Mauritius Tourism: Banking on English beauty queen to woo tourists?

Some of Mauritius’s tourism stakeholders expressed their shock and dismay to this correspondent when they learned that the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA) has chosen Miss England to be their flag-bearer to promote the island among British holidaymakers across the UK.

It came to light that the MTPA was one of the key sponsors of the Miss England contest with Karl and his merry (wo)men arguing that with an increase of arrivals from the UK over the first few months of the year already over 8 percent compared to 2013, it will be money well spent as the island is eying a 10 percent overall rise in British holiday makers for 2014.

This approach is in stark contrast to, for instance, the Seychelles, which has embraced their own beauty queen, Miss Seychelles, as a key flag-bearer for the archipelago abroad. Miss Seychelles 2014 is supported by the Seychelles Tourism Board and the entire private sector to showcase her country in foreign markets and as the face of the Seychelles for 2014/15 be the main messenger in the ongoing marketing juggernaut.

“If [the] MTPA had chosen Miss Mauritius to be the face of Mauritius tourism it would still be another copy and paste job for which the Mootoosamy administration of MTPA has become so well known; but at least it would be our own beauty queen and not a foreign face. What message does that send? Do we not have enough beauties in our own ranks to promote our island abroad? Perhaps next, he will promote our beaches along the beaches of Blackpool or Brighton,” commented a source, tongue in cheek, from Port Louis overnight after being asked to give some input after the information had become available yesterday afternoon.

Talk about promoting home grown talent to promote your own attractions. Clearly not in Karl Mootoosamy’s world. Watch this space.