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Seychelles More Reachable with Direct European Flights

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The Seychelles Islands is now more accessible to European visitors since Sunday, September 27, 2020, with the return of direct flights from Europe to Seychelles.

The Swiss airline, Edelweiss Air, the first European direct commercial flight to land at the Seychelles International airport of Pointe Larue since the destination has reopened for tourism in August 2020. 

Edelweiss Air, only European airline serving the destination currently departing from Zurich and scheduled for a weekly Sunday flight, has so far disembarked some 367 visitors in the last 2 weeks. 

In the spirit of keeping the destination closer to its European market, Seychelles has made since October 1, 2020, special provision to remain accessible for visitors from seven markets, amongst which six are its European markets. 

Which means that should the COVID 19 pandemic deteriorate in those markets, instead of not being permitted to travel to Seychelles, these countries will move to a category 2 of being permitted and additional measures will be applied.

The additional measure includes a 48-hour or less negative PCR COVID-19 test and staying at a hotel permitted for category two countries for the first five days of the stay, whereby movement will be restricted to the hotel property during that period.

For countries part of the seven markets, which still appear on the category 1 permitted list, the standard travel procedures in the new normal will apply.

The Seychelles Tourism Board Chief Executive, Mrs. Sherin Francis emphasized how the destination is striving to remain safe and accessible for visitors.

“This quarter has started fairly well for the destination. Although with a bit of restriction, Seychelles will be able to receive visitors from its prime market as of October 1, 2020, and the weekly flight from Zurich is one great advantage for European visitors planning to visit our islands as well. Not mentioning that two of our prime market countries namely Germany and UK, has exempted Seychelles from their non-essential travel lists,” said Mrs. Francis. 

The STB Chief Executive further mentioned the STB digital campaign ‘Experience Seychelles; our home, your sanctuary’, which aims to encourage people to travel to the destination combined with the publicity efforts made by the various offices across the world to remain visible to our audience.

Since its reopening to commercial flights in August 2020, Seychelles has been welcoming regular flights from three airlines including Emirates Airlines, Etihad Airways and Ethiopian Airlines. 

The local authorities and the local tourism business owners are operating with extreme caution to ensure that the destination remains a safe place for visitors.

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

Seychelles Travisory Technology Aids in Traveler Documentation

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The Republic of Seychelles is today going live with Travizory technology to facilitate the collection and analysis of traveler documentation to ensure reopening of the borders in the safest manner. This is a mere three weeks after the agreement was signed, following Cabinet of Ministers approval for the installation and deployment of the technology.

The new technology allows Seychelles health authorities to collect identity and health information directly from the traveler via easy to use web and mobile apps. The information is fed securely into a single system, providing advance information about all travelers wishing to travel to the Seychelles. The system gives authorities the capability to run rapid and efficient vetting procedures to minimize COVID-19 risks and other security risks.

Alan Renaud, Principal Secretary for Civil Aviation, Ports & Marine, said: “Streamlining the process this way makes it faster and more accurate for our authorities, and reduces paperwork. We wanted to move to a digital and paperless gathering of information, following the recommendations of ICAO, IATA, and the WTTC for touchless and paperless travel. The new system removes the guesswork for airlines at check-in and boarding. And, perhaps most importantly, it makes the passenger journey smoother and provides more peace of mind to travelers that they will not be stopped on their way.”

Dr. Jude Gedeon, Seychelles’ Public Health Commissioner, said: “Keeping our citizens safe from the pandemic is our number one responsibility. However, we need to enable international travel to let in key workers and specialists and to allow tourism to restart and for our citizens to work again. With our current email and multiple forms, doctors and airport staff were struggling to keep pace with the number of arrivals. We have now given them a tool to focus their attention where it is most needed. After the technology beds-in, we will roll out connected technologies at approved accommodations, to further enhance the passenger experience within our islands, by avoiding unnecessary forms to be filled by travelers at various touchpoints, while simultaneously boosting our contact-tracing capabilities, which benefits our visitors and our citizenry alike.”

