Seychelles man in Korea increasing visibility of the Island’s Eco-Healing Marathon

Mr Jeong, the Seychelles Consul in Korea and Head of the Tourism Board’s Office in Seoul in The Seoul Daily Newspaper

The Seoul Daily Newspaper has come out with a full page on Seychelles following an interview with Mr Jeong, the Seychelles Consul in Korea and Head of the Tourism Board’s Office in Seoul.

The Seoul Daily Newspaper,  one of Top 5 daily newspapers in Korea with 2.5 million circulation – featured Mr. Jeong’s interview which touched on Seychelles as the new destination for Koreans, the Seychelles annual Eco-Healing Marathon and other events in the tropical islands of the Seychelles that were organized and managed by the ‘Celebrate Seychelles’ Department at the Tourism Board.

Mr Jeong also explains for all Koreans to see how he came to work for the Republic of Seychelles, and he takes time to explain the history of Korea-Seychelles bilateral cooperation and existing relationship.

When questioned about the Interview and the coverage it received, Mr Jeong said that the full page article had contributed in the promotion of the Seychelles.  “It has helped increase awareness of Seychelles in Korea” Mr Jeong said.

http://www.seoul.co.kr/news/newsView.php?id=20111216027006

Seychelles to address IIPT Panel WTM 2011 in London on “Seychelles as a Model of Best Practice in Meeting the Challenges of Climate Change”

It is now confirmed that, Alain St.Ange, the CEO of the Seychelles Tourism Board will speak as part of the IIPT Panel at the 2011 World Travel Market (WTM) on “Seychelles as a Model of Best Practice in Meeting the Challenges of Climate Change”.

IIPT Founder and President, Louis D’Amore has announced that four prominent international experts will come together on a panel at World Travel Market to discuss the challenges of climate change to tourism and present leading models of best practice.  The panel will be moderated by the IIPT Founder and President, Louis D’Amore himself.

Both the Seychelles and Caribbean region are heavily dependent on tourism – and both are most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change including sea level rise, biodiversity loss, and impacts on human health.

Members of the panel will discuss how they have worked with stakeholders to address the impacts of climate change on the environment, economic development, tourism, and community livelihoods using holistic approaches to provide practical strategies and capacity building.  The session will also provide a perspective on the natural marriage of tourism and the various forms of solar energy as a response to climate change and in shaping sustainable tourism development.

The IIPT Panel: “Meeting the Challenges of Climate Change” is set to take place on 08 Nov 2011 from 14:00-15:00 at the known location of North Gallery Room 9.

The panel line-up is as follows:

Geoffrey Lipman FTS, Director, greenearth.travel and Advisor to Secretary-General UNWTO, and President ICTP (International Council of Tourism Partners)

Alain St.Ange, CEO, Seychelles Tourism Board

Dr. Murray Simpson, Co-Director and CEO, CARIBSAVE Partnership, and Oxford University Centre for the Environment

Max Haberstroh, International Tourism Consultant

After all the presentations are made, and after Q & A – there will be two brief announcements by Geoffrey Lipman regarding International Council of Business Partners – and Timothy Mushibwe, Chairman, Zambia Tourism Board re UNWTO 20th General Assembly 2013 being co-hosted by Zimbabwe and Zambia.

Following is the seminar description as it appears on the 2011 WTM website:  http://www.wtmlondon.com/page.cfm/Action=Seminars/SeminarID=34  and will appear in the WTM catalog:

It is important to note that the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has stated that “Climate change is the pre-eminent geopolitical and economic issue of the 21st century.  It rewrites the global equation for development, peace and prosperity.”

This IIPT session at WTM 2011 will feature outstanding models of best practice in meeting the challenges of climate change – with a global perspective of best practices – the Seychelles, in the Indian Ocean – and the Islands of the Caribbean. Both the Seychelles and the Caribbean region are heavily dependent on tourism – and both are most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change including sea level rise, biodiversity loss, and impacts on human health.

Learn how they have worked with stakeholders to address the impacts surrounding climate change, the environment, economic development, tourism and community livelihoods using holistic approaches to provide practical strategies and capacity building.

The session will also provide a perspective on the natural marriage of tourism and the various forms of solar energy as a response to climate change and in shaping sustainable tourism development.  As well, key outcomes will be presented from the recent 5th IIPT African Conference on Tourism and Climate Change held in Lusaka, Zambia.

Seychelles and Senegal elected as Africa delegates to UNWTO Sustainable Tourism Committee

The 19th session of the UNWTO General Assembly being held at Gyeongju in Korea has elected the Republic of the Seychelles and the Republic of Senegal as Africa delegates to the UNWTO Sustainable Tourism Committee.

Minister Thierno Lo, the Senegal Minister responsible for Tourism and Alain St.Ange, the CEO of the Seychelles Tourism Board headed their respective delegations at the 19th UNWTO General Assembly where sustainable tourism was a point raised by many member countries during their addresses at the Plenary Sessions of the assembly.

