Mr St Ange exchanging documents with Messrs Nanty (photo above) and Vidot after signing the memorandum of understanding

It was handed over with the signing of a memorandum of understanding by chief executive Patrick Nanty of the National Heritage Foundation and  STB chief executive Alain St Ange in a ceremony at the village witnessed by President James Michel, ministers and key representatives of the tourism industry.

Mr St Ange also signed an MoU with principal secretary for community development Olsen Vidot allowing the STB to man and maintain the Anse Royale Beach and Leisure Park “for use by Seychellois and visitors”.

Mr Michel said he had instructed the STB to develop the Seychelles Brand beyond the “sun, sea and sand” experience because we have the potential to become an activity-based tourist destination, to enhance mountain-based activities, as well as historical and cultural sightseeing.

“For this reason, an important site such as the Domaine de Val des Près will come under STB management, in order to maximise its potential as a functional cultural village, where students from the tourism academy will also receive training and valuable first-hand experience,” he said.

“We will streamline our policies in the management, conservation and promotion of our national heritage. Government has decided to set up a body that will provide for better networking among all agencies that have a stake in managing our historical, cultural and environmental sites. This body will ensure that there is harmony in common policies and standards, ensure better coordination and set best practices.

“The extra step forward will encompass a new component that I believe will enrich our tourism portfolio, and that is domestic tourism. We have the world’s most beautiful islands and the Seychelles Brand is our brand, so we need to ensure that we all have the opportunity to enjoy them as well.”

Mr Michel said Seychellois should discover and enjoy the islands and the national parks, but he noted that the cost of travelling to different islands is one of the barriers.

“So we will be reviewing inter-island access, as well as the pricing policies.”

He said Seychelles needs young people who are ready to take up a long-term career in the hospitality industry after they qualify from the Seychelles Tourism Academy.

“Training needs to be improved, and we need to consider new hotel management training possibilities for our young Seychellois,” he said.

The President said the proposed branding exercise also needs to be extended to promoting locally-made products and services.

“Seychelles needs to maximise the use of local produce. We will boost our cottage industries with the support of the STB, the Small Enterprise Promotion Agency, the Seychelles Agricultural Agency and the tourism academy so more people become suppliers for hotels,” he added.

“The tourism academy will teach new techniques to potential entrepreneurs, as we seek markets for our home-grown products to be used with pride in the hospitality industry.

“We are taking initiatives to diversify our visitor sources, with promotion campaigns in Japan, China, South Korea, India and the Middle East. This has been an important expansion of our potential for new markets. We are also negotiating with several airlines on the possibility of operating new air routes to Seychelles.”

Mr Michel thanked those who are working hard to make our tourism industry a vibrant and thriving sector, adding that teamwork has been the key to our success and we should continue on this path and reinforce our public and private sector partnership.

“Our country needs everyone to defend, promote and protect this vital economic activity and develop it so that all Seychellois have a stake in its future. We will only achieve this if we work together in peace and harmony,” he said.

STB officials said the Anse Royale Beach and Leisure Park will become a model of such public areas where the government through the STB and the community through the district administration will work together to provide recreational facilities in the country.