The importance of tourism cooperation in the Vanilla Islands

The Madagascar Minister for Tourism, Mr. Jean Max Rakotomamonjy, and Mr.

The Madagascar Minister for Tourism, Mr. Jean Max Rakotomamonjy, and Mr. Alain St.Ange, the Seychelles Minister responsible for Tourism and Culture, used their presence at the 2012 International Tourism Fair of Madagascar for meetings to discuss the Indian Ocean Vanilla Islands solidarity and for the need for more joint actions as a group.

Madagascar has been upfront about their desire for their International Tourism Trade Fair to become the Vanilla Islands Annual Tourism Trade Fair. The region needs a tourism trade fair that is considered the regionโ€™s showcase. Seychelles on the other hand is maintaining that the annual โ€œCarnival International de Victoriaโ€ co-hosted this year by Seychelles and La Reunion remains the Vanilla Islands Carnival after two highly-successful editions with 33 international delegations participating in the 2012 edition of the carnival.

Both Ministers believe that the other islands of the Indian Ocean Vanilla Islands group should also coin an event that can be supported by all the islands, as this would go a long way to increase the visibility of the region. โ€œIf we all do the same event, we are only narrowing the gap to push through our visibility campaign. We need diversity in what we are all offering, and then we all stand behind the events as a group,โ€ said Minister St.Ange from the Seychelles.

Minister Rakotomamonjy from Madagascar is expected to travel to Seychelles in July to participate in Routes Africa 2012 and participate in the Indian Ocean Vanilla Islands meeting called for by La Reunion. Minister Rakotomamonjy is expected to be leading a delegation made up of the President and Executive Director of their Tourism Office and Air Madagascar.

President Didier Robert of La Reunion and Minister Michael Sik Yuen, the Minister for Tourism of Mauritius, are both also now confirmed to traveling to Seychelles for Routes Africa 2012 and for the Vanilla Islands meeting.

In the meantime, it is reported from Seychelles that Pascal Viroleau from the IRT of La Reunion, Robert Desvaux from the MTPA of Mauritius, and Elsia Grandcourt from the Seychelles Tourism Board of the Seychelles, will be meeting with Alain St.Ange, the Seychelles Minister responsible for Tourism and Culture, this coming Saturday at the MAIA Resort in the Seychelles to look at a possible way forward for the Vanilla Islands.

PHOTO (L to R): Mr. Alain St.Ange, the Seychelles Minister responsible for Tourism and Culture & Mr. Jean Max Rakotomamonjy, Madagascar Minister for Tourism

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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