The new Visitor Management Platform replaces the current email and form-based system, which was cumbersome for travelers and airlines, as well as labor intensive for travelers and authorities alike. Travizory’s technology allows the straightforward management of all travelers, from pre-arrival to the point of exit, enabling the authorities to keep their borders open while minimizing the risk of COVID-19 transmission.

Airlines are also embracing the new system as they will know for sure that travelers have been authorized to travel. Airlines can now verify the validity of the traveler authorization prior to boarding. In addition, airlines will submit Advance Passenger Information (API data) by electronic means to the Republic of Seychelles. Alan Renaud said, “By having all the passenger information submitted ahead of time, including passengers’ own health certification, we eliminate inefficiencies.  Security clearance is streamlined, simplifying the process of entry. The end result is better performance and reduced risk, all of which comes together to improve the passenger experience, not only at airports, but in our archipelago as well.”

Travelers benefit from the new solution by providing a smoother journey and removing uncertainty. With the new technology, travelers can apply from their mobile phone via Android or iOS apps or on the web in about 5 minutes. Travelers will receive a clear response on their eligibility to travel in the form of a secure barcode, also available as a wallet pass, which they can present at check-in and boarding, offering peace of mind about both their security and health.

Renaud Irminger, CEO of Travizory said: “The Travizory technology goes beyond just providing the Seychelles with a platform to efficiently perform health screening and help with border control. It is about providing the traveler with a positive experience. By making the whole process as painless as possible, giving people the assurance that they will be allowed to travel to the country and that the flight they are on is safe, the experience of visiting the Seychelles will now be even better.”

Irminger continued: “Our platform is future proof and is ready to ingest COVID-19 vaccination certificates. Moreover, as COVID-19 is replaced by the next threat, the technology can very easily be adapted to keep the Seychelles, its inhabitants and its visitors as safe as possible, from all threats regardless of where they come from.”

Didier Dogley, Minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports & Marine, and Chair of the Re-opening of Seychelles Taskforce, concluded: “The Travizory technology enables health and tourism authorities to ensure that travelers are only staying at licensed establishments and liveaboards that have been certified. The new technology will allow us to balance the need for tourism to grow and sustain our economy without compromising the health of our citizens. It will have a very positive impact on tourism and the wider economy in the Seychelles, as well as clearly demonstrating Seychelles ability to deploy digital solutions.”

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

Seychelles Celebrates 250 Years of Seychellois Creole Culture

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For most of the world’s history, the Seychelles Islands remained untouched, shrouded in mystery and intrigue until it was stumbled upon by explorers. The story of this blossoming nation began a mere 250 years ago with the French establishing the first settlement on the tiny island of Ste. Anne.

Scattered in the middle of the Indian Ocean, the archipelago made its first appearance in 1503 when Portuguese explorer, Vasco da Gama, spotted the peaks of some islands on his journey from India. Soon after, the islands often sheltered lost ships and soon became a popular pirate hideaway.

However, it was not until August 27, 1770, when the first 28 settlers arrived upon “Telemaque” ship on Ste Anne Island that the country came into existence. 15 white colonists, 7 slaves, 5 Indians and 1 black woman were the first known inhabitants of Seychelles. Although the settlement bore little fruit, it paved way for the successful settlements that followed, all of which contributed to what is known today the Seychellois Creole culture and population.

August 27, 2020, as Seychelles commemorates its 250 anniversary, the history of the first settlers which resonates in the faces of its people, in the rhythm of its dances, the beat of its music and even in the flavours of its cuisine.

Our creole culture is the result of collective contribution from the original settlers with their vast ethnic backgrounds from the European settlers to the African slaves.  Although the blend of races came to create what is now known as the Seychellois Creole culture, certain aspects of our European and African heritage are unmistakably visible, each in their unique way.

