Seychelles tourism group heads for Arabian Travel Market

Alain St.Ange, CEO of the Seychelles Tourism Board, is personally heading the delegation to the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) and is being accompanied by Elsia Grandcourt, the Board’s Deputy CEO and Amia Desir-Jovanovic, the Senior Marketing Executive of the Seychelles Tourism Board responsible for Africa, Asia & Australasia, the Americas, and the Middle East.

The Creole tropical islands of the Seychelles have confirmed that they will be participating at the 2011 ATM Tourism Trade Fair in Dubai with a strong delegation of the island’s tourism trade who are supporting the consolidation of that market by ensuring Seychelles can be present in Dubai.

Committed Seychelles private sector companies assisting the Tourism Board to be present in Dubai and who will be accompanying the Tourism Board as part of the official delegation are:

– Johnette Labiche, Area Director for Sales & Marketing of Berjaya Hotels & Resorts Seychelles

– Amanda Lang & Sarah Jensen, Sales & Marketing Managers of Desroches Island Seychelles

– Amanda Zirgulis, Sales, Marketing & Reservation Manager of Dhevatara Beach Hotel of Praslin, Seychelles

– Sanjay Nair, Cluster Director of Sales for Hilton Seychelles Northolme Resort & Spa/Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort & Spa

– Bernadette Fabien, Assistant Marketing Manager for the 7 Degrees South, a Destination Management Company (local handling & representation agent)

– Jessica Giroux, Sales Manager for Mason’s Travel a Seychelles Destination Management Company (local handling & representation agent)

The Seychelles delegation will be joined at the ATM Tourism Trade Fair in Dubai by Julie Muirhead, the Seychelles Tourism Board’s Manager for the Middle East based in Dubai.

“The six private sector companies accompanying and participating with the Tourism Board at the ATM in Dubai are the ones who make it possible for Seychelles to be visible at this important Dubai Tourism Trade Fair. The four hotel and resort companies and the two destination management companies present as part of the delegation are committed by their participation and presence to support the Seychelles Tourism Board to see the development of the Middle East Market, and for this we are thankful, because this market needs the commitment and the ongoing support of the private sector for it to move forward,” Alain St.Ange told the Dubai travel trade press.

Seychelles will be using the ATM Tourism Trade Fair to spell out the good air access that exists between Dubai and the Seychelles with the Emirates 14 weekly flights, and Doha and the Seychelles with Qatar Airways 7 weekly flights. Said Mr. St.Ange: “The Seychelles delegation will also be working at launching the ‘Be Smart – Be Carnival’ program to help incite sales to the islands between now and January 15, 2012 by the regions travel agents and tour operating staff and ensure that they get themselves a free trip to Seychelles for the 2012 Seychelles ‘Carnaval International de Victoria,’ now regarded as the carnival of carnivals.

“At the 2011 Seychelles carnival, Emirates participated with their own float in the carnival procession to showcase their own diversity in route network and their own melting pot of nationalities as far as staffing is concerned. Their participation fell in line with the theme of the Seychelles carnival, which is held under the tag line of ‘the melting pot of cultures.’ Seychelles will also be launching for the Middle East market the annual ‘SUBIOS, The Seychelles Festival of the Sea,’ which will be held this year from November 4-6 on the beach area at the picturesque Beau Vallon Bay on the island of Mahe.”