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Seychelles Tourism Board Present at the Fifth Edition of the “Penalty Shoot Out”

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The Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) through its office in Abu Dhabi participated at the 48th UAE National Day celebrations in style as its presence was noted at the 5th edition of the “Penalty Shoot Out” hosted by Al Ethihad Sports Academy on Saturday, November 30, 2019.

“Penalty Shoot Out,” a sports event spearheaded by Al Ethihad Sports Academy under the supervision of its founding CEO Mr. Arakkal Kamarudheen, seeks to groom young talents to be professional athletes.

Bringing together over 150 youths from Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah, the event provided an opportunity to the promising players to showcase their athletic abilities through friendly matches at the prestigious American International School Abu Dhabi.

The Academy further encourages the development of sport skills in youngsters, giving them opportunities to be selected to train at international academies such as Barcelona FC Academy and even tour countries such as India to gain experience.

Supporting the initiative through its office in Abu Dhabi, the STB was represented the Tourism Attaché, Ms Aliette Esther, who conducted the mission successful alongside Seychelles based DMC Vision Voyages, also sponsored the event.

Recalling the fabulous experience at the ‘Penalty Shoot Out’ Ms. Esther stated that assisting the Al Ethihad Sports Academy with the event has been a means to increase visibility for the destination and expressed that STB’s involvement in such events are beneficial to the Seychelles.

“There has been talk about a much-needed shift in diversifying tourism in the Seychelles,” said Ms. Esther, “and this event fits right into it as it can create opportunities for sports tourism in the Seychelles.”

“What is most encouraging,” Ms. Esther continue, “is Al Ethihad Sports Academy’s keen interest in tapping into young players’ potential in the Seychelles. We have swimmers, footballers and cricketers in the country, so a lot of young people could benefit from such a venture. Team exchanges between the 2 countries would not only help develop youth sports in the Seychelles but also open them up to more cultural experiences and boost their confidence. Players going to the Seychelles would be accompanied by their families, therefore contributing to our tourism and economic sectors.”

Ms. Esther further stated her satisfaction to execute side-lined collaboration with her various Abu Dhabi partners as they consolidate the relationship between the two countries.

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

The Valletta NYE celebrations are back, featuring The Travellers and many more live in concert

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Featuring The Travellers and many more live in concert

One of the most anticipated events of the calendar, the Valletta National New Year’s Eve Celebrations, are back to usher in the New Year in the capital city.

The celebrations will once again take place in St. George’s Square with the main stage hosting leading names from the island. The night will kickstart with local band Ozzy Lino and the Candy Moths, followed by top local artists Kevin Paul, Gaia and Kurt Calleja. THE TRAVELLERS will be headlining the event with their unique and original sound.

The event will be hosted by Nate, Frank and Rossi from Vibe FM who will also be taking the audience into the countdown with a mash-up of the best dance anthems of 2019 together with stage special effects and fireworks to welcome the New Year. Finally, up and coming DJ DREY will be ending the night with an energetic and uplifting set.

Valletta Cultural Agency Chairman Jason Micallef said that “the New Year’s Eve celebrations are part of a vast program planned by the VCA for the festive period in Valletta. Last week we switched on the Christmas lights in the capital’s main streets, switched on a real Christmas tree in St George’s Square for the first time, and a Nativity Scene in Piazza de Valette, among other initiatives for the festive season in the Capital”.

Valletta Mayor Alfred Zammit said that “this is one of the Local Council’s favorite activities because it gives the opportunity to Maltese families to enjoy Christmas and the New Year in the communal spirit in Valletta without spending much”. He said that “Valletta should be the natural choice of those who would like to have fun this New Year’s Eve.”

This event is being organized by G7 events following a call for Cultural Partnership Agreements by the Valletta Cultural Agency within the Ministry for Justice, Culture and Local Government. The Valletta Local Council shall also be collaborating with the organizers of the event.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Valletta Cultural Agency Contact

Tele: (+356) 2124 2018

Email: info@vca.gov.mt

MTA US Editorial Contact

The Bradford Group

Amanda Benedetto/ Gabriela Reyes

Tel: (212) 447-0027

Fax: (212) 725 8253

E-mail: info@bradfordglobalmarketing.com

Gabriela Reyes

Account Manager 

The Bradford Group

347 Fifth Ave. Suite 1205

New York, New York 10016

T (212) 447-0027

F (212) 725-8253

gabrielar@bradfordglobalmarketing.com

www.bradfordglobalmarketing.com

Seychelles present at the fourth edition Abu Dhabi Travel Trade Event

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The Seychelles Tourism Board (STB), in partnership with the Cerf Island Resort in the Seychelles, braved the unusual cold weather of Abu Dhabi on November 21, 2019 to attend the 4th edition of Abu Dhabi Travel Trade Event (ADTTE).

