Minister Meriton and tourism delegation return to Seychelles satisfied with working visit in La Reunion

A tourism delegation from the Seychelles islands traveled to La Reunion last weekend to help consolidate the work started last August when the Seychelles Tourism Board worked alongside Air Austral to

A tourism delegation from the Seychelles islands traveled to La Reunion last weekend to help consolidate the work started last August when the Seychelles Tourism Board worked alongside Air Austral to launch a second weekly flight to Seychelles.

This latest working visit to La Reunion was headed by the Seychellesโ€™ minister for community development, youth, sports & culture, Vincent Meriton, and comprised the Seychelles director of tourism marketing, Alain St. Ange, and the staff of the tourism board, as well as members of the private sector.

These included Jenifer Sinon, CEO of the Tourism Industry’s Association, the SHTA; Daniella Payet-Alis of Seychelles Connect and a committee member of the country’s marketing committee; Gregoire Beau and Melissa Quatre of Creole Travel Services; Shamita Palit of Select Seychelles; Guy Savy and Erica Mazorcchi of Bird Island; Jenny Seraphine of Le Meridien Hotels; Marjorie Mancienne of Sunset Beach Hotel, Village Du Pecheur, and Eden Resort; Sandra Colas of Eden Island; Robert Toussaint Le Relax Hotels; Myriam St. Ange of Chateau St.Cloud; and Lucas Dโ€™Offay of Lโ€™Archipel Hotel.

Miera Savy from the ministry of community development, youth, sports & culture accompanied the minister.

The delegation was also accompanied by Sega personality Joenise Juliette, the L’Echo Band, and a group of local dancers.

Speaking after their return, Mr. St. Ange said that the press coverage received in La Reunion was overwhelming, with minister Meriton and himself being received and interviewed on main TV news channels such as RFO and Antenne Reunion. Both of them, as well as Joenise Juliette, also gave radio interviews in an aggressive PR exercise to capture the Reunionnais public.

The program of work in La Reunion started off with an open day performance at Barachois on Sunday by Joenise Juliette and the L’Echo Band, where the local tourism trade seeking their share of the La Reunion tourist market manned stalls in the same manner as is done at tourism trade fairs.

A press conference was also held, as well as a cocktail at the Mairie de St. Denis for press, tour operators, and official personalities.

Minister Meriton and Mr. St. Ange were also received by Didier Robert, the newly-elected president of the region of La Reunion, and by Gilbert Annette, the mayor of St. Denis, as well as other dignitaries of the island, to discuss issues of future cooperation.

Mr. Robert was only elected weeks ago. and the visit by the Seychellesโ€™ delegation was opportune for the continued friendly relations that exist between the two islands.

Different meetings on culture and sporting matters were also held by minister Meriton with authorities of La Reunion, and on tourism by Mr. St. Ange with the “Comite Regional du Tourisme” of La Reunion.

Minister Meriton, who represented the government of Seychelles on this working trip, said that the government is satisfied with the work being done by the Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) and the private sector in tourism and the overall economic development of the country.

He added that the government gives its full backing to the innovative approach being undertaken to inject renewed vigor into the tourism industry and maintain it as the first pillar of the economy.

Mr. St. Ange took the opportunity yesterday to thank members of the Seychelles tourism trade who were part of the delegation and said that it was the continued support of the trade that made the promotion of Seychelles possible.

“Alone, the tourism board cannot and will not be able to deliver a strong tourism industry for Seychelles, which is why the STB is thankful for those who accompanied us to La Reunion,โ€ he said.

The trip was successfully coordinated by the tourism boardโ€™s marketing executive for the Reunion market, Sharen Venus, and received the support of Lena Hoareau of the Seychelles Tourism News Bureau on the press program.

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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