Launch of Hospitality Tourism Club award |18 February 2023

Minister Radegonde addressing the audience

From now on, in the annual Lospitalite Award hosted by the department of Tourism, a new category of award will be added – the Hospitality Tourism Club award.

This was announced during the celebration of the one year of the Lospitalite Tourism Clubs initiative. The clubs will be based on the following criteria: 1) participation of the club in national activities organised by the Tourism department in collaboration with the Ministry of Education; 2) skills demonstrated by the students and 3) project done by the club and the tourism partner.

The Minister for Education, Dr Justin Valentin, who launched the award, noted that this award is the fruit of the collaboration between the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Education.

“With the introduction of this award, we are asking the schools and the hotels sponsoring them to have meaningful engagements in order to develop the industry and the children. We already saw the impact of the clubs on the children. Today is the launch of the award and the clubs will be judged through criteria.”

Minister Valentin once again reiterated that this year the theme is to “Fer lekol gou’. “We should not see what is happening right now as an extra-curricular activity. Hospitality, sustainability should be topics addressed at school at a very young age. It should be a movement incorporated in the curriculum.”

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism, Sylvestre Radegonde, shared that during the last year Seychelles schools were adopted by many businesses and the response from both sides was amazing.

“We can see the enthusiasm among the youngsters and the amount of activities they are exposed to. That’s the beginning of getting the children into the tourism activity and become the ambassador of the tourism industry…then finally getting them interested in working in the same industry.”

Minister Radegonde shared that what they are celebrating today is the reflection of profound work before.

“What we need in Seychelles right now is a change in mentality in general. Let us switch our gear and let us understand the importance of the Tourism industry for the country and what we need to do to preserve it. The new generation will give the industry a new breath of life and be more service-oriented and hospitable. The tourism clubs will also allow the youngsters to choose any career in the industry and work towards it.”

Minister Radegonde also noted that nowadays having Seychellois in the senior management is minimum and the ministry is already looking into that.

“Almost 100 Seychellois went for further studies for Tourism but only 50% are in the industry. There is an element of patience also in play but we are reviewing the mentors committee in order to help and mentor young graduates coming back from tourism studies. Seychellois should own the industry from top to bottom! We are also looking into the disparity in the salary package of a Seychellois and an expatriate worker. It is pointless to keep training people and there is still a big turnover. Our objective is to keep Seychellois in the tourism industry,” concluded Minister Radegonde.

The launch was attended by various schools, stakeholders, principal secretaries for tourism and education.

There were also brief talks by Anthony Banane from Labriz Gastro Lounge, and by Tourism club ambassadors, Franky Baccus from White Sand Tours, Noris Julie from LXR Mango House, Angelique Françoise from Kempinski Seychelles Resort & Spa.

Plaisance primary school pupil Tia Banane and Annika Gonthier from Beau Vallon primary entertained the guests with a presentation, a song and a poem.

The accompanying photos show highlights of the launch ceremony.

Vidya Gappy

Photos: Joena Meme