Saint Ange Tourism Report

18th June 2017

By Alain St.Ange of SAINT ANGE CONSULTANCY

Alain St.Ange was the former Seychelles Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation,

Ports & Marine. He resigned from his Ministerial position in December 2016

to run for the position of Secretary General of the UNWTO but his candidacy

was abruptly pulled out of the race by the Seychelles Government only two

days before the elections following demands by the African Union. The letter

issued by the African Union threatened serious economic sanctions on the

islands if they did not revoke their candidacy for the prestigious role of

Secretary General. "A decision of the African Union that is against all basic

human rights and the sovereignty of the island state," said St.Ange who was

humiliated at the peak of his tourism career following this unexpected turn

of events.

Vice President Vincent Meriton of Seychelles called Alain St.Ange, who was

already in Madrid for the UNWTO elections with his friends and family, to

inform him that Seychelles had bowed to the pressure of the African Union.

It is today clear that the authenticity of the infamous letter is questionable,

and steps are being taken to investigate this matter.

"Africa cannot progress with such a dictatorial attitude, and the World

Institutions cannot condone such draconian actions," Alain St.Ange said as

he left Madrid empty-handed to return to Seychelles on 14th May.

Alain St.Ange receiving the infamous phone call from Vincent Meriton, the Vice

President of Seychelles

Not one to be easily deterred, Alain St.Ange has now registered his own

Tourism Consultancy Business offering PR and visibility to tourism

organisations and destinations, as well as his vast expertise in the

development of tourism.

His Saint Ange Tourism Report will be weekly and will touch the Indian

Ocean Vanilla Islands, the countries surrounding the Indian Ocean, and

global tourism matters as and when necessary.

The Report will be shared with the Business Community in Seychelles, to

the tourism professionals from around the world, and it will be picked up

by important news agencies which will ensure a very wide global

distribution.

Welcome to Issue #1

BIRD ISLAND SEYCHELLES

Alain St.Ange pictured with Guy Savy, the owner of Bird Island

Two weeks ago, I was fortunate enough to be on Bird Island in time to

witness the breath-taking sight of millions of Sooty Terns flooding in to lay

their speckled eggs, an annual spectacle few are able to behold. Bird Island

is expecting some two million birds this year to land and nest on the part of

the island reserved as the 'Bird Colony'. The progressive landing of these

birds in the period of June to August every year is indeed an impressive

sight, and oftentimes may be a deafening experience. This is, without a

doubt, something we should all endeavour to strike off our bucket lists.

News from Bird Island confirm that the Sooty Terns are already laying.

Alain St.Ange witnessing the arrival of thousands of Sooty Terns

HOTEL L'ARCHIPEL OF PRASLIN IN THE SEYCHELLES

Louis D'Offay’s 'home grown' beachside hotel on Praslin Island has been

termed the hotel of choice by new Tour Operators promoting the Seychelles.

Louis D'Offay remains one of the respected hoteliers of the Seychelles, and

his hotel enjoys an incredible beach front location adjacent to the popular

Cote D'Or Beach.

Cuisine at L'Archipel has remained a strong point of the family run hotel and

the personal attention to detail by Louis D'Offay, the owner himself,

continues to pay dividends. Lucas D'Offay is today looking at day to day

management of the property and Eddie D'Offay is responsible for all the

Marketing and Sales.

Hotel L’Archipel has just Celebrated its 30th Anniversary. It welcomed its first

guest on the 11th of April 1987. The hotel has since become a home away

from home for leisure travellers and their numerous repeat guests from

around the world. Since April 1987, it has maintained its status as one of the

top recommended hotels on Praslin, even in the face of increased

competition.

Alain St.Ange and Louis D'Offay

UNESCO HONOURS PRESIDENT MICHEL & SEYCHELLES IN A

CEREMONY TO RECOGNISE 8 NATIONS AS GLOBAL CHAMPIONS OF

OCEAN SCIENCE

Former President James Michel of Seychelles

On Wednesday 7th June Seychelles was amongst eight countries and

organizations honoured for their contributions to global ocean science by

the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC) at the

UN Ocean Conference in New York in a ceremony called ‘Oceans 8’.

The Republic of Seychelles and the leadership of former President of

Seychelles, James Alix Michel, was recognized as an ‘Ocean’s 8 Champion’ for

developing an innovative debt swap scheme that has enabled this small

island developing nation to finance local ocean science and climate resilience

programmes.

