The islands of the Indian Ocean (Comoros, Mayotte, Mauritius, Madagascar, Reunion and Seychelles) joined together many years ago to form a new Tourism Block named the Vanilla Islands. Today they are seen in Tour Operator programs as a region to themselves and the islands have seen remarkable successes in holiday combinations of two or three islands at a time and a major success story in cruise ship business now cruising the Indian Ocean Region.
Alain St.Ange, as the Seychelles Tourism Minister was the first President of this regional grouping and was re-elected for a second mandate as he worked for unity in the Indian Ocean Islands .Last year it was Xavier Luc Duval, the Deputy Prime Minister of Mauritius who was at the head of the Regional Body having succeeded the Minister from Madagascar and Reunion. Today the Comoros are at the head of the Indian Ocean Vanilla Islands. Mrs Sitti Attoumane, the President of the Vanilla Islands and Head of the Comoros Tourism wrote to Alain St.Ange on behalf of the Regional Tourism Organization to endorse his candidature as Secretary General of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).
This endorsement is timely for on Monday St.Ange is due to travel to Madrid in Spain to present his official documents as a candidate to Dr Taleb Rifai, the Secretary General of the UNWTO. This is set to be done on the side lines of FITUR 2017, the tourism trade fair of Spain.
Mrs Sitti Attoumane of the Indian Ocean Vanilla Islands wrote saying: "The social, economic and cultural development of a region is essential for the well being of the population. If this progression can be effected whilst respecting the environment then it is a success. It is with this vision that you guided not only the archipel of the Seychelles, but also the Indian Ocean region for many years. As you participated in the creation of the Vanilla Islands, the grouping of the Indian Ocean Islands, you showed in the belief of a shared prosperity and also the spirit of cooperation inclusive of sharing your successes. This is the reason that the Vanilla Islands Organization regrouping the islands of the Union of the Comoros, Reunion, Mayotte Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar are coming forward to extend their support for you as a candidate for the position of Secretary General of the United Nations World Tourism Organization. With both the francophones and anglophone cultures at your fingertip, we are persuaded that the world of tourism will find in you a competent and motivated partner at the service of tourism"
Alain St.Ange said that he was grateful with the letter of endorsement for his bid to before the SG of the UNWTO. "The Indian Ocean islands are strong tourism players with tourism industries remaining important for their economies. Their support is indeed appreciated" said Alain St.Ange.
14 comments:
I guess Indian Ocean islands are sucking up to St. Ange, fake profile Nivad Vidot.
St Ange is one among the best Africans for the position........
Should he be elected he would become the most influencial Ambassador of Seychelles....
Looking forward for his election.
Hindu association of Seychelles supports St. Ange.
hINDUS BELONG TO SIR LANKA AND INDIA ...NOT SEYCHELLES ........MOST OF THEMHOLDING SEYCHELLES PASSPORT ILLEGALLY .....WHICH OUR GOVENREMNT SHOULD CANCELLED ......
UNTWO is likely to put for the first time ever, an African at its head for the after literally 43 years .....The African tourism minster that has proven himself and even be rewarded for his achievement is Mr St Ange ........so Mr St Ange is literally Africa legitimate candidate .......But it said that China would also like to see one of theirs at the helm...which might complicate things for Mr St Ange.
Zimbabwe tourism minister is also eager of being elected in this high post ....but has no convincing records compare to St Ange.>The only supporter of Zimbabwe tourism minister is Mugabe and South Africa------
Wish Mr St Ange all the best.
Good luck Alain fly the Seychelles flag high. We are proud of you, and you make Seychelles proud.
Agreed. The whole nation should rally around Alain St. Ange on his candidacy. It will be a huge leap forward for Seychelles, any one that understands how tourism works, wants Seychelles to succeed should extend their support.
Sesel Pou Seselwa!
