From the UK to Russia, from Tanzania to Mexico, to Hawaii, members of the international press are being accredited one by one to the exclusive Friends of Seychelles-Press club. This small group is being called the unique group of press personalities who know the Seychelles and who understand the Seychelles. They have been approached to join the group because of their interest in these creole islands in the Indian Ocean. Seychelles remains known as the paradise islands depending on tourism, but it claims that it is the one destination promoting a personalized style of tourism, which falls into what the island’s President Michel called the “Seychelles brand.” Seychelles is not in the mass tourism market business and does not accept charter flights to the islands.
Alain St.Ange, the CEO of the Seychelles Tourism Board and eTurboNews ambassador, in the presence of Monette Rose, the Board’s Manager in Italy, named four new members of the “Friends of Seychelles-Press” when he stopped at Milan in Italy for a Seychelles evening with members of the Italian press and tour operators. The four Italians named are: Paolo Bembo (the Editor of Arte Navale), Claudio Pina (the Editorial Director of the l’Arte di Vivere-Qui Touring), Dr. Leonardo Felician (Journalist of the Italian Group of Stampa Turistica), and Franco Del Panta (the Editor of Progress Viaggi).
Alain St.Ange explained that for Seychelles it was the person who sit behind the computer filing article after article, or those who are permanently behind the cameras who were the ones being named to join this small and exclusive group of “Friends of Seychelles-Press.”
“We wanted to recognize the person and not the company. As a country, we are promoting a ‘Seychelles brand’ of tourism that is centered on people, and press personalities are people forming part of those at the center of our tourism industry,” Alain St.Ange told the gathered press in Milan.
Seychelles has put into place many new and unique initiatives, which includes the “Friends of Seychelles-Press.” They also have the program for Seychellois Nationals residing in the four corners of the world called “Tourism Ambassadors.” The FAO (Food Agricultural Organization) have Goodwill Ambassadors, and the UK recently named Economic or Trade Ambassadors. All these programs promote what is dear to their country or organizations. Seychelles has over 100 “Tourism Ambassadors” in 25 countries.
The Seychelles “Friends of Seychelles – Press” club will be holding the first general meeting of its accredited members in Victoria, the capital of Seychelles in early March 2011 when the Creole Tropical Islands will be launching its 2011 “Carnaval International de Victoria.”
