The year 2016 marked five years of the Seychelles Tourism Board’s (STB) presence in China with offices in Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong. The focus has been on penetrating the market with both business-to-consumer and business-to-business (B2B) activities.

Tourism is an ever-changing industry and with recent changes in the airline dynamics and other factors considered, STB feels it is timely that in 2017, we re-focus our efforts and reposition the destination in the eyes of the discerning Chinese visitors.

For 2017, STB has decided to focus more on the first-tier cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu and Shenzhen, as well second cities which support these first-tier cities, all the while targeting the high-end segment.

Despite recorded drop in visitor arrivals for our main competitors in 2016, Seychelles proved itself resilient as the only Indian Ocean destination to maintain a positive growth. We have a strong and well established base in China that can maintain a steady and positive growth going forward, despite economic uncertainties compared to many other island destinations around the world.

STB has come up with a campaign that will help reposition Seychelles on the Chinese market. To kick start this strategy, the following activities are being planned for the month of May: a press conference will be held on May 9 whereby the new strategy and communication campaign will be launched.

The Minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine Maurice Loustau-Lalanne and STB chief executive Sherin Francis along with local trade partners will be present.

The Seychelles delegation will also be taking part in roadshows scheduled to be held in Shanghai (May 9), Beijing (May 15), Guangzhou (May 16) and in Chengdu (May 17) which will be headed by CEO Sherin Francis.

From May 10-12, CEO Francis and the rest of the tourism team will also be at the ITB China. The B2B travel trade show will take place for the first time at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Conference Centre.

WHAT TO TAKE AWAY FROM THIS ARTICLE:

Tourism is an ever-changing industry and with recent changes in the airline dynamics and other factors considered, STB feels it is timely that in 2017, we re-focus our efforts and reposition the destination in the eyes of the discerning Chinese visitors.
The Seychelles delegation will also be taking part in roadshows scheduled to be held in Shanghai (May 9), Beijing (May 15), Guangzhou (May 16) and in Chengdu (May 17) which will be headed by CEO Sherin Francis.
For 2017, STB has decided to focus more on the first-tier cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu and Shenzhen, as well second cities which support these first-tier cities, all the while targeting the high-end segment.