The event, organised by Mr. Conrad Caeiro of Razzmatazz 360°, was held at the Splash garden at the Aloft Hotel in Abu Dhabi. Having been a big supporter of the last three editions of the ADTTE, the STB participated to the event as a platinum sponsor this year.

The outdoor set-up at the Splash garden was perfect for the occasion and provided to the 300 attendees present an opportunity to network with the 22 exhibitors including the Seychelles delegation.

The event’s program indulged the invited guests to some attractive raffle draws, give-aways and enjoyed a lavish dinner while pursuing their networking and shopping for their next holiday.

The STB and its sole partner Cerf Island resort being a prime sponsor for the ADTTE 2019 were placed at a strategic position allowing the two Seychelles representatives to maximize on their position to provide information about the destination as a prime holiday.

In order to entice the Abu Dhabi visitors the team offered extensive information about the destination as an island hopping paradise, promoting the various other attractions including the product and services available on Cerf Island.

Speaking about the STB’s participation at the ADTTE 2019 event, the STB representative in Abu Dhabi and Tourism Attaché Ms. Aliette Esther stated the prominence of the event creates an ideal platform for the promotion of the destination, which is in line with the STB marketing strategy to increase the destination’s visibility.

“ADTTE is now a signature event and is already being looked forward to by the travel trade professionals,” said Ms Esther.  “It gives the Seychelles maximum exposure and it is worthwhile attending. 

“We had many visitors at our stand who are dreaming of going to Seychelles and we managed to convince some of them to buy the ticket and go.  Others had already been to the Seychelles and were really happy with their trip, expressing the wish to go back once more.”

Aside from the networking aspect, the event also included music entertainment and an Egyptian tanoura dancer who dazzled everyone with his entrancing whirls and brightly lit costume. There was also a special cake ceremony, which was cut by the H.E. Ambassador, Ricardo Laverie of the Embassy of Panama Abu Dhabi and Ms. Esther, STB Abu Dhabi Tourism Attaché.

There are other similar events lined up in Abu Dhabi before the end of 2019.

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

Seychelles to celebrate the Wonders of the Ocean through its Ocean Festival

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A series of activities have been organized to commemorate this year’s Seychelles Ocean Festival (SOF) by the Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) and its various partners.

The event, which promotes marine-based tourism in the island archipelago, is to be held from Friday November 22, 2019 to Sunday November 24, 2019 and will be celebrated through a plethora of education and fun activities throughout the weekend.

In line with the STB marketing strategy, which includes promoting Seychelles as one of pioneers of conservation in the region, the SOF is a prime event for the destination as it provides a platform STB to sensitize the local population about the role and importance of the marine world for Seychelles as a destination.

The Minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine, Didier Dogley launched this year’s edition of the SOF on Friday November 22, 2019 at Eden Blue in a small ceremony, which regrouped various environment and tourism stakeholders all present for the good cause.

Speaking at the launch of the festivities Mrs. Sherin Francis STB Chief Executive commented on the commitment of the various partners in making the event a success.

“It is our civic duty to protect our environment for our future generation and for our planet. As a small country, we are extremely affected by global warming and because of that, our destination is threatened. Our promise of paradise to our potential visitors is mainly dependent on our ocean; this is why we put such emphasis on creating awareness around its conservation. It is very encouraging to see the dedication of our young people for our environment through their response to our call for collaboration,” said Mrs. Francis.

She also commended the various partners including the Ministry of Environment & Climate Change, the Ministry of Education, the Seychelles National Parks Authority (SNPA), the National Sports Council and the various NGO’s who have actively participated in the preparations of the events.

The festivities will be closed on Sunday November 24, 2019 at Beau-Vallon with a beach clean-up, a yoga session and a family fun day on the program. Several competitions– volleyball, football, amongst others are also on the activities for the day.

The SOF remains an important feature in Seychelles’ calendar of events and a key platform for highlighting the many attributes of Seychelles’ marine scene and all that it offers to visitors and locals alike.

For more news about Seychelles, please click here.

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

Seychelles Tourism Board joined by Turkish Airlines and Luxury Cruising Company – Crystal Cruises, promote Seychelles in Los Angeles, California, USA

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The Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) in collaboration with its partners Turkish Airlines and Luxury Cruising Company – Crystal Cruises, organized a “Seychelles Promotional Dinner” event for some 85 tourism professionals in the city of Los Angeles, California, USA.

