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Seychelles Tourism expected to grow through the Air Mauritius connection networks

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Seychelles becomes more accessible to the world as Air Mauritius landed back at the Seychelles International Airport on Tuesday July 2, 2019.

Fourteen years after its last flight to Mahé, Air Mauritius (MK), returns for a twice-weekly flight between the two neighboring countries and connecting Seychelles to other parts of the world making connectivity easier for potential holidaymakers.


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The Minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine, Mr. Didier Dogley alongside the Air Mauritius Senior Manager Sales and Strategic Cooperation Mr. Ben Balasoupramanien were present at the airport to welcome this MK flight, A319-100- the Mon Choisy.

The Principal Secretary for Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine, Mr. Alain Renaud and the Principal Secretary of the Tourism Department, Mrs. Anne Lafortune accompanied Minister Dogley.

The welcoming ceremony also saw the participation of The Chairman of the Board of the Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) Captain David Savy, the authority’s Chief Executive Officer Mr. Garry Albert and the Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) Chief Executive, Mrs. Sherin Francis.

In his speech at the ceremony, Minister Dogley mentioned his pride to welcome Air Mauritius back in Seychelles; he also thanked the Mauritian company for choosing Seychelles as a destination.

“This new step in the bilateral relationship will definitely be beneficial for the two countries. At a time where Seychelles holds the presidency of the Vanilla Islands, we are one step forward in consolidating the Vanilla Island concept of connecting our islands by one flight per day,” said Minister Dogley.

For her part, the STB Chief Executive, Mrs. Sherin Francis, mentioned that the coming of Air Mauritius back on our shores would accentuate on the visibility of the destination, making it even more accessible from different points across the globe.

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“We welcome more air connectivity as  it increases our profile as a destination through the easy access and more availability in terms of airline choices, Air Mauritius serves several of our markets and this is good news for tourism overall. From a marketing point of view, it also means more support on certain markets with mutual interest,” said Mrs. Francis.

The airline, which is headquartered at the Air Mauritius Centre in Port Louis, also flies to over 10 destinations around the world including France, United Kingdom, Reunion, South Africa, India, China and Australia.

More coverage on Seychelles.

MEDIA CONTACT: STB News Bureau, Tel: +248 4 671 354 / +248 4 671 313, stbnews@seychelles.travel  www.seychelles.travel

Seychelles to benefit from Air Mauritius connectivity from Réunion through Mauritius hub

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Making the most of her official mission and presence in Reunion, Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) Regional Director for Europe, Mrs. Bernadette Willemin and Ms. Bernadette Honore, STB senior Marketing Executive on the island paid a courtesy call to Air Mauritius team based in the city of Saint Denis.

The visit followed the recent confirmation of Air Mauritius serving Seychelles on a twice-weekly basis effective July 2, 2019.

Potential visitors from Réunion, Madagascar, South Africa, Australia and some 18 other destinations served by Air Mauritius would be having access to Seychelles through the Mauritius hub.

The STB team had the immense pleasure of being welcomed at the Air Mauritius office by Mr. Robert Bourquin, Air Mauritius Director in Réunion and his commercial team.

During the meeting, discussions were held on the importance of Air Mauritius operation in Réunion, they further discussed the connection to Seychelles via Mauritius and the commercial effort in progress from the part Réunion Travel Trade professionals to commercialise the route and drive traffic from Réunion to Seychelles.

The STB Team stated the opportunity to have the MK airline and connecting flight as an option to Réunion- Mauritius –Seychelles. Mrs. Willemin stated that it would open the destination to travellers in Réunion and elsewhere to visit Seychelles.

The team added that the new connection would pave the way for combined packages within the region operated by Air Mauritius airline.

The STB team in Réunion will be collaborating with Air Mauritius to push their marketing plan in Réunion to commercialise the route among Réunion travellers.

“Currently, Air Austral is operating the Réunion – Seychelles route on a twice-weekly flights during Réunion holiday seasons and one weekly flight out of Réunion holiday seasons. Seychelles having Air Mauritius positioning additional flights in Réunion -Seychelles route connecting through Mauritius hub will compliment and boost air connectivity,” said Ms. Honore, STB representative on the Reunion market.

Air Mauritius flight will be operating at both Saint Denis and Pierre Fond airports.

MEDIA CONTACT: STB News Bureau, Tel: +248 4 671 354 / +248 4 671 313, stbnews@seychelles.travel  www.seychelles.travel

Driving intra-African connectivity and cooperation through Alliance and partnership

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The African Tourism Board is currently working hard to build partnerships within the aviation industry. “Seeing Africa as one destination is perfect for any airlines wanting to partner with us”, said Juergen Steinmetz, Interim Chairman of  ATB.

When speaking to eTN, Mr. Vijay Poonoosamy echoed the importance of the Airline Industry for the African Continent and said: “I am most impressed by what the African Tourism Board has achieved in this very short time! I am delighted to support it.” Mr. Vijay Poonoosamy is  Mauritius native currently working as a director for the Singapore QI Group, and a former VP for Etihad Airways.