Our mother tongue, Creole, stems from a mixture of the European languages, namely French and English, and African dialect. The fierce movement of our moutya dance tells the tale of our African ancestors dancing around the campfire to the beating of drums after a day’s labor to escape their worries. Large colonial style houses with wide verandas echo European architecture, whilst our delectable cuisine bursts with the flavors bestowed upon us by our African ancestors.

Although Seychelles is a relatively young nation, as with every other country, it still faces the danger of its heritage being lost in the rise of Westernization. Therefore, it is our mission to keep the legacy of our ancestors alive through practices that are passed down from one generation to the next.

In celebrating 250 years of Seychelles, we vow to embrace our heritage and preserve our culture. We must honor the roots, which have allowed the branches of the future to thrive.

Even though an important milestone for Seychelles as a country, the commemorations will take place in a somber mood with various small activities organised for the occasion; starting with a symbolic commemoration to mark the day will take place on Ste. Anne Island followed by an official commemoration at one of Seychelles Heritage village, the Domaine Val De pres.

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

Seychelles Takes Fresh Start in Tourism

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Seychelles tourism takes a step forward inviting guests for a safe travel experience as travel slowly takes a fresh start in many countries around the world.

After several months of absence at the Seychelles International airport of Pointe Larue, Emirates Airlines is the first commercial airline to land at the paradise holiday destination on Saturday, August 1, 2020.

Etihad Airways and Ethiopian Airlines are listed as the two other airlines to have confirmed the start of their operations to Seychelles in the coming week.

The Emirates flight, carrying on its board 167 passengers received a warm welcome with a symbolic water cannon salute upon its arrival.

Present at the airport to ensure the smooth running of the operations for the occasion was the Minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine, Mr Didier Dogley; the Principal Secretary for Tourism, Mrs Anne Lafortune; CEO of the Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority, Mr Garry Albert, Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) Chief Executive Officer, Mrs Sherin Francis.

Minister Dogley mentioned that the day crowns long weeks of intensive planning by the Ministry for Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine, its affiliated agencies, other government departments and tourism stakeholders in the private sector for effective safe practices.

The standard procedures endorsed by the local Public Health Authority and adopted by the local tourism industry are setting the seal on the destination’s preparedness to welcome visitors.

“It is a great moment for us today given there has been a lot of work done in preparation for the first commercial flight landing again on our shore after months of absence. The smooth but slightly altered operations today at the airport represents what we have been advocating, that is safe tourism for Seychelles, which also means that all of us will have to be even more vigilant in our work. Our approach has been one of prudence through the selection of visitors from lower-risk countries with additional safeguards in place to ensure we rebuild better and stronger,” said Minister Dogley.

On her part the Principal Secretary for Tourism, Mrs Anne Lafortune said,” This is the necessary first step for Seychelles towards recovery. We are happy to see that tourists have responded positively and are as enthusiastic as we are to restart tourism.”

Reiterating the destination’s commitment to safe tourism, Mrs Sherin Francis mentioned that Seychelles has been very proactive on various international forums in advocating the concept.

“As a tourism board, we have been promoting safe tourism and have been advocating for standardized practices throughout the travel industry. With the restart of international tourism, new travel trends and terminologies are emerging such as revenge travel. Given it is summer in most of our prominent markets we hope to see people eager to experience the world again,” said the STB Chief Executive.

Tourists coming from the list of ‘permitted’ countries will be allowed to enter Seychelles for a holiday to enjoy activities such as sightseeing and tours, island hopping and excursions. Seychelles is one amongst the first destinations to open for tourism in the Indian Ocean with a promise of safe tourism within a flexible environment.

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

Guidelines Issued for Easing of Seychelles Travel Restrictions

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Seychelles has announced a gradual and cautious easing of travel restrictions, which will see the recommencement of travel to the Indian Ocean islands as from June 1, 2020. A series of Seychelles travel restrictions guidelines are in force during the month of June and will be reviewed periodically.

The Seychelles health authorities has announced that during the phase one of the re-opening of the Seychelles borders, only travelers from “low-risk” countries arriving through private jets and chartered passenger direct flights will be granted entry.