The event, which was centered on the destination, its attractions and the various available products and services, took place at the Taix French Restaurant in October 2019.

As part of the evening, the 85 tourism professionals present enjoyed an extensive destination presentation by Mr. David Germain, STB Regional Director for Africa and the Americas, as he showcased the pristine beaches, lush flora including the various Islands to be visited.

The two partners to the events Crystal Cruises and Turkish Airlines also conducted presentations about their products and services associated with Seychelles.

Crystal Cruises Company- a Luxury Cruising Company headquartered in Los Angeles- presented to the Los Angeles participants its upcoming project in the archipelago. The “Crystal Esprit”, a Luxury vessel will be positioned in Seychelles for 3 months, between January, February and March 2020, offering an all-inclusive eight-day program in the Seychelles for potential clients.

Turkish Airlines, on its part presented the daily flights offers from North America to its central hub, Istanbul, with easy connections to Seychelles as the airline also operates daily flights to the archipelago from their hub.

The participants were also given a varied taste of what their clients can expect from a luxury Seychelles holiday and it included information about ground-handling services, to Cruises and flight schedules.

Speaking about the initiative to have such an important outreach in the North American market, the STB Regional Director for Africa and the Americas mentioned that the event was organized with the objective of raising the destination’s profile further in the North American region.

 “Collaboration is key as we endeavor to grow the Seychelles’ tourism market share in North America, and on the entire continent. I am very satisfied with the outcome of the event and satisfied as well with North America’s continued performance as a tourism market for Seychelles,” said Mr. Germain

As part of the publicity operations on the Northern American territory, a media lunch event was also organized in Beverley Hills, at the popular Fig & Olive Famous French Restaurant during the same month.

Nine journalists from some of the main publications in the Beverley Hills region attended the event. They were treated to video presentations about the Seychelles islands highlighting the products and services available, as well as the unique attractions of the archipelago.

The Seychelles Tourism Board is a member of APTA, the Association for the Promotion of Tourism to Africa, and as well as a member of USTOA, the United States Tour Operator Association.

For more news about Seychelles, please click here.

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

Seychelles launches its first Nature Trail competition

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In a press conference at Botanical House, Mont-Fleuri at the Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) headquarters today, the organization announced the launch of the Seychelles Nature Trail competition to be held in May 2020.

The announcement was made by the STB Chief Executive Mrs. Sherin Francis in the presence of Mrs. Bernadette Willemin, STB Regional Director for Europe, Ms. Bernadette Honoré, the STB representative in Reunion – who initiated the project with the support of Christian Hamer and Veronique Victor (directors of the trail) – and various partners on-board to make the project a success in Seychelles next year. 

The partners for the SNT project alongside the STB will include the Seychelles National Sports Council (NSC), the Seychelles National Park Authority (SNPA), Air Mauritius, Seychelles Breweries, ABSA ( Barclays Bank), Cable and Wireless and Skychef.

Launched in Reunion in September this year, this first edition of Seychelles Nature Trail (SNT) adds to the prestige of the destination as a multifaceted one.

The SNT aims at further promoting the archipelago’s concept of green tourism as well as enticing potential visitors’ to the discovery of Seychelles’ rich biodiversity.

The 25km trail which will be competed on Mahé on May 3, 2020 will be starting in the region of Port-Glaud round Anse Major, through the well-known hiking routes including the Mont Le Niol and Congo Rouge area finishing at Grand Anse.

 The event plans on attracting and engaging nature sport enthusiast in the region and across the globe to Seychelles, as well as concept for Seychellois competitors.

Speaking at the event, Mrs. Sherin Francis mentioned her satisfaction to add another event to the destination’s profile on the international level.

“The SNT event projects the destinations towards an adventure that will open great doors for the destination, we have seen how big in publicity the recent trail event “Diagonale des Fous” which closed a few days ago to our fellow islanders in Reunion. We can only anticipate great participation from the region and hope that the beauty of our Islands will attract potential runners from all over the world,” said Mrs. Francis.

Mrs. Francis mentioned that in order to reach the anticipated number of participants for the event in 2020, an intensive communication campaign has been designed and will be implemented through traditional and social media.

In addition, a publicity campaign in collaboration with the Seychelles Public Transport Company (SPTC) will be activated in Seychelles in the coming weeks.

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

Seychelles trade partners getting closer to the Israeli market in trade & media events

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The Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) and trade partners are set to conquer the Israeli market in a two-day event in Tel-Aviv.

A marketing operation initiative has been prompted by the STB in the aim to bring the beauty and diversity of the destination and its myriads of services to Israeli clients.

