“Bird Island Lodge has created an eco-friendly affordable hotel for Seychelles, which blends well with the environment and perfectly fitted within the concept of eco-tourism”.

The statement was echoed by Alain St Ange, the Minister for Tourism and Culture, after visiting Bird Island Lodge last Friday, as part of his on-going door to door visit to licensed tourism establishments.

Minister St Ange gave thumbs up to Guy Savy, director of Bird Island Limited Company and owner of Bird Island Lodge, and his team for giving an authentic service to its clientele.

“We’ve taken stock of the cleanliness of the Island. Over the years Guy Savy and his team have managed a hotel which does not over depend on electric generators because the rooms are not air-conditioned. It has been the inspiration of Bird Island Lodge management team to ensure that the hotel remains affordable and keep attracting visitors on a yearly basis,” the minister said.

Minister St Ange said Bird Island Lodge is a remarkable establishment operating with 100% Seychellois workforce.

“Bird Island Lodge employs 24 workers and all of them are Seychellois. This is remarkable for a hotel which keeps running on high occupancy. It’s a clear illustration that hotel owned and run by Seychellois is an asset for the country,” said Minister St Ange.

Minister St Ange’s door-door visit at the privately owned island was an opportunity for him and his team -- who included Anne Lafortune, principal secretary for tourism; Benjamine Rose, principal secretary for culture and Sherin Naiken, the chief executive of the Seychelles Tourism Board -- to discover not only the property but the thousands of sooty terns that come to the island to breed.  Minister St Ange said the breeding season of sooty terns is a spectacle of nature that continues to impress visitors and Seychellois alike.

“It is an island that not only keep tourists coming but its thousands of birds that land annually to breed. It is remarkable to see the birds returning year after year by millions to lay their eggs,” concluded Minister St Ange.

Built in 1973, Bird Island Lodge’s 24 bungalows nestled within palm trees and overlooking the island’s unrivalled powdered stretch of beach are doing well in business.  Longed described as offering a unique blend of Seychelles’ hospitality, despite undergoing renovation on its bungalows, Bird Island Lodge has kept simplicity at its best.

The privately owned bungalows built on an idyllic coral atoll ethos are to give holiday makers an island experience while being close to nature.

The 24 wooden bungalows, each with a king-size four-poster bed and patio, offer a rudimentary at its best accommodation, without falling into the trap of five-star hotels concept. Bird Island Limited Company has kept the concept as its most convincing marketing tool.

This concept has made the success of Bird Island Lodge. Today, Bird Island Lodge is operating on 65% occupancy rate.

Mr Savy said this concept has transformed the way the company is doing business. “Europe remains our main market but we are receiving more and more Chinese. We’ve insisted on keeping the simplicity of the lodge.”

“There are no television and air condition in the bungalows. We’ve however introduced Wifi in the bungalows which are so far a clean form of technology. We believe it is a concept that works and with our occupancy rate, it is proof that its workable.”

Mr Savy said Bird Island Lodge also prided itself on promoting the concept of domestic tourism.

“Bird Island Lodge offers special rates for residents and this has triggered the interest for Seychellois to come and experience the product of the lodge,” he said.

Bird Island Lodge has made a giant leap forward in the recycling of the lodge waste. Empty aluminium cans and glass bottles disposed by the Lodge are compressed, disposed and shipped to Mahé on a monthly basis, said Mr Savy.

Mr Savy said the state of tourism industry is healthy and this is contributing to giving Bird Island Lodge a bright future.

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