Minister Mohamed Nazri, the Malaysian Minister of Tourism and Culture, and Mr. Adil Bin Al Murdas Bin Ahmed Al-Busaidi, the Advisor of Tourism Affairs of the Sultanate of Oman, have today arrived in Seychelles by an Emirates flight from Dubai and were met at the Seychelles International Airport by Alain St.Ange, the Seychelles Minister responsible for Tourism and Culture, and by Anne Lafortune, his PS for Tourism.

The IORA (Indian Ocean Rim Association) is holding its first Tourism Ministerial Meeting on Tourism and Travel within the IORA Member States. This move by the Secretary General of the IORA is seen as a positive step in the right direction, and the meeting that will be held in Seychelles this coming Thursday and Friday is set to rally 15 out of the 20 odd member States of the IORA.

Alain St.Ange, the Seychelles Minister responsible for Tourism and Culture, said as he welcomed the delegates from Malaysia and the Sultanate of Oman that it was only in developing the spirit of togetherness that the tourism industry of the respective member states will be consolidated for the long term. “This IORA meeting will rally the tourism heads of so many member states and it is a real opportunity to discuss a way forward that will enhance the tourism development of member states. The Secretary General of the IORA needs to be congratulated for moving the goal posts and for calling this Ministerial Meeting. It is now up to Member States to work together to get the most out of the Seychelles Meeting,” Minister Alain St.Ange said.

Seychelles is a founding member of the International Coalition of Tourism Partners (ICTP) .