Tourism board outlines plans for the future
01.02.2010
Our tourism industry will retain “The Seychelles Islands…Another World” as its destination brand for this year, the Seychelles Tourism Board’s (STB) director for marketing Alain St Ange said on Saturday.
The meeting’s closing ceremony on Saturday at the Four Seasons Resort. Vice-President Belmont and Mr St Ange are second and third from right in photo above
He made the announcement at the Four Seasons Resort in the presence of Vice-President Joseph Belmont – who is also the minister responsible for tourism – as this year’s 2010 Tourism marketing meeting ended.
He gave Mr Belmont a copy of the five-year strategic plan for the industry.
Mr St Ange also said STB will this year invite 100 chief executives of key tourism agents abroad to come and “see what Seychelles is all about” and that the board will no longer pay the high fees charged for filming.
He said marketing material will be prepared locally but printed by agents abroad to save storage and transport costs.
He called for the formation of a committee under the Office of the President with members from all sectors to address all issues related to tourism without duplication of efforts. He said the committee could have representatives from the tourism sector, Air Seychelles, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the police, the environment, employment, education and health.
Mr St Ange said it is important for potential visitors to know there is a decompression chamber at the Victoria hospital where people who experience problems while diving can be treated.
He hailed the support the industry is getting from government and the private sector, adding the STB was able to save R12 million last year but needs R28 million this year.
He said the STB spent a lot of money to develop the current branding and given there is so much material with the logo in print it would be wasteful to change it.
“However the STB is committed to developing new brochures to showcase the country’s niche markets such as sailing, diving, fishing, island hopping, eco-holidays, golfing, casinos, weddings and honeymoons,” he said, adding an accommodation guide will be made available online.
“We will no longer pay for access to or to film national assets where we are charged up to 1,500 euros yet the filming helps to promote those assets. We will look for alternative ones and promote them instead if we are denied free access,” he said.
Mr Belmont said government has noted all the points raised at the meeting which was opened on Wednesday by President James Michel, who urged the industry to continue working with teamwork so as to maintain the momentum gained in last year’s marketing campaigns and strong arrival figures.
Mr Belmont noted arrival figures last year were only 1% below target and expressed optimism that the 2010 target of a 5-6% increase will be realised.