SEYCHELLES: Tourism Minister Goes To Mahé To Visit Tourism Properties In Seychelles

The Minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine, Mr. Maurice Loustau-Lalanne, has visited another 8 tourism properties on Mahé, as part of his ongoing door-to-door visits to holiday accommodations in Seychelles.

The eight establishments chosen were mostly Seychellois-owned small self-catering properties, located at Anse aux Poules Bleues and Anse Soleil, in the Baie Lazare district.

The aim is to be aware of the various services and products on offer, to appreciate the successes and gain an understanding of challenges faced by these establishments.

The Principal Secretary for Tourism Mrs. Anne Lafortune accompanied the minister on last Friday’s visit, as part of the tourism department’s ongoing efforts to align itself with key stakeholders in the tourism industry.

Starting off at Anse aux Poules Bleues, the first stop was at Zeph self-catering, which offers two self-catering accommodations set in a quiet location. The property owned by Ms Agnielle Monthy has been in operation since 2013, and strives to offer a Creole touch to its guests, who are mainly German visitors.

The delegation then proceeded to the Red Coconut Self-Catering, owned by Mrs Juliette d’Offay and her husband. Following renovations, the property offers two high-end self-catering accommodations, with breathtaking views of the Anse à la Mouche bay.

Minister Loustau-Lalanne and team also toured the Hill Side Retreat boasting two private wooden cabins, where they met with the owners Mrs Anne-Lise Platt and her husband who reside on the same property.

From Anse aux Poules Bleues, they moved to Anse Soleil where the minister visited the Anse-Soleil Resort, which has four self-catering accommodations offering panoramic views of the Anse-La-Mouche bay.

The property is owned by Mrs Paula Esparon, who explained that in spite of being a self-catering establishment, they do cater for special meals upon request, mentioning that guests particularly love fresh local fruits for breakfast.

Mr Andrew Gee was the next owner to be visited and he did not hesitate to take the delegation on a tour of Maison Soleil, boasting two self-catering lodgings, fitting for both couples and small families offering them a rather rustic feel.

Commenting on the variety of visitors staying at his establishment, Mr Gee said: “People from all over the world seems to find Seychelles.”

Mr Gee who is an artist, also showcased his gallery where he allows free entrance, while he sells his paintings and hand made products, mostly to the tourists.

Anse Soleil Beachcomber, which has fourteen guesthouses and four self-catering accommodations with superb views of the Anse-Soleil Beach, owned by Dr. Albert was the last small property to be visited, before the minister and his delegation made their last stop at the Four Seasons Resort -- the only large hotel featuring on the programme.

At Four seasons, Minister Loustau-Lalanne took the opportunity to congratulate the General Manager, Mr. Adrian Messerli and his team, after the hotel was recently listed among the Top 5 resort hotels in Africa in the Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Award 2017.

Mr Loustau-Lalanne said: “I am very fond of the level of development which took place at Four Seasons Resort and I admire that they respected the environment right to the point that you can almost touch nature while being at the resort.”

The Minister was given a tour of the resort, which has 67 rooms in total and visited key spots of the property.

He was accompanied by Mr Messerli who took the opportunity to salute his staff for their relentless effort describing them as the resort’s “number one source for success.”

At the end of the visit to another eight tourism establishments, Mr Loustau-Lalanne said “all of the properties we visited today are of good standards and I am very pleased at the level of re-investments being done at respective establishments.”



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SEYCHELLES: Seychelles’ Tourism Industry Mourns Passing Of Longtime Hotelier Louis D’Offay

Seychelles has lost a well-known and respected tourism personality; Louis D’Offay, who passed away at his home on Praslin on Tuesday, at the age of 73.

Mr D’Offay who described himself as a self-taught hotelier, began his journey in the tourism industry with the small beach property at Cote d’Or known as Village du Pecheur.

Tucked at the end of Cote d’Or bay on Praslin, Hotel L'Archipel, an establishment, which he built in the late 1980’s can be described as his greatest success story.

As a businessman, he invested time, money and expertise in several other ventures, especially in tourism properties on Praslin and La Digue.

Mr Louis D’Offay was also the longest serving chairman of the Seychelles Hospitality and Tourism Association (SHTA), stepping down in 2013 after serving as the association’s chairman for 15 years.

He was also a long serving member on the Board of the Seychelles Tourism Board and its predecessor the Seychelles Marketing Authority, up until 2012.

The Minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine, Maurice Loustau-Lalanne has paid homage to Mr D’Offay for his contribution, dedication and long years of service to the industry.

“Our Seychellois tourism family has lost a hard working son, we will celebrate your contribution to Seychelles as we pray for you. Our thoughts and prayers are also with the family,” said Mr Loustau-Lalanne.

The Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) has also joined the Tourism Ministry in extending sincere sympathy and conveying words of comfort to the families and friends of Mr D’Offay and to the local tourism industry.



The Chief Executive of the STB, Mrs. Sherin Francis said: “The Seychelles’ Tourism Industry has lost one of its pioneers. I am convinced that Mr D’Offay will be remembered for the great work he has done for the industry and for Seychelles.”

SEYCHELLES: Air Seychelles Boosts Connections From China With A Series Of Charter Flights From Beijing

Air Seychelles, the national airline of the Republic of Seychelles, has announced a series of non-stop charter flights between Beijing and Seychelles. The carrier will operate three return Airbus A330 services from the Chinese capital, as part

of an agreement signed with a Chinese tour operator Caissa. Flights have been scheduled to depart Beijing on 27 September, 4 October and 11 October and will provide convenient travel options to the Indian Ocean archipelago during the Golden Week national holidays, a traditionally busy travel period in China.