At the recently concluded 8th Annual Aviation Stakeholder Convention of the African Airline Association (AFRAA) Vijay Poonoosamy said when he moderated the session in Mauritius:

Africa with a population of 1.3 billion or 16.6% of the world’s population accounts for less than 4% of the world’s air transport passengers.

African air transport thus only supports around 6.9 million jobs and $80 billion in economic activity whereas globally air transport supports 65.5 million jobs and $ 2.7 trillion in economic activity.

The many barriers to the growth of African air transport include weak infrastructure, low living standards, high ticket prices, poor connectivity, high costs, poor competitiveness, visa restrictions for both Africans and non-Africans and the lack of national understanding of the significant multiplier effect of air transport.

At the AFRAA  AGA  last November, IATA DG & CEO,  Alexandre de Juniac, stated that:

“The global average profit per passenger is $7.80. But airlines in Africa, on average, lose $1.55 for every passenger carried.”

He also pointed out that:

“Fares within Africa are relatively high but Africa to the rest of the world fares are relatively low, compared to other markets of a similar sector length.  The problem is not so much high fares by international standards, but that living standards are so low on average, so buying a typical return ticket from Africa will cost almost 7 weeks of national income per person.  It costs less than 1 week’s national income per person in Europe or North America.”

Moreover, Africans require a visa for an average of 55% of the countries on our continent and only 14 out of 54 African countries currently offer visas upon arrival to African nationals.

However, Africa is at the cusp of its renaissance but whether African Air Transport will be part of this renaissance or not is up to African airlines and their stakeholders.

By 2050, Africa’s population is expected to be 2.5 billion or 26.6% of the World’s population.

According to IATA, Africa’s passenger numbers are set to double by 2035 and triple in the next 20 years with a growth of 5.4% per annum whilst the global average is expected to be less than 5% per annum over these periods.

Whether these formidable international opportunities are going to be mostly seized by non-African airlines and whether these formidable intra-African opportunities are going to be mostly missed will depend on the willingness and ability of African airlines to work and win together with the help of their Stakeholders.

To help us explore how to enhance intra-African connectivity and cooperation between African Airlines we are delighted to have as panelists

  • Raja Indradev Buton, Chief Operating Officer – Air Mauritius
  • Aaron Munetsi, Director of Government Legal & industry Affairs – AFRAA
  • Dominique Dumas, Vice President Sales EMEA-ATR
  • Mr Jean-Paul Boutibou, Vice President Sales, Middle East, Africa and Indian Ocean – Bombardier
  • Mr Hussein Dabbas, General Manager Special Projects Middle East & Africa – Embraer

A panel which reflects African aviation’s challenge with gender balance!

Win-win cooperation between African Airlines will allow for significant cost reductions through the elimination of wasteful redundancies and the leveraging of economies of scale and help drive revenues through strategic synergies.

The areas concerned are endless and include procurement, jet fuel, fleet management, spare parts and maintenance, engines, IT, Catering, training, IFEs, lounges, loyalty programs, ground handing and Treasury management.

Africa’s take off is linked to the take-off of African air transport, including African Airlines and intra-African connectivity, all of which are, in turn, linked to the willingness and ability of African airlines and their stakeholders to come together and deliver calibrated win-win solutions through smart co-opetition or cooperative competition sooner rather than later.

Founded in 2018, the African Tourism Board is an association that is internationally acclaimed for acting as a catalyst for the responsible development of travel and tourism to, from, and within the African region. For more information and how to join, visit africantourismboard.com.

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The future of flight: UN aviation agency looking for new designs and concepts

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The United Nations (UN) International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has launched the Aviation Innovation Competitions and is looking for ideas, concepts, and prototypes from the next generation of aviation innovators.

The three competitions, managed by ICAO and supported by Transport Canada commemorate the agency’s 75th anniversary this year. Participants will be highlighted on ICAO’s digital content platforms, and global winners in each category will win grand prizes of $1000, $2000 and $5000. The global winner of the prototypes competition will also win a trip to Montréal to receive their award.

Submissions from elementary students, high school students and young adults must be uploaded by June 30, 2019.

Quote

“Canada is proud of its long-standing relationship with ICAO as Host State, and as an active member of the ICAO Council. Throughout 2019, we join ICAO and its other Member States in celebrating flight and the crucial importance of air connectivity worldwide. On this special milestone of its 75th anniversary, I am pleased to support ICAO’s Aviation Innovation Competitions and I encourage all young Canadians to apply.”

The Honorable Marc Garneau
Minister of Transport

Quick Facts

•Proudly hosted by Canada in Montréal, ICAO was created in 1944 to promote the safe and orderly development of international civil aviation throughout the world.

•ICAO sets standards and regulations necessary for aviation safety, security, efficiency, capacity and environmental protection, amongst many other priorities.

•Canada is one of 193 Member States and is also a member of the 36-member ICAO Council.

