Saint Ange Tourism Report – 13th May 2019

Victoria, Mahe (Seychelles) – May 13, 2019 (travelindex.com) – A lot of talk about tourism everywhere. The discussions must always be concentrating at trying to consolidate the industry for all those who invested in the industry or who finding a living in that key industry that is today the pillar of the Seychelles economy. Only last week the President of South Africa said that Tourism is a new gold ready to be explored and that tourism is an industry that has tremendous potential for further growth and job creation. This industry is not an activity, but remains very much an industry that is private sector driven. Seychelles needs to continue respect and to also thrust those who sit on the frontline of the industry because any downward trend affects them first, the their staff. Let us understand the private sector who also leads the island’s Tourism Board.

9th edition Seychelles​ Guidebook for the year 2019 and 2020 is out and this again is a private sector led venture. We want to take this opportunity to congratulate Daniella Payet and her son Laurent, the producers of this Seychelles guide for this needed working tool for the islands tourism industry.

Nature Conservation Groups is the voice for nature in Seychelles

Great news this week to finally see that Preserve Seychelles has finally been registered as an NGO ready to take on those set to destroy the future of the islands by destroying nature and the natural beauty we have been blessed with. Preserve Seychelles, under the Presidency of Terry Sandapin with Julia Morin as Secretary stood firm when all was seen as a loss cause for the island of Assumption. Standing on the road Saturday after Saturday with only a small group of patriots.

The Assumption Island sitting just next door to Aldabra, the world Heritage Site had been promised to India for use as a Military Base. The fight to retain sovereignty of the Seychelles Islands ended up on the group Preserve Seychelles. The official registration of this NGO comes at the right time.

A local Seychellois hotelier sent me the following:- “I am copying you this mail because I appreciate your interest in everything terrestrial and marine. There are organisations all around the world from the Amazon to the Great Barrier Reef trying to convince politicians to save our planet instead of running after big money…”

The attached document forwarded to me speaks volume:-

Every three years, the NSW Environment Protection Authority releases a report card on the health of our wildlife, forests, rivers, ocean, air and climate. Late yesterday, it released the latest State of the Environment Report, and the results are damning.

In just three years, the number of critically endangered species has jumped 30%, approved land clearing has skyrocketed 244%, and 1025 native species are now threatened with extinction.

We know what the NSW Government needs to do to turn things around – it must end deforestation, protect koala habitat, return water to our rivers and tackle climate change – but they won’t act if we don’t push them.

As I write this email, MPs are setting priorities for this term, so it is the perfect time to tell them to take urgent action to save koalas, forests and our climate.

With a new parliament and a new team of MPs sitting on the benches, we have a fresh chance to push our leaders to act before it’s too late.

Alarm bells have been ringing loud and clear this week, here and around the world. A few days before the EPA released its report, United Nations scientists warned one million species would become extinct if we keep trashing the planet the way we have been, with catastrophic consequences for people everywhere.

Thanks to these two reports and recent opinion polling in the run up to the state and federal elections, MPs know the environment is a top priority for the community……..”.

Can Seychelles not see the need to protect what we have been blessed with and for each and every Seychellois to be seen as good custodians of what we have been blessed with. Any politician who has promised to hand over to India the Seychelles island of Assumption should be ashamed of himself.

Alain St.Ange to speak at the Resilience Council meeting at the 42nd World Tourism Conference in Johannesburg, South Africa

The ATA World Conference will be taking place in South Africa on July 24th as part of the Global Travel and Tourism Resilience Council forum. The organisers Naledi K. Khabo Executive Director Africa Tourism Association (ATA) and Duncan Horton Chief Executive Officer Jacobs Media Group have invited me in my capacity as the Head of the Saint Ange Tourism Consultancy to the 42nd World Tourism Conference in Johannesburg, South Africa taking place July 22 – 26, 2019 to speak at the Resilience Council meeting on July 24, 2019. This conference, hosted by ATA and supported by the South Africa Convention Bureau, will focus on innovative business models, best practices and strategic partnerships growing the tourism sector. The Conference will bring together government leaders, international investors, industry stakeholders, and travel professionals to discuss how tourism can be utilized as a platform for resiliency, an engine for economic growth.

This year ATA has partnered with Jacobs Media Group through the Global Travel and Tourism Resilience Council. The Resilience Council, formerly the regional ITCMS, will operate a one-day event as part of the Conference focusing on recovery and resilience initiatives, the critical nature of crisis communications and planning for, during and after a crisis.