Travelers with interest to travel will need to apply through a designated application form which will be processed as per Public Health orders. Once approval is given, travelers can proceed with other arrangements, which will include taking a COVID-19 PCR test before boarding the flight.

A series of strict entry screening procedures are also in place for when the passenger disembarks in Seychelles. The Public Health Authority of Seychelles reserves the right to request that the passenger is turned back on the same flight or undergoes further rapid testing.

A US$50 health fee is applicable to cover the necessary screening for each passenger upon arrival.

As of June 1, 2020

  • Application for international flights carrying passengers to be made to Public Health Commissioner (PHC). A standard form (APPLICATION FOR ENTRY INTO SEYCHELLES BY AIR AND SEA) is available on DoH website is to be completed and submitted.
  • Applications will be processed on a case by case basis as per Public Health Order.

Types of flights to be allowed:

  • Private jets with passengers destined to authorized resort, yacht or residential facilities.
  • Chartered passenger flights with passengers from low risk countries published by the Department of Health.

Criteria for allowing entry into Seychelles

  • For the month of June, private flights carrying passengers who have been given approval will be permitted.
  • Chartered flights carrying passengers from approved countries may be permitted.
  • All passengers must have proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test that is 48 hours or less prior to boarding the flight to Seychelles.
  • Aircraft/Airline are not to board any passengers or crew who are symptomatic of COVID-19.
  • Any passenger who arrives in Seychelles without this proof will be turned back on the same aircraft.
  • Exit screening must have been completed by all incoming passengers and crew.
  • Entry screening will be done upon arrival starting with completion of the health check form, symptomatic check, temperature scanning. The passenger may be required to undergo a rapid antigen test.
  • All passengers must provide proof of accommodation in an approved establishment for the entire period of stay and must show booking vouchers at Immigration on entry.
  • During the month of June, they are not to change accommodation during their stay and must not interact with the community apart from those at their place of residence.
  • In order to minimize interaction between groups of clients arriving on different dates client groups should be segregated within the establishment.
  • For 14 days after arrival the client will be monitored daily by the designated Health and Safety officers or focal person.
  • All clients must ensure strict hygiene measures and physical distancing are enforced.
  • Any illness must be reported immediately to the nearest Health Facility who will provide appropriate guidance.
  • All cost of screening and test will be borne by the passenger.

It is very important that clients are properly informed of the measures in place.

A total 19 countries have been identified by the Public Health Authority as low risk (where the epidemic appears to be under control) and they will be able to travel to the archipelago as from June 1 during this easing of Seychelles travel restrictions.

  1. Australia
  2. Austria
  3. Botswana
  4. China
  5. Croatia
  6. Greece
  7. Hungary
  8. Israel
  9. Japan
  10. Luxembourg
  11. Mauritius
  12. Monaco
  13. Namibia
  14. New Zealand
  15. Norway
  16. Slovakia
  17. Slovenia
  18. Switzerland
  19. Thailand

The Public Health Authority in the Seychelles will continue to monitor the situation in the following countries and entry could be considered with effect from mid-July 2020.

  1. Albania
  2. Bosnia and Herzegovina
  3. Bulgaria
  4. Cyprus
  5. Denmark
  6. Estonia
  7. Finland
  8. France
  9. Germany
  10. Ireland
  11. Italy
  12. Latvia
  13. Lithuania
  14. Malta
  15. Netherlands
  16. Serbia
  17. South Korea

For more information about the series of guidelines, please visit the Seychelles Department of Tourism website: http://tourism.gov.sc/covid-19-guidelines/

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

The Seychelles Tourism Board Welcomes a New Representative for the German Market

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The Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) would like to announce the appointment of Zerbian Business Development, representing Seychelles on the German and Austrian markets effective as of Monday June 1, 2020.

The company is directed by Mr. Christian Zerbian, a German national residing in Frankfurt with over 10 years’ experience in tourism and destination marketing.

