Seychelles makes 2014 must-visit tourism destinations list

David Germain, the Seychelles Tourism Board Director for Africa and the Americas, expressed his joy when he was informed by tour operators that the Seychelles had been featured as one of the 52 places

David Germain, the Seychelles Tourism Board Director for Africa and the Americas, expressed his joy when he was informed by tour operators that the Seychelles had been featured as one of the 52 places to visit in 2014 by The New York Times. The mid-ocean islands of the Seychelles was the only destination from the Indian Ocean to make this prestigious list guiding American holiday makers in 2014. The CEO of the Tourism Board, Sherin Naiken, on her part said that the Americas is a growing market for Seychelles and one that will be receiving more attention by the marketing department. “Our Consul General in New York has been working closely with us in planning the development of the market. We are starting to see the benefits from the works done so far, and this review by the respected New York Times is proof of this,” Sherin Naiken said.

Alain St.Ange, the Seychelles Minister responsible for Tourism and Culture, also spoke about the inclusion of the Seychelles in the 2014 must-visit tourism destinations list. “We have always believed in the Americas as a good target market for our tourism industry. This is why we have worked to keep a degree of visibility on this big market only to keep us relevant in the world of tourism and as a holiday destination option. We know that we have to push the twin-center approach with our neighbors and partners like a safari where our tag line โ€˜From the Big Fiveโ€ฆto the best Fiveโ€™ launched some three years ago comes alive. The same approach is with La Reunion where their spectacular mountains and our unrivaled clean and white sandy beaches complement each other,” Minister Alain St.Ange said.

Seychelles was listed number 27 in this list of tourism destinations of the world alongside the major cities of the world. The picture used for the Seychelles in the listing is one of the beautiful shots of the North Island Beach by Michael Poliza for Wilderness Safaris.

โ€œWitness a city in transformation, glimpse exotic animals, explore the past and enjoy that beach before the crowds,โ€ The New York Times said.

The following is the extract about the Seychelles published by the New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/01/10/travel/2014-places-to-go.html

27. Seychelles

An African luxury hot spot thatโ€™s become easier to get to

This archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean now has one of the worldโ€™s most expensive hotels. The listed price for a villa at the North Island resort, on a private island where the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge stayed during their honeymoon, ranges from 2,582 to 4,079 euros (about $3,670 to $5,800) per night; the Doubletree by Hilton Seychelles, which opened last year is, thankfully, more affordable. The appeal goes beyond pampering and powdery beaches: The Seychelles is also home to some 100,000 giant Aldabra tortoises that live on a coral atoll that is a Unesco World Heritage site. Air Seychelles recently signed code-share agreements with Air Berlin, Cathay Pacific Airways and other airlines, making these islands about 1,000 miles off the east coast of Africa more accessible. โ€” RACHEL B. DOYLE

Seychelles is a founding member of the International Coalition of Tourism Partners (ICTP) .

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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