Last year, up to half a billion Chinese nationals are estimated to have travelled domestically and overseas during the Golden Week celebrations. The carrier’s Beijing service will complement the recently-announced charter flights from Chengdu, which Air Seychelles is set to operate in July and August. Roy Kinnear, Chief Executive Officer of Air Seychelles, said: “Our Beijing charters have been designed to capture the travel demand out of China during the Golden Week holidays.

“Our A330 flights will provide Chinese holidaymakers with easy, non-stop access to one of the most beautiful island groups in the world. “These flights will have a positive impact on the local Seychelles economy and support the growth of inbound tourism numbers from China.”

Non-stop charter flights between Beijing and Seychelles.

The carrier will operate three return Airbus A330 services from the Chinese capital, as part of an agreement signed with a Chinese tour operator Caissa.

Flights have been scheduled to depart Beijing on 27 September, 4 October and 11 October and will provide convenient travel options to the Indian Ocean archipelago during the Golden Week national holidays, a traditionally busy travel period in China.

Last year, up to half a billion Chinese nationals are estimated to have travelled domestically and overseas during the Golden Week celebrations.

The carrier’s Beijing service will complement the recently-announced charter flights from Chengdu, which Air Seychelles is set to operate in July and August.

Roy Kinnear, Chief Executive Officer of Air Seychelles, said: “Our Beijing charters have been designed to capture the travel demand out of China during the Golden Week holidays.

“Our A330 flights will provide Chinese holidaymakers with easy, non-stop access to one of the most beautiful island groups in the world.

“These flights will have a positive impact on the local Seychelles economy and support the growth of inbound tourism numbers from China.”



Tourism Observer
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Nigeria Should Copy Seychelles Tourism

Moet Abebe, who visited Seychelles recently, relives her experience on the island

Why did you choose to visit Seychelles?

Before I travelled to Seychelles last Christmas, I read about the place and I was able to establish that it is a beautiful place to visit. Naturally, I prefer to holiday at beach locations since I like to swim with dolphins, take part in water sports and other activities. Since all of these activities are available at Seychelles and I was keen on visiting somewhere I had never been to in Africa, Seychelles became my first choice.

There are other countries in Africa with lovely beaches…

I was torn between visiting Seychelles and Mauritius. I decided to go to Seychelles because I had always wanted to have a first-hand experience of their culture.

Did you go on the trip alone?

No, I did not. I travelled with my boyfriend.

As a first-time visitor to Seychelles, what did you find impressive about the place?

I was impressed by the fact that the country generates most of its revenue from tourism. Most of the products you find in Seychelles, are imported from other countries. It is a good tourist or honeymoon destination and it is often referred to as the Paris of Africa.

Also, most of the locals are friendly. It was always nice going somewhere and every single person you meet is welcoming. The good thing about them is that they are all sincere and no one would try to take advantage of your status as a visitor and attempt to defraud you. They try to make Seychelles good for visitors and even the locals have imbibed the habit of promoting the country’s tourism potential.

How would you describe the nationals?

There are a lot of mixed-race people in Seychelles. They are very simple, easy-going and no one ever tries to outshine the other or create a larger-than-life impression. I fell in love with their simplicity; I feel it is because every day, they wake up to beautiful things. They do not really have to struggle too much for anything they want.

Did being a Nigerian affect the way you were treated by people you met on the trip?

Yes it did. We also hung out with a German couple we met on the trip.

Did they seem to know much about Nigeria?

It was also surprising to note that our movies and music have gone so far and they were familiar with it. They know Davido and Wizkid and kept asking questions about them. They also talked about the major cities in Nigeria but Nigerian music piqued their interest more than any other thing.

Were you shocked at some aspects of their culture?

Not really, most of the people there are tourists. There are a few locals and their population is small. They are mostly simple and local people who live on the island.

What are they renowned for?

They are renowned for their white-sand beaches.

What are some of the places you visited in Seychelles?

We went to their local market; they sell mostly jewellery and other art products there. They do not really have much economic activities going on and do not have many historical sites, especially at Mahe where I visited. It is an island.

What was the most interesting activity you partook in?

I did not really partake in any special activity, but I learnt how to ski and that was really fun for me. Also, I swam with live dolphins in the ocean. It is not everytime one gets to swim with dolphins in an enclosed pool. I had a live experience.

Were you not scared of being harmed?

Not really, there were too many people there already also so I did not think anything bad would happen to me. If it would have happened, I did not think it would happen to me and it never crossed my mind. It was one of those spontaneous decisions I took without thinking about it. And because it went well, I was happy I made the decision.

What would make you return to Seychelles?

I think it would be just because of the hospitality. I do not think I would have any other different feeling swimming with dolphins. I liked the holiday because I met different people from different parts of the world and not just the nationals of Seychelles.

Did you enjoy the food as well?

I did not. The food was not great.

Can you describe it?

It was mostly rice.

What do you like about their culture?

I like the simplicity.

Do they have anything in common with Nigeria?

No, there are no similarities.

How about the tourism industry?

I believe their spirit of tourism could be emulated. We do not really have a lot of tourism going on in Nigeria. A lot still needs to be done.

What interesting feature in Seychelles would you like to be replicated in Nigeria?

It would probably be their jewellery.

As an on-air personality, how did the trip impact on your career?

In most of the places I go to for work or pleasure, I found out that a lot of people were interested in Nigerian music and movies. It makes me want to travel more to spread the word about Nigeria. As an on-air personality, I like to promote these aspects about Nigeria and also sell my brand. Travelling also makes me more enlightened and a versatile media personality.