Former President Michel said he hopes this high-level recognition will help

to highlight the benefits of applying innovative financing solutions to

support ocean science activities around the world.

“It is a great honour for Seychelles to be recognized by the

Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO for our work for

this gives us an international platform to show the world an innovative model

for financing ocean science and conservation work,” he said in a video

message from his office in Seychelles, presented at the ceremony.

The Director General of UNESCO, Mrs. Irina Bokova, presented the certificate

of honour to the Vice-President of the Republic of Seychelles, Vincent

Meriton, who was present during the ceremony and accepted the recognition

on behalf of former President Michel and on behalf of the Government and

people of Seychelles,

“President Michel has championed the Blue Economy ever since its inception

and I think it is only fitting that he and the Republic of Seychelles, should also

partake in this celebration. I should also mention that without the support of

our international partners; The Nature Conservancy, the Global Island

Partnership (GLISPA) and the Commonwealth, we would not have reached

where we are,” said Vice-President Meriton after receiving the UNESCO

recognition.

The ‘Ocean’s 8’ ceremony honouring the champions of ocean science was

also supported by the United Nations General Assembly, the UN

Environment, Sky TV’s Sky Ocean Rescue Campaign, and the Governments

of Iceland and Peru.

CARANABEACH HOTEL'S LORIZON RESTAURANT NOMINATED

IN WORLD LUXURY RESTAURANT AWARDS 2017

Lorizon, named after the Creole word for ‘horizon’ on account of the

restaurant’s uninterrupted view of the Indian Ocean, has been nominated in

the World Luxury Restaurant Awards, CaranaBeach Director, Alan Mason, has

announced proudly.

The awards, which seek to inspire excellence and ignite competition in the

luxury restaurant industry, enable fine-dining outlets from across the world

to compete across 78 categories. The selection criteria for nomination is

based on three primary factors: interior design, the quality and presentation

of the cuisine, and a reputation for excellent service and positive reviews.

The nominees will then be put to the vote by guests and industry

professionals to select the winners, which will be announced at a gala

ceremony at the JW Marriott Hanoi in Vietnam on the 22nd July.

Lorizon has also earned a reputation for its exquisitely presented desserts,

which include a deconstructed lemon meringue tart, an Eton “messed up”

cake based on the British classic, and its famous Golden Gaytime, a

combination of butterscotch and vanilla ice creams with chocolate and

honeycomb.

“It’s exciting for Lorizon to be in the running for such prestigious

international recognition,” Mason said, “Our congratulations go to Group

Executive Chef Darren Roberts and his excellent team for establishing the

restaurant’s credentials from the outset with their unique creations.”

SEYCHELLES WITH A TOUCH OF AUTHENTIC ISLAND LIFE UNDER A

TRADITIONAL BOAT SHED IN THE VILLAGE OF DENIS ISLAND

Village Boat Shed on Denis Island

Creole themed nights are not a unique notion for Seychelles and many hotels

stage such events on a weekly basis, but Denis Island has now launched their

own with a playful twist; they are hosting their Creole Nights in the village

‘boat shed’, a charming old building which has been recently refurbished and

cleverly repurposed.

‘Boat sheds' such as this one form part of the unique culture of Seychelles

and are traditionally used as a meeting place for discussions and oftentimes

for a heated round of dominos. Around Mahé, Praslin and La Digue, many of

these beachside sheds have long disappeared, but the owners of Denis Island

have not only revamped theirs but have also found a unique way of

repurposing it.

Denis Island is part of the 'one island - one hotel' concept and is reputed to

be rather exclusive with its 25 villas and well over 100 staff caring for their

guests. This property is managed as a sustainable tourism establishment; it

enjoys the luxury of a working farm with fresh produce making them mostly

self-sufficient. The island is close to the drop-off thus also providing easy

access to fresh fish and great big game fishing opportunities.

One night a week the Island’s guests are invited to the village to enjoy a

special Creole Night where Francois Hoareau heads a team of Seychellois to

put on display an elaborate selection of authentic Seychellois Creole dishes,

including a roasted suckling pig. With a bon fire on the beach and the magic

of a well-lit moon, guests meet and enjoy a special evening in the company

of the island owners, Kathy and Micky Mason.