The new German representative, with its office based at Roehrborngasse1, in Frankfurt, will be working closely with the STB Team at Headquarters and the Regional Director based in Paris executing marketing activities for and on behalf of STB on the two German-speaking territories.

“With Germany being our lead market, it was important that the work is continued with minimal impact and delay. On behalf of STB boards of directors and the staff and management, I would like to welcome them onboard. We look forward to their contribution and their active involvement with our partners locally and abroad.”

Zerbian Business Development will be representing the Seychelles as a destination for a period of one year.

Contact details: Christian Zerbian, Phone: +49 176 62192955, christian.zerbian@seychelles.com

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

What to Expect When You Book a Holiday to Seychelles Under the New Normal!

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The long-awaited date of the re-opening of the airport has arrived in Seychelles and many are those already planning to hit the beautiful sandy beaches and the lush vegetation to escape from the confinement of Covid-19. 

Entry into the beautiful destination as of June 1, 2020 will be gradual and subjected to strict conditions imposed by the Public Health Authority.

In order to limit risks for the Seychelles inhabitants, the Seychelles health authority has announced that during the first phase of the reopening of its airport, the destination will only consider visitors from low risks countries travelling through private jets and chartered passenger direct flights.

Visitors are advised that applications will be processed on a case-by-case basis as per Public Health orders.

Information for holidaymakers planning to visit Seychelles is available on the Seychelles Department of Tourism website through the ‘Seychelles Safety Travel Guidelines’ issued on May 29, 2020 and reinforce recommendations made by Public Health Authority.

All visitors are required to send their COVID-19 PCR test result to Seychelles Department of Health prior to boarding the plane. They should also have the result to present, upon disembarking on the Seychelles shores, certification by their local health authorities confirming they have taken a COVID-19 PCR test 48 hours or less prior to boarding the flight to Seychelles and that the same is negative. Visitors failing to present the required proof will be turned back on the same aircraft.

Visitors are advised that they will be subjected to strict entry screening procedures including completion of the health check form, symptomatic check, temperature scanning. The Public Health Authority also reserves the right to request that visitors undergo a rapid antigen test.

Industry partners including Destination Management Companies, airlines and other partners selling the destination are strongly advised to inform their clients that they must provide proof of accommodation in an approved establishment for the entire period of stay and must show booking vouchers at Immigration desk upon entry.

For ease of control and contact tracing, visitors are encouraged to refrain from changing accommodation during their stay in Seychelles and must not interact with the community apart from those at their place of residence.

The series of guidelines under the ‘Seychelles Safety Travel Guidelines’ also contains crucial recommendations for tourism-related business providers in regards to new required measures to be put in place before they are allowed to operate.

All establishments will be visited by the Department of Tourism and the Public Health Authority and must be certified fit to operate prior to re-opening.

As part of the strict measures taken by the authorities to limit a second wave from hitting the destination; a designated Health and Safety officers or focal person will monitor visitors and staff of tourism establishment daily.

Tourism Trade partners are also encouraged to ensure strict hygiene measures and physical distancing are enforced at all times.

Clients owning or intending to rent a yacht, superyacht and leisure fishing vessels in Seychelles may enter Seychelles waters and must clear immigration at port Victoria and receive clearance for any subsequent visit or disembarkation at any site or island from relevant authorities.

The Public Health Authority has advised that the disembarking procedures imposed will reflect the strict measures taken at the airport and considering the risks, permission for any crew or passengers to get off will not be given until the vessel has spent at least 14 days at sea during which time daily temperature check should be submitted to the Port Health office. A COVID-19 test may be requested at the end of the 14 days.

All passengers and crew must have been screened for COVID-19 and have a recent negative PCR test prior to entering Seychelles waters.

Industry partners operating yachting services have been advised that there should be a lapse of at least 48 hours before boarding of new clients to allow thorough cleaning as per guidelines and inspection by authorities.

These guidelines start taking effect as of the beginning of June and will be reviewed periodically by the concerned authorities and updated consequently.