Seychelles trade partners including the national airline Air Seychelles, Destination Management Companies (DMCs), and hotel partners will be participating in the event, which will consists of press meetings and trade workshops for tour operators and travel agents.  

The trade partners consisting of DMCS including Creole Travel Service, Mason’s Travel, and 7-Degree South and hotel establishments namely Four Seasons Seychelles, Frégate Island Private, Avani Seychelles, The H Resort Beau Vallon Beach, Constance Hotels & Resorts, and Raffles will be present to market their services for the two days.

During their stay, the delegation will also be conducting sales calls and Business-to-Business meetings as part of their activities on ground. 

Speaking about the upcoming event in Israel, Mrs. Sherin Francis, STB Chief Executive, mentioned that this new opportunity would help in opening the destination to this blooming market.

“Israel is not a new venture for Seychelles; we count about 5-7 chartered flights from this specific part of the world annually. We are now consolidating our foundations in ensuring that the product is packaged in the most attractive way to increase its reach and motivate Israeli to have a unique travel experience that is the Seychelles experience,” said Mrs. Francis. 

During her official marketing and media mission in Israel, Ms. Bernadette Willemin, Regional Director for Europe, and Ms. Monette Rose, Director for Italy, Turkey, Greece and the Mediterranean, will accompany Mrs. Francis.

The event, which follows the visit of Seychelles Minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine Mr. Didier Dogley in Israel in February this year, aims at creating a platform for the tourism trade in the Mediterranean city in anticipation of the weekly flight scheduled by Air Seychelles as of November 2019.

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

Seychelles key collaborators on the Brazilian market receive a taste of the islands following recent visit of the head of Seychelles Tourism Board

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The Seychelles multicolored flag was held high on the South American continent as the Seychelles Tourism Board (STB), Chief Executive Mrs. Sherin Francis held an official mission visit in Brazil from June 16, 2019 to June 18, 2019.

Mrs. Francis’ visit, which was her first on the territory, was mainly purposed as a fact-finding mission and an opportune chance to meet the STB team as well as the travel trade there.

As part of her mission in Brazil, the STB Chief Executive met with key partners on the market specially in São Paulo in order to understand the Brazilian market dynamics better and to find ways to grow the business further.

On the first day of her visit, Mrs. Francis conducted a training seminar for 13 tourism professionals at Teresa Perez, one of the most important luxury travel company in the region.  The meeting was an opportune time to also answer various questions on the destination.

A similar session was conducted at Copastur Prime; the presentation was held in front of a live audience and was recorded so as it could be broadcast to all their employees. Mrs. Francis provided answers to the questions from their team regarding Seychelles and she explained some best strategies for sales.

Seychelles represented by Mrs. Francis was also featured on a live broadcast talk show for the benefit of all the sales team from Primetour- a company focused on high-end clients-, Primetour’s travel professional and its accredited agents.

On the second day of her visit, the STB Chief Executive met with representatives from four airline companies-including Emirates, Ethiopian Airlines, South African Airways and Turkish Airlines- all connecting Seychelles to Brazil. During her meetings, Mrs. Francis invited the airline companies to participate in a campaign to increase sales to the archipelago and discuss other strategies to promote flights to the destination.

The pinnacle of this official mission was a special event organised by the STB team in Brazil for 11 journalists and digital influencers during which Mrs. Francis offered a cooking workshop to the media professionals.

The STB Chief Executive showed the media guests attending the event how to create a few authentic creole dishes, such as chicken curry, papaya and mango chutneys and lentils, as she engaged them in a Q&A  session during which she provided some interesting facts and information, about the Coco De Mer and the destination.

The media professional attending the session had an opportunity to experience a taste of the Seychelles Islands and shared photos and videos of their Creole lunch on social media to their huge network of fans and followers.

The event was also broadcasted live on Instagram. Global Vision Access, STBs representative on the Brazilian market, recorded several short videos, which will be used for future promotion on social media throughout the year and for training seminars.

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

29th International Book Fair opens in Abu Dhabi

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Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), is playing host to the 29th edition of Abu Dhabi International Book Fair that kicked off on Wednesday with more than 500,000 titles on display.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior of the UAE Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan inaugurated the event, according to the state-run WAM news agency.

He emphasized the importance of the fair in supporting the UAE’s status in the publishing industry, being one of the most important book fairs in the region that attracts Arab and international publishers.

Organised by the Department of Culture and Tourism of Abu Dhabi, the fair features more than 1,000 exhibitors from 50 countries.

Running until April 30, the fair also includes several daily events for visitors such as seminars, workshops, author signings and entertainment activities.

