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Flynas announces delay in direct flights between KSA and Seychelles

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Announced for July 1, 2021, the commencement of Flynas’ flights linking the Seychelles islands to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been deferred to a later date.

Information communicated by the Flynas’ representatives to the Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority indicates that the deferment of their direct flight from Jeddah to Mahé relates to the capacity of the brand new A320 Neo aircraft assigned to the destination, affecting its payload and range. The airline has also confirmed that a project is currently underway for the aircraft to obtain ETOPS clearance following which the operation will be launched.

The Seychelles Minister of Foreign Affairs and Tourism, Mr. Sylvestre Radegonde, has affirmed the destination’s support for the new flights, which was due to operate three times a week, despite the delay in the start date.

“The delay in the launch of Flynas’ flights to Seychelles is only a minor setback, which we are confident they will resolve. Our plans for the market is in no way affected and we look forward to seeing them land in our islands soon.”

On her part, the incoming Principal Secretary of the Department of Tourism, Mrs. Sherin Francis, commented that despite being disappointed that Flynas will not be landing in Seychelles in July as initially planned, the destination is looking forward to welcoming its passengers the moment this becomes possible.

“It is regrettable that Flynas will not be coming to Seychelles as mentioned in July, but this will not stop us from continuing our work to keep Seychelles visible in the region. We anticipate that the situation will be resolved soon and that the destination will be able to welcome visitors from Saudi Arabia and the region soon,” said Mrs. Francis.

The destination has recorded approximately some 300 visitors from Saudi Arabia since January 2021 and a significant increase is forecasted from the region once Flynas begins flying to Seychelles. The Flynas A320 Neo aircraft has a capacity for 174 passengers.

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MEDIA CONTACT: Seychelles Dept. of Tourism, [email protected] 

Seychelles Department of Tourism announces key appointments

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The Seychelles Minister of Foreign Affairs and Tourism, Mr. Sylvestre Radegonde, has announced the new structure and key appointments for the Department of Tourism at a staff meeting, held virtually, on Friday, June 25, 2021, from Botanical House.

This follows the Assent by the President of the Republic on Friday, June 25, 2021 of the Repeal of the Seychelles Tourism Board Act of 2005, approved by the National Assembly on Tuesday, June 22, 2021.

The new Department which falls under the purview of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Tourism, merges the functions, staff, resources and assets of the former Department of Tourism which focused on regulatory and policy issues, and the destination’s independent marketing entity, the Seychelles Tourism Board (STB), to bring efficiency and synergy in operations to ensure better results with fewer resources.

The Minister assured the 121 staff of the Seychelles Tourism Board and the Department of Tourism who joined the meeting from Botanical House, Praslin, La Digue and overseas that none of them would be made redundant as result of the restructuring, and that moreover, STB staff moving to the Department will retain their length of service an accumulated leave and will, as much as possible, retain their remuneration packages.

Under the new structure, the Department will be headed by the newly-appointed Principal Secretary, Mrs. Sherin Francis. Mrs. Francis has served as the Chief Executive of the STB since 2013 and replaces former PS Ms. Anne Lafortune.

Commenting on her appointment, incoming PS Francis said: “The country is going through one of its most challenging times and it is important that we remain focused on the main priorities from the outset. The efficient use of our resources is very important in that process for us to achieve our objectives. I am definitely looking forward to the challenge and I count on the support of our staff and, not least, our various partners in the process.”

The Principal Secretary will be supported by four core units headed by seasoned tourism professionals with sound knowledge of the industry. This will include a Secretariat, responsible for PR and Communications, as well as the International Cooperation role of the Department.

Ms. Jenifer Sinon, the Deputy Chief Executive of STB since November 2016, and prior to that, Executive Director of the Seychelles Hospitality and Tourism Association, has been appointed as Director General, Human Resources and Administration Division.