Africa is a continent that realizes that they will not have a tourism industry unless it is sustainable and Seychelles and Senegal, as their delegates elected to the UNTWO Sustainable Tourism Committee, have been mandated to look that the development and practices being undertaken today do not happen at the expense of tomorrow.

Seychelles Tourism Board Adopts Global Code of Ethics

The board of directors of Seychelles Tourism Board, acting on President James Michel’s message for World Tourism Day 2011, has adopted and pledged its commitment to the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism.  The Global Code of Ethics is a set of principles and guidelines to develop tourism in a responsible, sustainable and ethical way that maximises the socio-economic benefits while limiting the negative impacts.

The adoption of the code by Seychelles Tourism Board reaffirms the government’s commitment for a sustainable tourism industry that protects our environment, our cultural heritage and for a tourism industry that benefits the local population at all levels of society.  It also reinforces the President’s message which called for maximum Seychellois participation in the tourism industry, and for increasing Seychellois ownership at all levels of tourism.  The Seychelles President’s message to further integrate our Seychellois Creole culture in our tourism products and services by showcasing our friendliness, colourful art, authentic Creole cuisine, as well our social cohesion and harmonious living are values which the code promotes and which Seychelles is already practicing.  It is also in line with the year’s tourism day theme Tourism – linking culture to break down barriers across cultures and foster tolerance peace, understanding and mutual respect.

This declaration by the board is also a strong endorsement of what Seychelles is already practicing in many ways, as sustainability practices are already being implemented by many tourism operators and stakeholders in their daily operations.  This was further reinforced by the board which also provided its full support for the adoption of the Seychelles Sustainable Tourism Label as a mechanism for integrating sustainability in tourism establishments which is very much in line with the principles of the code of ethics.

“The adoption of the Global Code of Ethics and sustainability label further demonstrates our pledge to develop our tourism industry that is sustainable, responsible and ethical.  It is an affirmation of our values for developing our tourism industry and this declaration by board was simply a logical step,” said Alain St.Ange, CEO of the Seychelles Tourism Board.

The code aims to promote a tourism industry that is equitable, responsible and sustainable whose benefits should be shared by all sectors of society in the context of an open and liberalised international economy.  The code was first adopted in 1999 by the general assembly of the World Tourism Organisation and later endorsed by the United Nations General Assembly in 2001.  The UNWTO has been encouraging all its members to adopt the principles and values outline in the code as their guiding framework in the developing their tourism industry.  It has also set up a mechanism to promote its implementation of the code by different stakeholders in tourism.

The Seychelles Tourism Academy which falls under the management of the Tourism Board is also set to adopt the Global Code of Ethics at its next management meeting.

Seychelles officially launches its Sustainable Tourism Label on World Tourism Day

On the occasion of world tourism day on 27 September 2011, the Seychelles Tourism Board in partnership with the GOS-UNDP-GEF Programme Coordination Unit has officially launched the Seychelles Sustainable Tourism Label with the unveiling of the label’s logo.

The launching ceremony took place at the Fisherman’s Cove Hotel, in the presence of ministers, senior government officials, members of the Seychelles Hospitality and Tourism Association, members of the GOS-UNDP-GEF Programme Coordination Unit, Seychelles Tourism Board representatives and tourism operators.

Opening the ceremony was the Environment Coordinator of the Seychelles Tourism Board, Betty Seraphine who welcomed all the dignitaries and distinguished guests who were present at the important event, followed by the welcoming remarks of Mr Alain St Ange, the chief executive of the Seychelles Tourism Board.

In his remarks, the CEO of the Seychelles Board, Mr St.Ange reiterated the importance for Seychelles tourism industry to adopt the Sustainable Tourism Label.  “This label will be the Seychelles first ever sustainable tourism certification system to encourage the hotels and other tourism establishments to merge the principles of sustainability into their daily operations,” said Mr St.Ange.

Mr St.Ange called upon the hotels and other tourism accommodation establishments in Seychelles to apply for the newly launched label to establish their organisations’ commitment and to uphold the principles of sustainable tourism, but most importantly to play their part in safeguarding the sustainability of our tourism industry for the future generations.

He stated that this step taken is a renewal of the Government of Seychelles commitment to working with the tourism trade and its partners and stakeholders.  Also addressing the guests present, the UNDP Programme Manager, Roland Alcindor spoke about the necessity to understand the different perspectives and principles of sustainable tourism.

The highlight of the evening was the presentation of the logo for the Seychelles Sustainable Tourism Label, which was presented by the label manager Mrs Sinha Levkovic, after which she invited the designer of the logo Catherina Bonnelame to explain the concept.

Ms Bonnelame has design the logo using the iconic giant land tortoise of the Seychelles, encased by three colours portraying the sustainability of the Seychelles islands.  Ms Bonnelame was also presented with her prizes of SCR 15,000 and a one-night stay voucher for two at the Bird Island Lodge.  She was presented with the prize as the winner of the national competition for the design of the logo.