Christopher Gill
Anyone who understands how tourism works will tell you 1. cut down on corruption. 2. bring back the stolen monies. 3. pay back our debts. 4. make Seychelles affordable for Seselwa. In return Sebel will be affordable for middle income tourists. 5. Train our youth that it pays to work hard. decent salary. 6. stop wastage within government........ Just some basic pointers to propel and boost our arrivals.... St Ange dis a great job. Sylvester would have done equally good if not better and without 'brown envelope cheque'. Seychelles tourism arrivals were so low under Prince Francis. Anyone could have increased by double digits. The challenge is to get it to 400,000 arrivals within 2 years. The extra 100,000 should be timed for the low season e.g. Jan 15th to Feb 10th - the month of July......
7:21
Sorry, I do not agree with your light handed ness on these points. In particular, 1. Tourists don't care abou corruption, it does not affect them aside from increase in in put cost increase.2. Corruption remains our own problem, affecting our standard of living over all. Most of our debts have been paid by UAE already. Our debt GDP ratio is 70%. Italy is 175%. Greece is 190%. 3. Youth cannot be trained o work hard if they do not have examples of the same. St. Ange did not inherit Tourism from Savy. The last Minister of Tourism was Michel, Belmont before him. St. Ange was pushed by the ride to take up the post of marketing director. It is because of those results that it became conclusive, he should advance to Minister. In that time, flights were cut, Air Seychelles bellied up and was sold off. Routes to Europe were cut. So it was not as easy as you make it sound since 2006. All he we we had ex change control.
I firmly believe in giving credit to where credit is due. St. Ange deserves credit for a excellent job. Simple. We don't have to dirty his record, just because we have a personal issue with the guy. What did he take, your ice cream?
Sesel Pou Seselwa!
Christopher Gill
With due respect Mr Gill, I have no problem with Mr St Ange - he did not take my ice cream. Read my post again, I re-quote 'St Ange did a great job'. However, I tried to explain that our arrivals were so so low - any other hard working individual would have easily initiated double digit increase. Anyhow, St Ange is now gone. Your challenge, my challenge and all Sesewa's challenges are to keep the momentum that St Ange was very successful at. Only time will tell if the new Minister is cut out for this job. We have many other side issues affecting our marketability. One major factor is our cost....Now do NOT harp on about the 13th month salary as this is neither here nor there in small establishments employing average 10 Seselwa earning an average of SCR7000. My concern are not the large 4 & 5 star establishments. They get enough concessions from the GOS. That is Y is say cut out all corruption and have a Zero tolerance....This is the only way of achieving immediate result towards reducing cost of living.
Well, this is where you get it wrong, segmented and fragmenting sectors of growth, with leftist dialectical rational. Example case in point" this sector employee 10 people at 7000". With 13 month salary voted by yourself, and Le Pep you confine small establishments to always have 10 staff and not more, you confine small to remain small. You confine staff to stay at 7000. You confine them and stifle the market. Therefore you stifle growth. While at it, you add inflation to the equation, eventually devalue the currency. The momentum St. Ange left cannot be maintain because conditions change. They have changed. Numbers do not lie. St. Ange would run a down ward spiral with the 13 month salary on the backs of the hotels as Llanne will now. Neither is superman. 4 and 5 star hotels HAD concessions in 2007. It does not exist anymore, since. If it exist it should be exposed. You say COST affects our marketability. But yet in the same breath you dismiss the 13 month salary as a cost. What is that? Selective dialectical materialism? You cannot have your cake and eat it to. It sounds like some of these MNA in the National Assembly, talking non sense, thinking the people do not see through them. Get a bit more serious on issues, because we are concerned in a serious manner what the Industry faces. Good day in the name of Zomn Lib if that makes your happy.
Sesel Pou Seselwa!
Christopher Gill
His move is not going down well with AU or SADC who had endorsed the Zimbabwean candidate unanimously. Typical move by St Ange to try and Hijack the limelight. Hewho thinks of no one but St Ange. Hope he fails. http://www.voazimbabwe.com/a/zimbabwe-minister-mzembi/3680251.html
Zimbabwe is a rouge state. Seychelles has much more clout then Zimbabwe.
St. Ange will represent UNWTO much better.
Tourism in Zimbabwe is linear- primitive.
AFrican Uniom endorsement of a failing minister of tourism exposes the systemic problem in Africa.
Zimbabwe tourism numbers are pathetic. Their tourism revenue is a disgrace to Africa.
Spending per visit has gone from $1000 per trip per person to $300.00
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