Seychelles lures Chinese investors to its shores

If the word fairy tale defines the idea for a dream wedding, the unspoiled beaches of the Seychelles and its colorful sunset definitely provides the perfect elements for an outstanding romantic ceremony setting. In 2012, Seychelles became an amazingly memorable spot for 19 Chinese couples to say their “I do’s” at a wedding ceremony in Seychelles.

A dream wedding for these newlyweds certainly provides unique ideas for other Chinese couples craving for a low-key and secluded spot for their very own romantic wedding. Beijing Windy Feeling International Travel Service Ltd. understands clearly the potential of Seychelles as a wedding destination for the Chinese market.

The international travel service, which set its benchmark of “great in the travel market,” is making Seychelles its next destination to celebrate the nuptials of 25 Chinese couples. If the project is eventually formalized, Seychelles will witness, for the second consecutive time, the biggest batch of Chinese couples converging to its shore for a group wedding.

Beijing Windy Feeling International Travel Service Ltd., founded in 2004, focuses on research and development of products in Maldives, Mauritius, Bali Island, Phuket, Sri Lanka, Fiji, and countries of Southeast Asia. With the development of the web and wireless Internet, Windy Feeling International Travel Service Ltd. is becoming more sophisticated in its approach.

In a meeting with Alain St.Ange, the Seychelles Minister for Tourism and Culture; Sherin Naiken, Chief Executive of the Seychelles Tourism Board; Marco Francis, Chairperson of the Seychelles Chamber of Commerce and Industry(SCCI); and Penny Belmont, Chief Executive of Small Enterprise Promotion Agency (SENPA), as well as destination management companies(DMCs), travel agents, and hotels tapping into the Chinese market, Windy Feeling International Travel Services Ltd. discussed openly that their interest in Seychelles goes much further than selling the destination to the Chinese market.

Windy Feeling is thinking of investing in the country by opening a Chinese restaurant on the island. Presently, Windy Feeling is running a Chinese restaurant in Mauritius registered as Hot Pot. Zinnia Zhang, a Beijing Windy Feeling International Travel Service Ltd. representative, said the restaurant is performing well in Mauritius and that they believe that a similar model could be beneficial for Seychelles. Zinnia Zhang claimed Windy Feeling International Travel Service Ltd. is on the lookout for potential partners in Seychelles to venture into this business. Minister St.Ange said Seychelles needs a city center Chinese restaurant as that remains a needed infrastructure to welcome a greater number of visitor arrivals from China.

“A Chinese restaurant would certainly bring added benefits to what Seychelles is presently offering as services to the Chinese tourism market,” Minister St.Ange said.

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