A memorandum of understanding for the label programme was then signed by the CEO of the Seychelles Tourism Board and the Principal Secretary of Environment, Didier Dogley, followed by the presentation of the Seychelles Sustainable Tourism Label collaterals to distinguished guests.

This Seychelles Sustainable Tourism Label is an important milestone in the history of the Seychelles tourism industry as it further affirms the industry’s unyielding efforts to promote sustainable tourism businesses in the country.  This is line with UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai’s message to use the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism to guide tourism developments so that they become “sustainable, ethical and responsible”.

This label is a voluntary initiative that will persuade the tourism establishments to recognise the three tiered approach to sustainability, which includes the socio-economic values of tourism as well as the environmental conservation principles.  It will help to speed up the increase of sustainable tourism enterprises in what many claims to be the world’s most beautiful islands.

Seychelles says regional stability key to development

    

The Seychelles Minister for Foreign Affairs has today commended the commitment of Eastern Africa Standby Force Coordination Mechanism (EASFCOM) countries to working towards peace and stability in the region as the only means by which to facilitate true development.

Speaking as the guest of honour at the opening of the 11^th Ordinary Session of the Eastern African Committee of Defence and Security, on the fourth day of the EASFCOM conference taking place at Le Méridien Barbarons this week, the Minister said that “We should never ignore the fact that without peace and security, there is no development.”

“Our sub-region and the African continent should remain focused on the bigger objectives of peace and security while paying attention to the strategic and corrective measures required to pre-empt factors that undermine this vision and agenda,” added the Minister.

The Seychelles Minister also applauded the work and growth of EASFCOM to collectively work together, fostering strong ties of friendship and collaboration in order to achieve peace and unity for the region.

“Today’s meeting is important to the region as it is a demonstration of the unshakeable commitment of each and every Member State in the regional institutions of peace and security,” said the Minister.

During his opening address Minister Adam also called on the organisation to work towards helping the continent find its own solutions to addressing some of the more pressing problems including facilitating peace and stability in Somalia.  However, he added that they needed to continue to encourage the developed world to recognise severe threats being faced by Africa as a result of climate change.

“We follow with concern the humanitarian situation throughout the Horn of Africa.  It is clear that the spectre of climate change will always exact a heavier toll on those most vulnerable.  As members of the developing world, we must continue to work together to strengthen our defences against the increased threats of climate change.  We should set no illusions for ourselves- climate change is one of the foremost security challenges of our generation, and we must continue to urge the developed world to recognise the burden it places on all our nations,” he added.

“Climate change locks in the cycle of poverty.  Climate change breeds conflict and disaster.  We must strengthen our environmental defences,” stressed the Minister.

This Committee meeting is being held in advance of the Ministerial meeting taking place on Saturday 17September, where Defense Ministers of the Member States will convene to address the pressing issues of the region.

Editor’s Note:

·         The first four days of the conference consisted of technical meetings of the Expert Working Groups.

·         The ten active Member States of the EASFCOM are Burundi, the Comoros, Kenya, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, Sudan and Uganda.

·         The EASBRICOM Secretariat is based in Nairobi, Kenya and its current Director is Maj. Gen. (Rtd) Cyrille Ndayirukiye.

·         The Seychelles Liaison Officer is Lt. Col Joe Raguin.

·         Seychelles has been part of the EASFCOM since it came into force and has been active in many of its activities.  Many Seychellois nationals have benefitted from numerous trainings (often funded by EASFCOM or co-sponsored by international partners) from the military, police forces, non-governmental organizations, legal experts, maritime officers etc.

Climate Change brings about challenges in many areas says Seychelles Tourism professionals

The Seychelles Tourism Industry has made a point about the effects of climate change that has been taken up in many of the environment press right around the world.

In the editorial of their last e-News, Louis D’Offay, the Chairman of the Seychelles Tourism Industry’s Association brings out the shark accidents in the Seychelles which happened simultaneously with similar accidents in Australia, South Africa and even Russia and with the freak accident where a Bear killed a British School boy.

For the Seychelles, they remain clear in their mind that the recent shark attacks were but freak accidents which are now being the focus of scientific analysis because in the tranquil seas of the Seychelles the last shark incident took place over 50 years ago.  Today the pristine environment, that the bay of Anse Lazio on the island of Praslin is known for, has been reopened to swimmers but with shark nets having been erected to provide safety to swimmers.

Too often in the past the world at large has taken for granted the effects of climate change, and this was too often so, until freak and unbelievable accidents occur.

The inhabitants of the island of Praslin in the Seychelles are now able to see their award winning beach of Anse Lazio being used, once again, by swimmers.  A sense of normality has returned to the island of Praslin, the island that remains a must visit destination for visitors to Seychelles.