Denis Island suckling pig for Creole Night

SEYCHELLES APPOINTS CHRISTINE VEL AS TOURISM BOARD

MANAGER IN LONDON

Christine Vel

Christine Vel is a quietly ambitious island girl from Mont Buxton, Mahé. She

was attached to the Office of the European Director in Paris and has recently

been posted to manage the Seychelles Tourism Board's London Office.

Putting Seychellois nationals in tourism promotional offices has been the

guiding principle of Sherin Francis, the CEO of the Tourism Board, and recent

changes have opened the opportunity for Christine Vel to broaden her

horizons as she represents her country in 'Jolly Old Angleterre'.

"I am personally proud of her success and take this opportunity to wish her

well" states Francis.

Sherin Francis, CEO of the Tourism Board

MAURITIUS - "POUPETTE" IS THE NAME OF AN INDEPENDENT

BLOGGER CONTINUOUSLY REVIEWING TOURISM PRODUCTS

'Poupette' has been active for a while and it was difficult to get to know who

was behind this Mauritius based Blog. The writer wishes to remain

anonymous, but after an unexpected one-to-one meeting on Denis Island in

Seychelles, it can be confirmed that the person is a tourism professional with

a wealth of experience and a keen eye for detail.

Reviews are free, but the product must be good for a recommendation that

will enhance the promotion of the tourism business being covered.

‘My Sweet Mauritius’ is the blog issued from Mauritius with a very special

character. The blogger has a fresh style, the blogs personal in nature but light

in approach. ‘Poupette des Iles’ is published weekly where special discoveries

are marked by the "Ayo J'Adore" (Ayo I Love) tag line.

Poupette travels independently around Mauritius and publishes all what is

discovered in all its diversity, including artisanal works, artists, hotels,

restaurants, and boutiques. Exceptional places are all given attention and

their due visibility.

My Sweet Mauritius: the blog from Mauritius is a must to follow to discover

the authentic Mauritius. It can be found online and on Facebook:

http://mysweetmauritius.blogspot.com/

https://www.facebook.com/mysweetmauritius

https://www.facebook.com/poupettedesilesamaurice/

EMMANUEL RICHARDET IS THE NEW GM OF THE WESTIN TURTLE BAY

RESORT & SPA MAURITIUS

Emmanuel Richardet

Emmanuel Richardet is the new General Manager of The Westin Turtle Bay

Resort & Spa of Mauritius. Emmanuel has some thirty years’ experience in

hotel management, having worked in hotels in Europe such as the Méridien

Penina in Portugal, the Méridien Dona Filipa & San Lorenzo Golf Course, and

the Sheraton La Caleta Resort & Spa in Tenerife, Spain

TAG HEUER WILL ORGANISE THE 2ND KITESURF COMPETITION IN

MAURITIUS

On the 1st June TAG Heuer announced that they will once again organise

their Kitesurf League and that this will be taking place this year on the 17th

June, 19th August and 9th September on the C Beach Club at Bel Ombre in

the south part of Mauritius.

REUNION - ANOTHER SPECTACULAR VOLCANIC ERUPTION

The Indian Ocean Island of Reunion was boasting natural fireworks as the

world welcomed 2017; It was on the 31 January at 19h40 that the "Le Piton

de la Fournaise" of Reunion started sending red lava spewing into the air

once again.

"Le Piton de la Fournaise" is one of the most active volcanos of the world and

is situated in the centre of the National Park of Reunion. It is listed as a

UNESCO World Heritage Site.

VANILLA ISLANDS AT SEATRADE IN FORT LAUDERDALE

Vanilla Islands, the six-island destination of the Indian Ocean (Comoros,

Madagascar, Mayotte, Mauritius, Reunion and Seychelles) was at the

Seatrade Cruise Global in Fort Lauderdale in the USA in March to meet the

industry leaders and to better appreciate trends as well as the latest

developments.

The Vanilla Islands have been having a successful cruise ship season in 2016

and seeking to consolidate the gains made in recent years. Pascal Viroleau,

the CEO of the Vanilla islands, was personally representing the Islands and

sponsored one of the conferences for some 300 professionals with the MTPA

of Mauritius. It was also the opportunity to screen a promotional film and

distribute the region's cruise ship promotional flyer with all of the member

states.

