Seychelles targets Russian tourism market

The Seychelles Tourism Board, headed by Ms. Bernadette Willemin, the Paris-based Director for Europe, and Ms.

The Seychelles Tourism Board, headed by Ms. Bernadette Willemin, the Paris-based Director for Europe, and Ms. Karen Confait, the Account Manager for Russia and its partners, namely 7° South represented by Anna Butler Payette and Valentina Payet, Raffles Praslin Seychelles represented by Viktoriya Khaydukova, and Cousine Island represented by Colleen Mullen and Kirstin Keely, were all present in Moscow to support the islands’ tourism drive to get its fair share of that important market.

The commitment and positive drive of these private sector trade partners have done the Seychelles proud once again as they worked tirelessly alongside the Seychelles Tourism Board in Russia.

Tourism yield is important to the Seychelles economy, and markets such as Russia play an important role. Local tourism companies 7° South, Raffles, and Cousine made the journey to Russia, because they remain committed to work with the Tourism Board on the Russian market, but above all they are showing their commitment in wanting to deal with Russia. Their presence at MITT – Moscow International Travel and Tourism Show – is a fair of growing importance and was the opportunity for these companies to tell Russia and the Russian tourism trade of their determination to work with Russia.

Mrs. Bernadette Willemin, the Tourism Board’s European Director, noted that the Seychelles recognizes the true potential that lies in Russia as an important market with unprecedented purchasing power. MITT is the stepping-stone to tap into that potential. “Coming here is not without benefit, as our visitor arrivals numbers from this region would suggest. In the last years we have experienced a surge from this market with limitless possibilities. Already a 3% growth has been recorded in the first 3 months of this year, placing Russia as the 3rd ranking market,” she concluded.

The Seychelles Tourism Board will continue to solidify its foothold in the region ensuring positive growth of the industry and remains determined to showcase the islands’ competitive edge in the face of ever-growing challenges. Consequently, the Seychelles Tourism Board has appointed Access Russia as its representation company in Russia. Access Russia will help ensure that Seychelles remains visible in Russia and its surrounding regions.

MITT was the opportunity for Seychelles to also introduce Ms. Evgenia Russiyanova of Access Russia as their dedicated Account Officer.

In the meantime, the Seychelles Tourism Board continues its geographical footprint further into Russia-CIS through the various activities planned for the year, bringing the destination into greater focus. The next appointment with both the trade and the consumer is the UITT Trade Fair in Kiev from March 27-29, 2013.

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

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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