Tourism Minister Meets Seychelles Hospitality and Tourism Affiliation
The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism, Sylvestre Radegonde, and the new Chief Secretary for Tourism, Ms. Sherin Francis, met with the Board of Directors of the Seychelles Hospitality and Tourism Association (SHTA) to discuss the prevailing issues affecting recreation of tourism in Seychelles impact the government’s commitment to the success of the industry, as well as the government’s continued efforts to work with the private sector.
- The SHTA received support from the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism in the interests of the sector and the wider community.
- The monthly meetings between the two departments will resume.
- Tourism professionals from the private sector will be invited to join a new advisory committee to effectively assist the government in handling tourism-related matters.
At the beginning of the meeting, which was held virtually for the first time this year via the online platform ZOOM at the end of last month, Minister Radegonde stated that his department would, within reason, respond to inquiries from SHTA in the interests of the industry and the wider economy. Cooperation and consultation will increase, he said, with the resumption of the planned monthly meetings between the Ministry of Tourism and the SHTA.
Minister Radegonde briefed the SHTA board members about the restructuring in the Ministry of Tourism and stated that the dissolution of the Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) and the merger of the two main national tourism organizations were essential to consolidate the resources of both entities while maintaining the desirable synergy between the two .
Minister Radegonde’s proposal to invite private sector tourism professionals to join a new advisory committee to effectively assist the government in handling tourism-related matters was welcomed by the SHTA, which reiterated that the tourism industry will be strengthened when the private and the public sectors interact and collectively contribute planning and strategic thinking and developing solutions to national problems.
Value for money is one of the main issues facing the industry and Minister Radegonde reiterated the Ministry’s plan to improve the visitor experience; An assessment and inventory of existing attractions and accommodation products will be carried out, and admission prices to iconic sites will be reviewed to ensure that visitors are getting good value for money.
