Saint Ange Tourism Report – 30th July 2018
Victoria, Mahe (Seychelles) – July 30, 2018 (travelindex.com) – Tourism is, and tourism will remain the people’s industry, it is and has always been. But the yield a destination derives from its tourism industry is often dependent on the ability of its industry players to work in partnership with others from far away destinations, to learn from each other and maximise returns from the business landing on one’s doorstep.
“Seychelles has been conceived with sailors in mind” to use a line often tabled by Glynn Burridge of the Seychelles Tourism Board. It is not surprising that many excursions for tourists in Seychelles remain centered on the sea. Excursion Catamarans, big modern and fast ferries have joined an array of smaller crafts all providing a day out for visitors in Seychelles. Island hopping, boating excursions, picnics, diving and snorkelling excursions, big game fishing or just simply a sailing day on the turquoise blue seas of the Indian Ocean, are all part of the Blue Economy being spearheaded by Seychelles.
The spirit of innovation and risk-taking by Seychellois in this business needs to be encouraged, because without them, the Seychelles Tourism Board will market Seychelles and tourists will arrive with little to do and spend their holiday budget on. Yield from the industry will remain dependent on hotel rates and the other land-based activities.
Pro-activeness by State Officials to help businesses grow, and assisting in the spirit of innovation is therefore a necessity. A lot more can be developed that would fall in the category of sustainable tourism within the Blue Economy. A floating restaurant, water taxis, amphibious plane excursions, opening up of new ferry routes for excursions, floating holiday homes and a floating chapel for weddings and receptions, are all activities being done in many a tourism destination and Seychelles can be leaders in such activities.
Penguin submarines to offer tourists dry, underwater rides
Our lead article today is on yield from tourism and the need to make what we have work. Two small Penguin submarines with battery operated motors have been in the country since 2016. These excursion vessels are ideal for the sustainable tourism development cause and would assist in increasing the yield our islands generate from its tourism industry. The two vessels are still tied up at base because they require a barge like flat-boat as the loading and unloading platform anchored in a marine park. Is the onus on the operator / promoter only? or is it a joint public – private sector endeavour to make tourism work for everyone including the industry’s biggest stakeholder – the Government? These two crafts tied up in a Marina bring no revenue and denies employment to young Seychellois. The time to make this excursion happen is now and the responsibility must be on all concerned for “Our Seychelles”.
President Macron of France, President Obama of the USA and now President Xi Jinping of China in Africa
State Visits or official visits brings visibility. Just weeks ago the Saint Ange Tourism Report wrote about the visits by President Macron of France and also that of President Obama of the USA to Africa and the positive impact of such visits. Today it is President Xi Jinping of China who is in Mauritius on what is being called a private visit after participating the 10th BRICS summit in Johannesburg South Africa.
The spotlight has been on Africa with such visits and Africa needs to now be moving to capitalise on the visibility boost enjoyed by the continent.
Over and above the 10th BRICS summit in Johannesburg South Africa saw the heads of the – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – meet for an annual summit.
Ramani becomes the President of NRI Seychelles Chapter
Mr Narasimhan Ramani has been appointed the President of the Seychelles Chapter of the NRI (Non Resident Indians) at a small ceremony at the Mahek Restaurant at Beau Vallon. The Letter of Appointment was handed over by Alain St.Ange, the Seychelles former Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine who was himself a former recipient of the Mahatma Award through the NRI at their General Assembly in Delhi.
Present at the ceremony was Mrs Ramani, Mr Deepak Singh, the Convenor of the NRI Body, Mr Tanuj Khurana, NRI’s Legal Advisor and other members of the Organisation.
Congratulations to Mr Ramani for this appointment and wishing him well in his functions as President of the Seychelles Chapter of the NRI.
Florida in the USA is battling against smelly seaweed on its beaches as Seychelles successfully turned the same seaweed into foliage nutrient
Florida in the USA has its team work for hours every morning with large machines to chop up the seaweed and bury it — or use dump trucks to haul it away. They clear thick mats of brown, squishy stuff that smells like rotten eggs, so beach-goers can enjoy seaweed-free beaches. In Seychelles, that same seaweed is now exploited by Bernard Port Louis and his son Benjamin. The father and son team have finally started producing liquid fertiliser for foliage and pulverised cooked and dried seaweed for soil conditioning from their Seaweed Factory at Baie Ste Anne at Praslin. They started from scratch with research work done through the biggest research organisation, the CSIRO of Australia.
We can and should say congratulations to Bernard Port Louis who has started to have enquiries from far and wide for his ‘patented’ product made out entirely of seaweed that is washed up on beaches!
Businesses in Seychelles
The business community, inclusive of members of the tourism industry, are echoing messages calling for more understanding and support. The island’s private sector trade are the first to feel the pinch of rising operational costs and the drop in the value of the Seychelles Rupee.
Today, the islands are facing a tightening of the economy with the value of the Seychelles Rupee sliding vis-à-vis the US Dollar, at a time when electricity prices have again been increased and fuel prices at the pump going up as never before. This is being compounded with less money in circulation
Economists all have a different take on the situation, but in discussion, all agree in one way or another for measures that are introduced to stimulate the business sector, the motor behind the Seychelles economy.