With India as the event’s guest of honour, at least 30 Indian publishing companies are taking part.

This year’s book fair also sees the introduction of three new interactive zones: the E-Zone, Comic Corner and the Entertainment Zone.

Each of the three zones features unique experiences for learning, innovation and entertainment.

Travel News | eTurboNews

Lufthansa makes dedicated staff look bad: The eTN Hero is Patricia Dzai of Swissport Johannesburg

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Lufthansa

“My personal hero today is Ms. Patricia Dzai. Patricia works for Swissport in Johannesburg, South Africa,” said eTN Publisher Juergen Steinmetz. Swissport is one of the largest aviation ground-handling agencies operating in countries around the world.

Major airlines hire Swissport to manage customer relations and logistics when it comes to baggage handling, including lost or misplaced items.

Lufthansa German Airlines’ ground handler in Johannesburg is Swissport. I recently traveled from Nice to Cape Town via Frankfurt and Johannesburg on Lufthansa German Airlines. I am a United Airlines Star Alliance Gold member and traveled on Lufthansa in Business class. Lufthansa is a member of Star Alliance.

When I arrived in Johannesburg, I heard my name called by Lufthansa’s lost baggage office handled by Swissport.

I was told my tube was still in Frankfurt, and they would put it on the next flight to Johannesburg. I explained it was of utmost importance to have the tube for an important trade show event, the World Travel Market in Cape Town, in the morning.

Patricia Dzai, the Swissport agent in Johannesburg, wanted to make sure this would be possible and sent an urgent message to Lufthansa in Frankfurt. The message said:

 

 

 

 

 

I was pleased to know my tube would go on LH 576 directly to Cape Town almost in time for the start of World Travel Market.

I went on to fly to Cape Town and received a text message in the evening saying my tube would be on the Lufthansa flight to Johannesburg, which was different from what Patricia had requested. Since it was late and the Swissport office in Johannesburg was closed, I was able to find a non-published phone number for Lufthansa baggage service in Frankfurt. Lufthansa, like most airlines, is hiding phone numbers to encourage passengers to communicate only by email.

I was told by Lufthansa Baggage Service in Frankfurt no such message to forward my tube to Cape Town was ever received by Swissport Johannesburg. The agent went on to say that passengers are often not told the truth by Swissport agents.

The Lufthansa agent in Frankfurt explained that his job was not to help me, since this was only handled in Johannesburg. I argued my tube is in Frankfurt and not Johannesburg, and the handling agent for Swissport in Johannesburg was closed.

The agent then said he was now doing a one-time exception for me and would reroute my tube on LH576 directly to Cape Town. He said there were 5 hours to get this done, still plenty of time according to him.

The next day I received another message telling me again the tube was on its way to Johannesburg instead of Cape Town.

I called Swissport in Johannesburg, and the news not could have been worse. They told me, apologizing, that my tube was still in Frankfurt for a second day, and they did not know why.

I again called the baggage-handling office in Frankfurt and was again told it’s all Swissport’s mistake for not telling them where to send it.

This time I was angry and called Swissport Johannesburg again. I asked Patricia why she was lying about this. I told her she never sent this request to Frankfurt, according to Lufthansa.

Ten minutes later, I received an email with a time-stamped screenshot from Patricia Dzai showing me exactly what was requested by her in the first place.

Patricia actually had gone out of her way originally to make sure I would be united with my tube on time and in Cape Town. I felt bad thinking she didn’t care and didn’t do anything, when in fact she did.

It shows that big companies like Lufthansa have a serious customer service issue. They hide behind a huge system and are trained to say it’s not their job and simply blame others for company shortcomings.

There was no way I could talk to anyone at Lufthansa about this, and my urgent email to them on the day I was trying to get the tube re-routed was just responded to 2 weeks after I was already back home in Hawaii. Lufthansa offered a 200 euro compensation.

No explanation was given and no apology for accusing Patricia Dzai and Swissport for not doing their job.

I finally received my tube on the last day after the trade show and took it back to the US unopened. When I changed planes in Frankfurt, I asked the agent working in the Senator Lounge to speak to a supervisor in baggage handling about this case and compensation. She told me I have to send an email, which I had already done days ago.

She gave me some chocolate and said they get customers’ complaints all the time and do their best to help and respond, but the back-up system by the airline is not there.

It’s all about a giant non-caring anonymous machine.

I extend my apologies to Patricia Dzai from Swissport, as I now understand she was also a victim of shortcomings created by Lufthansa German Airlines.

Patricia Dzai is the eTN Hero for today.

Travel News | eTurboNews