Saint Ange Tourism Report – 17th June 2019
Victoria, Mahe (Seychelles) – June 18, 2019 (travelindex.com) – The Seychelles overseas Tour Operator partners are talking more openly at applicable rates today and do not shy away from reminding everyone that at WTM in London over a year ago they echoed words of caution that fell on deaf ears. Seychelles say a weak May and June in its tourism industry. Rates is an area where every operator leads his own ship. But the question is whether operating costs on the ground continues to push up prices which at the end of the day will no only affect Government coffers but also every islander picking up business from tourists on holiday in Seychelles.
Today it is known that cuts in spending at Foreign Affairs and Tourism Board are being proposed. For Tourism are we not removing the much needed ingredient for growth of the industry?
Guest Speaker and Moderator at IATA Regional Aviation Forum, Accra Ghana
This week I leave Seychelles for the IATA Regional Aviation Forum – Ghana 2019 in Accra, Ghana.. This regional event will be convened under the theme “Aviation: Business for Regional Prosperity” and will bring together more than 150 distinguished aviation experts, decision makers and influencers from airlines, airports, civil aviation authorities, air navigation service providers, travel agency associations, and government agencies from across the West and Central African region.
As the President of the African Tourism Board I have been invited to this special annual event and to participate as Moderator of a Panel Discussion on the topic “West and Central Africa as Preferred Tourism Destination: The Need for Greater Industry Synergy”.
Discussions within the panel are expected to examine steps West and Central African countries need to take to become preferred tourism destinations, including inducing synergy between sectors such as tourism, air transport, travel management and hotels.
The forum will highlight the socio-economic prosperity that aviation can generate if properly adopted by West and Central African countries. The panel comprises the Ministers of Tourism of Ghana and Cote D’ Ivoire, CEO of Africa World Airlines, Country Manager of South African Airways, President of National Association of Nigerian Travel Agents and the Managing Director of Marriott Hotels.
One Seychelles, political party presents its official registration documents to Electoral commission
The ‘One Seychelles’ political party has been launched to offer a choice to the electorate. Seychelles is a country that says it embraces the basic democratic principles of right to Association and the right to participate in the political affairs of the islands and Leaders in the country often repeat such a message.
The Leaders of the “One Seychelles” have committed themselves to put Seychellois first and to work to disseminate what their party is proposing for Seychelles. They will not entertain insulting and denigrating opponents, but will stick to explaining their party manifesto. “We have a lot in our party manifesto to tell our people. If we just attacked our opponents it would only mean we had no ideas for Seychelles and only needed to concentrate on personal attacks. We have so much to propose for real change for Seychelles and will concentrate on this” I said after the registration formalities at the Electoral Commission.
One Seychelles, island nation’s newest political party, files registration papers with Electoral Commission (Seychelles News Agency)
A new political party — One Seychelles — headed by Seychelles’ former tourism minister, Alain St Ange, presented documents of registration to the Electoral Commission Wednesday.
The chairperson of the Commission, Danny Lucas, told reporters that they will have to go over the documents and certify them.
“If we find that all is in order, we will give a date to formally register the party. But if some documents are not in order we will contact the party leader to see if they can be put into order according to the requirements needed to register a political party,” said Lucas.
He added that usually, the Commission has within one month to give a date to register any political party.
For the party to be registered some documents such as the logo, colour of the party, a manifesto, and at least 100 signatures from eligible voters endorsing the party need to be in order.
The Electoral Commission of Seychelles is the body that organises, oversees and regulates political elections in the island nation. It is also in charge of registering political parties in Seychelles, a group of 115 islands in the western Indian Ocean.
To date, there are 11 registered political parties, according to the Electoral Commission.
“Today is an important moment for Seychelles as a new political party has handed over its necessary documents to the Electoral Commission. As a group of people, we have taken article 23 of our Constitution that gives the right to every Seychellois to be affiliated with any political party. We want to give a choice to every Seychellois,” said St Ange.
He added that the Party will present its programme on what it has to offer to the people of Seychelles.
St Ange said that he has been asked what immediate thing the party will bring to the island nation and his respond is that it will focus on the welfare of the Seychellois people.
In the official launching of the party in April, St Ange said One Seychelles has a five-point action plan which focuses on reviving the island’s economy, help create job opportunities and transform the lives of the people.
Presidential and legislative elections in Seychelles are held every five years. The next presidential election is due in 2020.
The last presidential election was held in December 2015 and the candidate of the ruling Parti Lepep — James Michel — won with 50.15 percent of the vote.
On a working visit to Reunion last weekend I held discussions with the island’s President Didier Robert
President Didier Robert of Reunion, the President of the island’s Regional Council made time to meet me as I was in Reunion for a working visit. As a former Seychelles Minister and one of the founding Presidents of the Indian Ocean Vanilla Islands this meeting was an opportunity to again look at the region tourism industry especially now that I hold the position of President of African Tourism Board (ATB) Region and the Continent’s cooperation opportunities in tourism was looked at.
Reunion Island is known as “Europe of the Indian Ocean” as they fly the French Flag and enjoy their unique position off the coast of mainland Africa. They also remain a leading proactive member of the region’s Vanilla Islands Group.
Reunion’s Airline, Air Austral is one of the region’s flourishing airline with routes touching Seychelles, Mauritius, Madagascar, Comoros, Mayotte and South Africa. The airline is also in partnership with Air Madagascar giving it the largest route network on the Big Island. With the affiliate airline EWA they also touch Tanzania and Mozambique.
President Didier Robert remains very much a leader who believes in cooperation and he was instrumental working with me as the then Seychelles Minister of Tourism in the creation of the Indian Ocean Vanilla Islands. Together we discussed strengthening the region’s tourism source markets and the opening of new potential markets such as Israel for the region.
President Didier Robert’s vision for his island shows his belief in tourism as an industry for wealth creation. He leads in sustainable tourism approach pushing forward renewable energy concept at the same time.
As the President of thee African Tourism Board (ATB) I believe that Reunion should work with ATB and consolidate its tourism development further as they look at the Continent for further growth for Air Austral. Reunion Island is today enjoying real successes in Cruise Tourism, a tourism market targeted by the island’s President when he took over the Indian Ocean Vanilla Island’s Presidency.
With President we discussed the availability to participate as a resource person and speaker at coming tourism and environment conferences being planned in Reunion.