More information on :- www.vanilla-islands.org/cruise.html

CENTRAL & EASTERN EUROPE IS UPDATED ON THE USPs OF THE

VANILLA ISLANDS

Tourism Offices and Tourism Boards of the Indian Ocean Vanilla Islands,

accompanied by members of their private sector trade, were in Central &

Eastern Europe with Turkish Airlines in April for a dedicated Indian Ocean

Roadshow to meet the industry's travel trade.

This was a prime opportunity for the Indian Ocean Region to get itself more

visibility and for Turkish Airline to spread the news that they have once again

been voted the 'Best European Airline'.

After Sofia in Bulgaria, the Indian Ocean Vanilla Islands’ dedicated Roadshow

moved to Belgrade in Serbia before ending the three-city tour in Ljubljana,

Slovenia. More than 80 Travel Agents and Tour Operators made time to

attend the event and to meet with Tourism Officials and with the Trade from

the Indian Ocean Region.

The Indian Ocean Islands are already well served by Turkish Airlines and this

should help facilitate sales from these important source markets.

RWANDA HAS AN AIRLINE THAT IS WORKING

Rwanda’s airline is state-owned and is but seven-years-old. The carrier was

initially known as RwandAir Express and operated in those early days with

leased turboprop planes. However, Rwanda and its airline has moved to

become an Africa wide operator. Today RwandAir has a fleet of 26 aircrafts,

including an Airbus A330 and 10 Boeing 737s and they serve 22 destinations.

The routes are mostly in Africa and they are set to establish very soon a hub

in Cotonou for their West Africa operations.

RwandAir is working and proving that Africa can work for Africa. It has been

confirmed that from April they will launch a service to Mumbai and by May

inaugurated its first flight to Europe through the Kigali-London route. In June

they are set to launch a new route to China and by 2018 begin regular flights

to the United States of America.

WORLD TOURISM FORUM LUCERNE 2017

Martin Barth, the President and CEO of the World Tourism Forum Lucerne

should be congratulated for a very successful 2017 edition. 500 participants

from 75 countries exchanged ideas, shared their visions and met new friends.

It was fantastic to see how 60 Ministers and even a Prime Minister, CEOs,

investors and Professors discussed tomorrow’s challenges in our industry

during the WTFL Think Tank in the beautiful Chateau St Charles at the lake

of Lucerne. 16 Start-Up finalists made us all proud and showed us how

brilliant tomorrow’s business ideas are. The keynote speakers, Simon Anholt,

Jason Fox, Ann Sherry, Rasoul Jalali and John Perrottet gave us all food for

thought to make sure we can take better and more sustainable decisions in

the future.

World Tourism Forum Lucerne is and will stay unique by bridging the silos

between the public and the private industry, investors and academia and by

integrating the Next Generation.

TOURISM & TERRORISM JUST DO NOT GO TOGETHER

Following the recent acts of terrorism (Manchester, London, Paris, Melbourne

and Iran) that again shocked the world, the call must be made for

Governments and the Private Sector to come together with the Press to find

a way forward.

The flowing is an extract of the Press Release issued by Alain St.Ange after

the London Attacks –

The UNWTO and WTTC meeting is a must, but the Press must be invited to

be together as partners. The right to information and the right to life and

economic survival must be tabled, analysed and joint actions agreed

together.

During the evening of the 3rd June London suffered from the cowardly acts

of terrorism. The World of Tourism from the four corners of the globe stands

with London today to say that we strongly condemn this latest attack

perpetrated in the heart of London.

The world was still getting to terms with the recent Manchester attack, and

as the great British People were getting to terms with that incident another

blow strikes to disrupt lives in Great Britain. As far away as the Seychelles,

sitting right in the middle of the Indian Ocean, but still part of the World of

Tourism Alain St. Ange says heartfelt condolences and sincere sympathy to

the families and friends of the victims and to the people of Great Britain.

St. Ange added, “A call I made for the recent UNWTO elections for the post

of Secretary General was for Ministers of Tourism and also those for Internal

Affairs to sit with the Press Fraternity alongside the tourism industry’s public

and private sector, the UNWTO and WTTC, to analyze such threats as what

happened in London last night. It is very clear that this is a matter for the

international community to rally together because innocent lives are being

lost and economies threatened because some seem to enjoy such acts of

destruction. Today I again call for the Community of Nations to meet and to

get the Press on board. Great Britain cannot do this alone, and as we see the

number of Cities of the World affected at one point in time by such carnage

get longer, we need to join forces and search for solutions.”

