Qatar Airways made its return to Seychelles yesterday, touching down at Seychelles’ International Airport to a red carpet welcome ceremony attended by airport and government officials, together with local dignitaries.

On hand to welcome guests and crew members on board Flight QR678 from Doha, Qatar was Alain St Ange, Seychelles’ Minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine; Gary Albert, principal secretary (PS) for Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine; Anne Lafortune, PS for Tourism; Sherin Francis, chief executive of the Seychelles Tourism Board (STB); as well as civil aviation, tourism and airline officials.

Minister St Ange and Dr Hugh Dunleavy, Qatar Airways’ Chief Commercial Officer, cut the ribbon to officially welcome the airline to Seychelles.

As part of the welcome ceremony, a group of local dancers dressed in traditional costumes performed cultural dances and songs while school children from state schools and the International School of Seychelles also greeted the arrival with flags.

Qatar Airways is operating seven flights per week with a daily flight from Seychelles to over 150 destinations worldwide, via Doha.

Wishing the airline success on the Seychelles route, Minister St Ange said working through the process to get the flight back to Seychelles has been a real pleasure.

He commended both the local and Qatar airways teams who worked diligently to make sure the airline’s arrival in Seychelles runs as smoothly as possible and to also make sure it is on the right footing on the right term.

He said today Seychelles welcomes the first of the seven flights per week to be operated by Qatar Airways. And the country looks forward to the consolidation of Qatar Airways Seychelles route as it is for the Seychelles tourism industry.

“It is a good day because we see more connectivity for our islands. Seychelles as mid-ocean islands know full well that our tourism industry, which is the pillar of the economy, won’t survive if we don’t have air access. Today Qatar Airways has landed with 7 more flights to our shores and this is a welcome move,” he said.

Welcome because there are three main pillars of the Middle East area which are Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha in Qatar.

“Today we have the three. And with these three the connectivity that Seychelles is offered is immense. We needed that to help us consolidate the tourism industry and to ensure that the Seychellois people involved in one way or another in tourism. And for us to make a go at it we need air access, we need our airport operation to be working well,” said Minister St Ange.

“Thank you for this very warm welcome. It is a milestone for Qatar Airways. We would not be at this airport today without the support of the airport, tourism board and government who have made it possible,” said Dr Dunleavy of Qatar Airways.

He said Seychelles is a very popular destination for the airline’s passengers.

“We are happy to offer them the opportunity to travel to more than 150 destinations around the world,” he said.

A commemorative cake was also cut during the ceremony.

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