Mrs. Bernadette Willemin, who has been serving as the Regional Director for STB based in Paris for the last 11 years, will head the Destination Marketing Division. Well-known and respected by travel and tourism industry professionals both locally and overseas, with a strong marketing, data-led and relationship-driven approach, Mrs. Willemin, who joined STB in 1994, will be responsible for driving the destination’s promotional and marketing efforts across all the main markets, ensuring that Seychelles remains visible and that demand for travel to the country remains high.

The Destination Planning and Development Division will be headed by industry professional Mr. Paul Lebon who has worked for many years in the private sector. As Director General, Mr. Lebon, who brings much needed product as well as market knowledge and relationships to the role, will oversee the planning and advancement of the destination, focusing on the product development diversification, policy and standards setting as well as the Industry Human Resources planning and development.

Both Mr. Lebon and Mrs. Willemin will assume their new roles on September 1, 2021.

L-R – Mrs. Sherin Francis, Ms. Jenifer Sinon, Mr. Paul Lebon, Mrs. Bernadette Willemin

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MEDIA CONTACT: STB News Bureau, Tel: +248 4 671 354 / +248 4 671 313, [email protected] 

Sustainable gastronomy in the Seychelles Islands

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Present in the typical Seychellois kitchen, sustainable gastronomy plays a significant role in the creole community not only in Seychelles but also amongst the island nation’s denizens around the world.

Influenced by its diverse heritage, creole cuisine is bursting with a myriad of flavors and the Seychellois are very conscious of where the ingredients are from, how the food is grown and how it gets to markets and eventually onto their tables. Sustainable gastronomy essentially allows us to choose food that is both healthy to the environment and our bodies and the good news is that wherever you are in the world, you too may benefit from it.

Here are a few sustainable practices you can adopt from creole cuisine:

Keep it seasonal – Seychellois households remain conscious of purchasing foods that are in season which leads to sustainable eating; this involves consuming certain food whilst they are abundant, benefiting the environment’s natural production as well as your wallet.

Be flexible – Be ready to adjust your menu depending on what is available. Creole dishes have various alternatives to account for the availability of ingredients; this prevents the disturbance of natural production.

Local is best – Obtain fresh ingredients from your local farms and producers and get to know more about what you put in your body. In the tiny Seychelles community, the islanders build relationships with their local supplier, which allows them to ask questions about the products and even get tips on how to make the most out of them.

Choose sustainable seafood – By getting closer to your supplier you have a better idea of whether or not they have used sustainable methods of fishing. Being a small island nation, most fishermen in the Seychelles Islands use sustainable fishing methods and stay away from mass fishing and most locals have their regular suppliers making it easier to make sustainable choices.

Be aware of your fish and seafood choices – Although a healthier option, some species of fish are over-fished and are reducing in numbers. Before purchasing seafood, educate yourself on their production and their demand on the market. Some species such as lobsters are subject to closed seasons to enable stocks to regenerate. The Seychelles Fishing Authority keeps the public aware of these details, ensuring that the Seychellois do not cause damage to the fragile marine ecosystem.

Buy only what you need – Whenever possible, make frequent trips to the market, accommodate your daily or weekly needs instead of over-purchasing and having to throw away food. With local markets and fresh ingredients available all over the islands, it has become common practice in the Seychellois community to pop by the closest market whenever necessary, making it easy to reduce waste.  It is easy to know when fishermen land their catch and fresh fish reaches the market, the sound of the ‘lansiv’ will echo across the district.

Reduce food waste – Despite being natural, food takes a while to decompose, often piling up in landfills, therefore it is essential to reduce waste. Planning meals, reducing oversupply and making full use of scraps can prevent unnecessary food waste and even reduce extra spending.

Make full use of your ingredients – Part of reducing food waste is using as much of your product as possible. Traditionally, Seychellois did not have the luxury of throwing away food; therefore, they made full use of what they could get their hands on, adding spices to create flavoursome dishes.

Into the compost – Anything else that cannot be used can always be considered for compost. In most Seychellois households, you can find a compost bag, which can be used in the garden, filled with food waste from fruit, vegetable, dairy products, rice, beans, eggshells, wheat-based products, plant and flower materials, tea and coffee products. Ask your accommodation manager where their compost heap is and how to dispose of scraps.