East African Tourism Platform a regional success

East Africa Tourism Platform (EATP) is a tourism private sector body working

within the East African Community (EAC). EATP works for the interest and

participation of the private sector in the EAC integration process. Since

inception in 2012, EATP has managed to facilitate several reforms that have

positively impacted East Africa's tourism industry. EATP has tirelessly

engaged policymakers and championed for the private sector. EATP can be

credited for successfully advocating for the East Africa Tourist Visa, use of

National IDs and the interstate pass as travel documents for citizens, free

movement of tourism services as well as joint marketing initiatives.

EATP has also played a very significant role in the development of East

Africa Tourism Web Portal (HYPERLINK

http://www.visiteastafrica.org" www.visiteastafrica.org) and production of

Television and Radio Advertisements and Documentary. The portal offers

regional tourism practitioners a platform to showcase what Destination East

Africa has to offer as a multi-country destination and promote inter and

intra-regional tourism. The advertisements and documentary, on the other

hand, were aired in Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya reaching over 60 million

East Africans. Additionally, EATP is running an online East Africa Travel

Specialist training program. This program is one of a kind in Africa,

covering three countries, where travel agents and tourism operators’ skills

on East Africa Travel Geography are sharpened.

Moreover, EATP has been facilitating business and networking opportunities

for regional travel and tourism practitioners at Kwita Izina, Karibu Fair,

Magical Kenya, Kilifair and Pearl of Africa. Over 2,500 regional business

operators have been given the opportunity to trade and learn on regional

products through B2Bs, exhibitions, trade-fairs and destination trainings. As

a result, the number of regional tourists within EAC has been increasing. For

instance, in 2015, the number of regional tourists from within EAC member

states was over 852,000; representing 65% of total tourist arrivals.

As the organization, EATB has played a critical role in the pursuance of a

Single Destination Brand Showcasing East Africa as One in Tourism Expos,

zero-cost work permits-enabling free movement of labour, Single Tourist

Visa, Interstate Passes and Joint Tourism Marketing Committee. In 2016, they

joined forces with the governments of Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda, for the

first time, to participate in World Travel Market and Berlin International Fair

(ITB) under one joint pavilion/stand and banner dubbed ‘Borderless borders;

One Destination, One Visa’; signifying that EATP’s efforts of marketing the

region under One Stand are receiving endorsement from top political actors

within the EAC.

At the same time, EATP has solidified the existence of the national tourism

private sector apex bodies by making them vocal and authoritative at a

regional level, thereby effectively tabling their needs both at national and

regional levels. As a result, they have received recognition from across the

globe, with notable examples from World Tourism Organization and the

World Bank. In the words of World Bank publication (2016) EATP has recently

shown leadership in attempting to champion and facilitate a collective,

coordinated and simultaneous approach to enhancing East Africa’s

competitiveness in travel and tourism.

EATP is currently lobbying for the liberalization of EAC air space, sector

specific tax reforms and incentives, harmonization of standards and codes of

conduct of tourism facilities and services, which will further impact the

tourism sector and consequently the region's economy. East Africa Tourism

Platform is showing that Africa can work with Africa for the good of

Africa.

KENYA HONOURS TALEB RIFAI OF THE UNWTO

Minister Najib Balaba presenting the award to Dr Taleb Rifai

For a job well done Dr Taleb Rifai, the outgoing Secretary General of the

UNWTO, has been honoured by President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya and

awarded the Elder of the Golden Heart of Kenya (EGH) for his distinguished

service to Kenya. This is the highest honour possible by Kenya.

Africa says thank you to the President of Kenya and to Minister Najib Balala

for bestowing this honour on Dr Rifai. We all know that he has worked

tirelessly for world tourism and tried hard to reposition tourism in Africa.

Today we are talking about Brand Africa, the narrative we need to write

ourselves to pitch our key USPs (Unique Selling Points) and to dispel the

often adverse perception being aired about Africa.

"I want to personally join President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya, Minister Najib

Balala and the People of the Kenya to say thank you to Dr Taleb Rifai. You

have been a great Secretary General of the UNWTO and we appreciate your

dedication to the tourism industry. You worked tirelessly and you delivered.

From the mid-ocean islands of the Seychelles sitting right in the middle of the

Indian Ocean I say thank you for a job well done" Alain St.Ange