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Centara identifies technological and social trends that will shape the hospitality industry in the next 10 years

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Global hospitality is at a crossroads. In the last 20 years, technology has transformed every aspect of the guest journey, from online bookings to in-room services to post-stay feedback. But as technology continues to evolve and advance, what will the hotel industry look like 10 years in the future?

In the past, digitalization was largely driven by companies, as new solutions were introduced to enhance efficiency and target customers more effectively. In the modern era however, it is customers who are demanding greater connectivity. This is especially true in the hotel industry, which is driven by modern lifestyle trends and the “always-on” mindset of millennial travelers.

In light of these trends, Markland Blaiklock, Centara’s Deputy Chief Executive Officer, explains his vision for the future of the hospitality industry in the next decade:

“Ten years from now, I’m sure we will look back and see that the hospitality industry changed much more than predicted, and Asia will continue to be a major catalyst for change. This evolution will be part social and part technological, but the overall goal will be the same: to meet and exceed guests’ expectations,” he commented.

According to Mr. Blaiklock, Centara foresees three significant trends shaping its business, and the entire industry, going forward:

Travel and work life will become inseparable thanks to improved technology and faster connectivity. This trend will occur in all countries but will be led by China and the rest of Asia, which are currently driving the growth in overseas travel. The launch of Centara’s new “Meetings Redesigned” MICE initiative will help to accommodate this shift, by allowing companies to be more flexible and creative with their event agendas.

Robotics and artificial intelligence will create hyper-connected hotel experiences. The Internet of Things (IoT) will seamlessly connect every hotel touchpoint, which will be personalized to the unique preferences every guest. In addition, big data insights will enable hotel staff to improve service quality in real time.

Delivering emotional experiences will be the ultimate goal of hotels. As technology takes over, many guests will go in search of authenticity, human interaction and genuine hospitality. The ability to predict and identify human emotions will be key to the success of hotels in the coming decades.

The big question for hoteliers now and in the future will be: how do we successfully integrate technology to improve the guest’s entire journey, whilst also retaining our distinct personality and brand loyalty?

For Centara Hotels & Resorts, Thailand’s leading hotel operator, this balance is at the core of its strategic vision. In the coming years decades, the group will focus delivering warm Thai hospitality in line with the latest social and technological trends to create exceptional customer experiences.

Centara has proven adept at developing new brands that embrace innovation. The most recent example is COSI, which caters for young-minded and tech-savvy travelers with friendly, simple and affordable accommodation and state-of-the-art amenities like smartphone integration, self-service check-in and a 24-hour lifestyle café concept. It is no surprise that this contemporary concept, which made its debut in Koh Samui in 2017, is now a key driving force behind Centara’s expansion strategy.

In many ways, COSI represents the future of hospitality. Its combination of connectivity, comfort and convenience enables guests to blend business and leisure travel, a key trend identified by Mr. Blaiklock. Across all of Centara’s six brands however, the group continues to roll out innovative new digital experiences.

Recent initiatives range from revamping the Centara website and mobile app for a seamless online experience, to launching a new central reservation system and revenue management system for global coordination. The new Chinese language, China-hosted website, social media pages and payment solutions are also positioning Centara to compete successfully in the world’s largest travel market.

Technology, however, is only one element of a successful strategy. Hotel guests will always be human beings, and the majority of humans visit a destination to experience its charm and culture, not to look at a screen. For Centara, the ability to deliver authentic Thai hospitality is something that can never be replaced by technology. By harnessing big data and personalization tools however, hoteliers can enhance every human interaction. Intuitive and rewarding loyalty programs like CentaraThe1 will play a major part in anticipating and delivering tailored experiences.

So digitalization really is the key; by using smart technology to identify and satisfy guest preferences, the hoteliers of the future will be able to create truly bespoke experiences for every guest.

Centara Hotels & Resorts is Thailand’s leading hotel operator. Its 68 properties span all major Thai destinations plus the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Laos, China, Oman, Qatar and the UAE. Centara’s portfolio comprises six brands -Centara Grand Hotels & Resorts, Centara Hotels & Resorts, Centara Boutique Collection, Centra by Centara, Centara Residences & Suites and COSI Hotels – ranging from 5-star city hotels and luxurious island retreats to family resorts and affordable lifestyle concepts supported by innovative technology. It also operates state-of-the-art convention centers and has its own award-winning spa brand, Cenvaree. Throughout the collection, Centara delivers and celebrates the hospitality and values Thailand is famous for including gracious service, exceptional food, pampering spas and the importance of families. Centara’s distinctive culture and diversity of formats allow it to serve and satisfy travelers of nearly every age and lifestyle.

Over the next five years Centara aims to double its size with additional properties in Thailand and new international markets, while spreading its footprint into new continents and market niches. As Centara continues to expand, a growing base of loyal customers will find the company’s unique style of hospitality in more locations. Centara’s global loyalty program, Centara The1, reinforces their loyalty with rewards, privileges and special member pricing.

For more information about Centara, please visit centarahotelsresorts.com.
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