Owners of Private planes, Airlines Company, yacht and other leisure fishing vessels are reminded that they need to clearance from the respective authorities before entering the destination’s waters and its airspace.

For more information:

Seychelles Public Health Authority http://www.health.gov.sc/

Seychelles Department of Tourism http://tourism.gov.sc/downloads/

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

Paradise Seychelles Announced it is COVID-19 Free

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After 9 weeks of battling tirelessly the deadly COVID-19 worldwide pandemic, Seychelles – the small island holiday destination in the Indian Ocean with a population of less than a hundred thousand inhabitants – is now COVID-19 Free.

The country, which reported a number of 11 cases in total, has announced the last infected patient tested negative for a continuous number of days and is now considered to be healed from the COVID-19 virus. 

The COVID-19 pandemic was confirmed to have reached Seychelles in March 2020 as the announcement of the first two cases of COVID-19 was made on March 14, 2020.

The number of cases on the island increased slowly during the next three weeks and reached its peak on April 6, 2020 when the 11th case was confirmed including the only two local transmitted cases following which there has been no other positive cases reported on the islands.

Behind the successful handling of the delicate situation, resulting from this pandemic is the local authority known as the Public Health Authority under the supervision of its Seychelles’ Public Health Commissioner, Dr. Jude Gedeon. 

The public health team reacted promptly and effectively to establish emergency protocols with the directions of the WHO, to respond to the COVID-19 crisis to treat the active cases and curb the spreading of the COVID-19 virus within its population. Provision for quarantine facilities and an immediate rapid response team was created from the time WHO had declared COVID-19 a pandemic in mid-January.

Following the detection of the last person subjected to the infection and acting in a precautionary manner to restrain the inflation of infection numbers in the Seychelles, a travel ban order imposed by the authorities came into effect at midnight on Wednesday April 8 in Seychelles, restricting movement for citizens except essential service workers. This measure was maintained for 21 days.

On April 28, 2020, Seychelles’ President Danny Faure announced a lifting of restrictions on the movement of people on May 4, while travel restrictions will end on 1 June when the Seychelles International airport will reopen on June 1, 2020.

For the moment, Seychelles is free from the COVID-19 pandemic and the Seychellois authorities remains on high alert for any eventualities. The Public Health Authority alongside other organisations are working hard to keep citizens, expatriates and visitors safe from the pandemic.

As announced by the President on April 28, 2020, visitors and returning residents arriving in Seychelles will be subjected to strict measures imposed by the Public Health Authority, including a 14-day compulsory quarantine. 

Speaking about the destination being free from COVID-19, the Minister for Tourism Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine, Minister Didier Dogley stated that the exceptional work done by the health authorities has been tremendous and it has enabled the Tourism stakeholders to get back to the drawing board to plan for the arrival of our first visitors. 

“As the situation around the world remains precarious, it is a blessing for our small nation to have been able to curb the spread of the COVID-19 on our shores. As a destination, this is a very big advantage for Seychelles; there is a lot of preparatory work here on the ground with our partners to make sure that Seychelles sends a strong message of being a safe destination.  When the world opens up and people start travelling, safety in regards to COVID 19 is going to be a major factor for visitors planning to go on holiday,” said Minister Dogley.

He further mentioned that with the opening of the airport on June 1, 2020, Seychelles will be in a very strong position to market itself as a safe destination; something that most tourists will be yearning for after being confined to their homes for months.

Composed of 115 islands, the Seychelles Archipelago land of lush vegetation and natural pristine beauty lies scattered across their secret corner of the western Indian Ocean off the east coast of Africa, some thousand miles away.

All cases have been reported and treated on Mahé. No cases have been reported on the inner island of Praslin, La Digue, Silhouette Island and the Outer Islands.

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

The first edition of the Seychelles Nature Trail postponed

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Announced in October 2019 by the Seychelles Tourism Board (STB), the first Seychelles Nature Trail (SNT) was scheduled for May 3, 2020 on Mahé.

