Tourism Seychelles - Exclusive Interview with Sherin Francis, Principal Secretary

Dark/Light Mode (08/06/23)  For many, the perfect beach holiday consists of the softest white sand beaches, clear turquoise waters where tropical fish can be found in abundance, a choice of accommodation that meets the budgets and needs of different travellers, a variety of things to do, hot weather, blue skies, delicious food and welcoming locals.

Whilst that description could apply to many countries around the world, just thinking of Seychelles, an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, certainly conjures up such images, and many more besides.

Seychelles, one of the most beautiful destinations in the world

As of 7 May 2023, Seychelles had already attracted 129,050 visitor arrivals, making its target of 348,000 visitor arrivals for the whole year seem almost conservative.

So how hard is it to market a destination that many regard as paradise on Earth? How does a country like Seychelles compare to the other well known island destinations in the Indian Ocean? How much harder is to promote travel to a destination when the troubled national carrier is going through a major transformation? And is Seychelles really as expensive as many believe, or are there more affordable places to stay than the 5-star hospitality brands we all know and love?

In this interview, filmed over the internet on 6 June 2023, Steven Howard of TravelNewsAsia.com speaks with Sherin Francis, Principal Secretary of Tourism Seychelles, to ask her those questions and more.

We discuss air connectivity and the recent MOUs that Tourism Seychelles signed with many of the leading Middle Eastern carriers at the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai last month.

PS Francis tells us how important the new partnership with Sri Lankan Airlines will be and how it will help Seychelles reach new tourism markets.

We also talk about how Seychelles is targeting those travellers who live in South East Asia, and if she could choose three countries to have a direct air connection with in that region, which would they be?

Steven asks whether Seychelles has changed its immigration policies to make the country more attractive to those who are now able to work remotely, and what type of property investments the country is seeing with regards to the hospitality sector. All that and much, much more in the video and podcast below.

Tourism Seychelles - Exclusive Interview with Sherin Francis, Principal Secretary

PODCAST

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