New directors to boost overseas marketing
30.01.2010
The marketing of Seychelles as a tourism destination took a big stride this week with the announcement of new strategies aimed at carrying the name of our islands to the four corners of the world.
One significant strategy is to appoint marketing directors who will oversee the promotion of Seychelles in different regions of the world. They will act as anchors for the country offices under them, and their experience will be vital in market penetration initiatives.
A No. 2 in the marketing department hierachy has now been appointed to help the director of tourism marketing, Alain St Ange.
Bernadette Willemin, who is based in Paris, takes up this post and is also now the European director, responsible for the biggest catchment area for our tourists.
Besides having the France, UK, Italy and Germany offices under her responsibility, she will also oversee Russia and the Baltic states.
Ms Willemin, who had previously been Seychelles’ manager in France as well as being responsible for Benelux, Spain and Portugal, will give the director of marketing up-to-date information on developments in all main markets as well as on developing trends.
David Germain is the new director for Africa and America. He has been the tourism board’s representative for South Africa for many years and will continue to be based in Cape Town.
Myrna Michel is the new Asia and Australasia director and will be based in Singapore as Seychelles opens its first tourist office there. She was, until recently, director of the Seychelles Business Advisory Centre for Asia, in Singapore, and worked in tourism locally before that.
In the Middle East, Seychelles will continue to have the services of the Mohammed Al Geziry Consultancy, with Julie Muirhead as manager.
Meanwhile, the Seychelles Tourist Office managers in the different overseas markets remain unchanged.These offices are now being beefed up as Seychelles forges ahead with its programme to consolidate existing markets and develop potential ones.
The Italy office is headed by Monette Rose, while Edith Hunzinger leads the Germany office.
Fiona Lane has an all-Seychellois team to help her relaunch Seychelles in the UK market, with coordinators Stephanie Medor and Lorraine Louis.
Mrs Willemin will have good support as she extends her market territory, with Karen Confait from the tourism board’s head office moving to Paris to strengthen the office there.
Likewise, Mrs Hunzinger’s work in the German market will receive the support of Christine Vel, also from head office, but they have been working in that market together for a few years now.
South Africa is a potential growth market that Seychelles pegged seriously last year with the opening of a second office there. Marsha Parcou runs the second office in Pretoria, but Mr Germain will have new staff from Seychelles later this year to give him time and support to work on developing the Americas and the rest of Africa.
The Far East will be well tapped this year as Mrs Michel will get the support of staff positioned in Shanghai, besides Dong Chang Jeong and Julie Kim who are both based in Seoul, South Korea.
Mrs Muirhead will also see added support for her efforts to market Seychelles in the Middle East with a new member on her team, Tim Lane-Stott.