Home-grown goodness – You can have fresh ingredients at home, just pop by your local market to buy the necessary supplies and you can have your own little garden where you can control what is added to your fruits and vegetables. Every Seychellois household has at least one tiny garden or even small pots lined up against the window with produce and aromatic herbs within one’s reach, a practice that has not faded to this day.

Ditch plastic and recycle – Avoid using plastic whenever possible and recycle. Gardens all around the islands are filled with recycled materials such as plastic and cans, which now serve as pots for growing local herbs, fruits and vegetables. 

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MEDIA CONTACT: STB News Bureau, Tel: +248 4 671 354 / +248 4 671 313, [email protected] 

Seychelles leaving an ecological print this Environment Day with Global Impact Network

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The Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) launched its partnership with the Global Impact Network today, Friday, June 4, 2021, coinciding with the destination’s activities for the World Environment Day, celebrated on June 5.

The partnership allows Seychelles to become, officially, the first destination to create its online community page on the Global Impact Network platform.

Global Impact Network is an app that allows individuals and organizations to take action anywhere and for any ecologically-oriented cause. Seychelles, the Indian Ocean sustainable champion, joins the platform to entice its visitors to have a profound experience while on holiday in the destination and to be personally transformed by the end of their trip.

The digital platform will allow users to track, measure and showcase sustainable actions through fun and achievable challenges about real-world issues.

The event was kicked off by a tree-planting ceremony at the Maison Quéau de Quinssy gardens by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism, Mr. Sylvestre Radegonde, in the presence of Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Vivianne Fock Tave and Principal Secretary for Tourism Mrs. Anne Lafortune.

The tree planting ceremony was followed by presentations made by the STB Chief Executive Mrs. Sherin Francis and the CEO of Global Impact Network, Ms. Tatianna Sharpe.

In her presentation, Mrs. Francis stressed the destination’s objective to encourage responsible tourism and inspire visitors to take sustainable actions, share their stories and track global progress towards achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set in 2015.

Keeping its ecological focus, the Seychelles community has adopted 4 badges – these include the advocate badge, beach clean-up badge, tree planter badge – only available in Seychelles – and finally the local produce badge.

Speaking at the launch, Mrs. Francis reiterated that the mission of the STB remains to keep the destination visible, highlighting that this platform aligns well with the efforts of the country towards sustainable tourism.

“As a proud environmentally-conscious destination, this initiative is an opportunity for us to encourage our visitors to engage in activities which promote sustainable development. We want them to make an impact and we aim to make our visitors become Seychelles ambassadors when they return to their home, telling the world how our small nation is helping the fight against the global environmental crisis the world is facing, each one of us individually, one at a time,” said Mrs. Francis.

On her part, Tatiana Sharpe, CEO of Global Impact stated that growing up in Zimbabwe, gave her exposure to poverty and social injustice at a young age, which fueled her desire to make a positive impact in her community and in the world.

“Global Impact is the world’s first social impact network tracks, measures and showcases positive impact for sustainable development. A tool that empowers, citizens, organizations and governments to change the world. Before I went to study at Stanford University, I was here in Seychelles when I came up with the idea for global impact. It is beautiful to see the full circle- come back and launch- here in Seychelles. I think Seychelles is taking a step in the right direction,” said Ms. Sharpe.

In recognition of its efforts, Seychelles received the honor of being crowned Indian Ocean’s Leading Sustainable Tourism Destination for two consecutive years in 2019 and 2020.

Renowned for its pristine beauty, the Seychelles, one of the Small Islands Developing States, has made it its mission to preserve its exotic paradise and rich natural heritage through sustainable practices and measures.

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MEDIA CONTACT: STB News Bureau, Tel: +248 4 671 354 / +248 4 671 313, [email protected] 

Tried and tested: Romanian travel influencer experiences Seychelles during the pandemic

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Travel influencer and Tourism Marketer Razvan Pascu just can’t stay away from the Seychelles. He tells us how his holiday to the paradise islands in the Indian Ocean went this past May.

