SSTL assessors have as duty to assess tourism establishments which are accredited in the certification scheme for tourism accommodation. The aim of the training was to widen the pool of third party assessors for the scheme.

Minister St Ange thanked the assessors for embarking on the programme which he said will become key in the development of the country’s tourism industry.
“Sustainable tourism is the only way of permitting our children to see what we are seeing today. It is a way of showing that, as the national theme for 2015 goes, we love Seychelles. What is good for a tourist who comes here is also good for our children,” remarked Mr St Ange.

The minister added that the training represented only the first phase of recognition for the assessors and for hotels registered in the SSTL scheme.
“When this is developed more hotels will join. I hope also that more assessors will come on board,” Mr St Ange said.

The training has been funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Seychelles government as part of the Global Environment Facility (GEF). It covered topics such as ISO 9001 Quality Management System, ISO 14001 Environment Management System and ISO 19011 Audit Principles.

The eight assessors who have received their certificates are Alexa Labrosse, Gerome Louise, Jinny Laurencine, Curtis Naiken, Martina Pool, Bertrand Gopal, Felina Rose and Elke Talma.