Seychelles’ cultural tourism makes its mark in South Africa

South Africans recently had a feel of Seychelles’ flamboyant culture during a successful marketing promotion at the Canal Walk Shopping Centre in Cape Town. This promotional activity was initiated by the Canal Walk Shopping Centre, together with the Seychelles Tourism Board, SeyUnique Tour Operator, and the Constance Hotel Group.

Seychelles’ participation in the event was coordinated by David Germain, the tourism board’s director for Africa and the Americas, and Marymonde Matatiken, who is responsible for events and other special interests groups at the Seychelles Tourism Board.

Part of this promotion consisted of a special Mother’s Day competition, which gave one lucky person the chance to win a trip to Seychelles for two, inclusive of return airfares from Cape Town with Air Seychelles, airport and hotel transfers, and six nights’ accommodation on full-board at the new 300-room Ephelia Resort.

This amazing prize has been won by Rosalyn Williams, who is planning to visit Seychelles during the month of September or October, where she will experience Seychelles’ culture first hand.

Seychelles’ cultural attributes were more highly visible at the Canal Walk Shopping Centre during the final weekend of this event, where all promoters of the destination were dressed in Seychelles traditional clothing. They gave out information about the country, as well as giveaways such as Seychelles caps and T-shirts.

The highlight of this promotion was, however, the musical performances by the Zez group led by Guy Belle and which featured Seychelles’ traditional musicians and dancers. They had the South Africans dropping their shopping to the grounds to sway to the beats of the island’s traditional music.
Talking about the musical performances, Mr. Germain said they were well appreciated and really gave the audience an insight into real Seychellois Creole culture. It attracted a wide audience who participated and joined the dancers on the floor.

“The wonderful performances and positive attitude of the musicians and dancers were clear examples of the willingness of loyal and devoted Seychellois, willing to assist with the promotion and marketing of their country through music,” he said, adding, “They were simply wonderful and a credit to Seychelles.”

Based on the achievement of this campaign, the Seychelles Tourism Board is already looking at organizing similar marketing campaigns in other cities of South Africa to further promote the destination and its rich culture.

Speaking about this new approach to bring the creole island’s culture to the public at large, Alain St.Ange, the Seychelles director of tourism marketing, said that the diversity of the people of Seychelles is what we refer to as being one of the “Best Fives” we have to offer. The culture and the food, which has come about from that diversity in our people, is a blend worth showing off to the world, because it is “Uniquely Seychelles.”