Travelling to Seychelles for the third time, Razvan Pascu is truly a lover and ambassador of the Indian Ocean islands. He discovered the destination on his honeymoon almost seven years ago but felt compelled to return to the pristine paradise in February 2020, right before the pandemic. Again this year her returned to experience it some more!

Before…

Razvan recalls his honeymoon some seven years ago in Seychelles, reminiscing about the beautiful memories shared with his beautiful bride Andra and how the island paradise was the perfect choice for an incredible, meaningful experience. They stepped on a new path in their journey together by discovering every hiking trail, basking in the sun on the best beaches and exploring the beautiful historical sites around the islands. They did what young couples do; open their hearts to new adventures and fell in love forever with the islands of Praslin and La Digue.

In February 2020, the Pascus returned to the Seychelles, this time they were four – with their kids who were six and three in tow. This was an opportunity to see the destination through a new perspective, Razvan recalls. As a young couple, they feel that Seychelles can be the ultimate romantic rendezvous which does not lose any of its charms when enjoying it as a family destination.

The Pascus say their children were mesmerized by the destination and what it offers, and their family created a lifetime of memories to cherish forever.

“The tortoises, the beaches, the food, the greenery everywhere, the peace and chilled atmosphere together with the lovely sunsets made our family holiday perfect. It was just before the COVID-19 situation escalated worldwide and for many months, while experiencing lockdowns and dreadful news from all over the world, we fed our souls with memories and pictures of Seychelles,” says Razvan.

Seychelles is “the” place to be

Having experienced the destination before the pandemic, Razvan knew that with its isolated features, Seychelles would make the perfect escape for people in search of a much-needed getaway during those dreadful times.

Two charters and 300 Romanians later, Razvan fulfilled his dream of sharing the Indian Ocean Paradise with his compatriots. He was instrumental in initiating the recent charters to Seychelles and, unable to stay away from his dream destination, was also on the first flight arriving from Bucharest with his family for his third holiday on these unforgettable islands.

“One thing that came out of this pandemic is that dream destinations like Seychelles are closer to people’s hearts and minds,” says the travel expert.

…and After

Razvan mentions that during the past months, he has travelled to Mexico, the Maldives and Jordan. He got his vaccine and faithfully respected the rules and health protocols that each country applies for tourists.

Reviewing the measures in Seychelles, he says that the rules remain within the limits enforced in other countries and that these did not spoil the fun for him or his family while vacationing on the islands.

Reinforced sanitary measures

It is reassuring to see the protocols in place for the safety of guests in the different places of attractions, Razvan admits. Easy access to disinfectants everywhere and temperature checks upon entry at any building give visitors a sense of comfort and peace of mind, especially when one is accompanied by children.

Mandatory wearing of masks

The wearing of masks at all times in public areas unless one is drinking or eating is highly understandable since it involves everyone’s safety, says Razvan.

Social distancing

As for the rest of their holiday, Razvan and his family remained in their small group, enjoying their activities in the amazing Seychelles’ nature or trying out new experiences with tourism-certified providers. After all, Seychelles is known for its picture-perfect locations and pristine natural beauty and it is home to some of the most world-renowned flora and fauna. Better not miss a thing!

“Of course, measures to keep everyone, ourselves as well as our hosts, safe are necessary and discipline is needed from everyone. As a constant traveler, I know measures are in place in each country as a means to remain open for tourism. If we do not implement them, we will be the ones to lose. Just look at how long we had to stay at home unable to travel or see people,” he says.

Keen nature lovers, the family says that Seychelles will always remain on their bucket list as the destination has some kind of therapeutic effect on their minds, especially after this past year where people have been forced to stay in prolonged lockdowns.

Razvan says that he could come back repeatedly and still find new places to fall in love with, new spots to explore, and new things to do…. Just like paradise.

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MEDIA CONTACT: STB News Bureau, Tel: +248 4 671 354 / +248 4 671 313, [email protected]