The decision to postpone the 25km run event around the main island of Mahé has been taken in early February 2020, following the announcement made by the Government of Seychelles to limit all public activities in view of the fast spread of the Coronavirus- COVID 19. 

Speaking of the postponement of the event, STB representative in Reunion, Ms. Bernadette Honoré stated that the Seychelles Nature Trail is a collateral victim of the coronavirus situation around the world.

As the worldwide situation has evolved in the past weeks forcing airlines to stop operations and airports to close down, it was clear that the much anticipated first edition of the Seychelles Nature Trail event will have to be pushed for 2021, a situation regretted by the organising committee and sponsors.

“We are saddened to announce that the Seychelles Nature Trail cannot take place and must be cancelled on the date initially fixed. As an organisation, it is important for us to follow the government’s recommendation of prioritising public health and prevention measures within our Archipelago. We are confident that when the situation is contained worldwide we can determine a new date for the Seychelles Nature Trail,” said Chris Hamer, Run Director of the SNT. 

The STB team conveyed its utmost gratitude to all the registered runners for the enthusiasm shown towards the event.

“Thank you for having given us all your confidence in the organization of this major Seychellois event and for having responded to the call for the discovery of this innovative activity for Seychelles,” stated Bernadette Honoré.

The Seychelles Nature Trail is organised by the STB in close collaboration with the Nature Tail committee in Reunion, the National Sports Council (NSC) and the support of the other local partners Seychelles National Parks Authority (SNPA), Absa, Cable & Wireless, SeyPearl and SkyChef.

The event, which is targeted for sports enthusiasts, aims at propelling the Seychelles’ engagement towards green tourism and enticing visitors to explore the destination’s lush biodiversity.

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

Seychelles Key Sectors meet in view of preparations for Expo 2020 Dubai

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Key partners representing various sector of the Seychelles economy met at the Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) Headquarters, Botanical House at Mont Fleuri, for a video conference call with the Expo 2020 team in Dubai.

The meeting saw the presence of Ambassador Jean-Claude Adrienne, head of the Seychelles’ mission in the United Arab Emirates, who is also the Commissioner General for the Seychelles at Expo 2020, who was accompanied by members of the Expo team.

The participants attending the meeting on Seychelles’ side were the STB Chief Executive, Mrs. Sherin Francis; Creative Industries and National Events Agency (CINEA) CEO, Mr. Galen Bresson; Enterprise Seychelles Agency (ESA) CEO, Ms. Angelic Appoo and Mrs. Sybille Cardon Chairperson of the Seychelles Hospitality and Tourism Association (SHTA).

Various representatives including members of the STB team, Air Seychelles, the Seychelles Investment Board (SIB), the Seychelles International Financial Services Association (SIFSA), the Department for Tourism, the Department for Blue Economy and the Seychelles Chef Association were also present.

The meeting consisted of a presentation to the participants about the Expo 2020 concept, explaining the site including the facilities available for the visitors and the expectations of the visitor’s experience throughout the 6-months of the Expo.

Each representative present also had a clearer insight about the various opportunities to be made available to Seychelles as a country aside from the widespread opportunity for visibility as a country.

Discussions were also held on the various collaborations between the different organizations within the country.

The spearheading team for the Seychelles participation at Expo 2020 has mentioned that further discussions will be conducted with other organizations, including ministries and department’s agencies and private sectors, in the coming months.

Taking place from 20 October 2020 until 10 April 2021, Expo 2020 Dubai will be first World Expo in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region.

For six months, the Seychelles will be represented through the participation of various national entities and NGO has to showcase the country’s natural lush environment, the opportunities for investment and its achievements towards Sustainability and Nature conservation.

The first world expo took place in 1851 in London and has since been a platform for countries to showcase their achievements and culture to the rest of the world. Expo 2020 Dubai is expecting to welcome25million visits over its 173 days of operation, with 70 per cent of its visitors anticipated to come from outside the United Arab Emirates.

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