Seychelles destination training provided to North American Travel Trade |29 February 2020

Highlights of the training session (Photo source: STB News Bureau)

Destination Seychelles hit the ground running in North America as the Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) team conducted a ‘Seychelles product & destination’ training session for 45 travel agents from the city of Chicago and the region.

STB regional director for Africa & the Americas, David Germain, took advantage of his presence in the city of Chicago, Illinois, for the Travel and Adventure Show, during the weekend of February 8-10, 2020.

The chosen agents for the training included partners who are already involved with selling Africa and the Middle East, placing Seychelles as a unique destination in the region providing a perfect escapade designed for pristine nature and cultural diversity.

The luncheon training session was held on Thursday February 7, 2020 at the Maggiano’s Restaurant, North Clark Street, Chicago, Illinois 60654, USA.

The participants present at the event acquired updated information about Seychelles as a multifaceted destination, which includes a variety of recreational activities involving nature and its diversity of products. During the meeting, participants had the opportunity to ask questions regarding Seychelles in general.

Mr Germain stated his satisfaction after the successful event and mentioned that the training seminar is a very efficient tool to boost the confidence of the travel trade in North America to better understand and sell Seychelles.

Mr Germain said: “We have seen the importance of those training sessions as it provides the STB with the perfect platform to introduce the agents to the archipelago. For the past 3 consecutive years since the STB initiated the training seminars in the various cities in the Americas, on the side-lines of its main event, the participants have not only increased in numbers, but the STB has also noticed the increased awareness of Seychelles in North America.”

He further mentioned that feedback from agents regarding the training included their appreciation at the commitment of the STB for the North American market.

“There is currently a very positive trend in bookings to Seychelles from North America at the beginning of this new year, and this is being boosted by more training seminars where travel agents in North America continue to obtain vital tourism related information about the archipelago, and support from the STB, to better sell Seychelles,” said Mr Germain.

The total number of visitors arriving from the USA in 2019 amounts to 10,870, representing an increase by 10 percent over the same period in 2018.

Seychelles as a destination needs no introduction to the affluent North American travellers today. In the last decade, the beautiful exotic destination has made a name for itself and the current visitor arrival figures from the Americas to the island destination confirm that the North American market is one with great potential.

STB News Bureau