Journalist says African destinations can learn from Seychelles

Prof. Wolfgang H.

Prof. Wolfgang H. Thome, the known East African eTurboNews correspondent and the journalist who also publishes his own online journal, “Tourism, Aviation and Conservation News from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean islands,” has congratulated the Seychelles Tourism Board for “pulling all strings and doing the right things to remain in the global media spotlight.”

In his weekly roundup of breaking news, reports, travel stories, and opinions, Dr. Thome said: “At the end of every year I get swamped with stories, news, and bits and bobs from around the entire region, with some notable absentees, as usual being my own country’s tourist board, which seemingly still has to learn how to make better use of the new media like eTurboNews, especially considering that exposure there is for FREE while lamenting there is never any money to do something “serious.”

Our neighbors in Rwanda are really sharp, all credit to the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) tourism and conservation staff, when it comes to seeking exposure, getting the news out, and telling the world about their achievements, innovations, and successes, and the Kenya Tourist Board and Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) are not far behind that, something I note with satisfaction as there clearly are some out there in Eastern Africa who have mastered the art of doing PR, PR, and then some more PR.

Top of the pops, however, for the third year running in my estimate, comes the Seychelles, small in size compared to most countries, but pulling all the right strings and doing all the right things to remain in the global media spotlight. Having made many friends on the archipelago over the years, I get a constant stream of news, details, press releases, and updates, not just from the tourist board and their fantastic staff but from hotels, resorts, individuals, airline staff, restaurants, and yes, even officials in government, at times on and at times off the record.

Alain St. Ange, seems to have mastered the art of cloning himself as he appears almost everywhere tourism and aviation are being discussed, promoted, and showcased. Of course, he is not alone in this task of promoting his country abroad. Ably assisted by Elsia Grandcourt, his Deputy CEO at the Seychelles Tourism Board, and a number of dedicated and keenly motivated staff at their offices in Bel Ombre, and also abroad where Tourism Ambassadors support the archipelago’s efforts to gain strongholds in market places.

In his probably last major “broadcast” last night, Alain sent me the 2011 review, and it is worth publishing to show my friends in the wider Eastern Africa and Indian Ocean Islands region, how best to go about promoting, using even adversity to remain in the spotlight.

For 2011, my personal winner is “The Seychelles – Truly Another World,” with Rwanda and Kenya taking the runner’s up places, perhaps an incentive to do better next year for those countries and islands I regularly report about who have not made it to the top of the pops this year.”

Alain St.Ange, the CEO of the Seychelles Tourism Board, said that he was delighted to see that the work undertaken by the Seychelles PR & News Bureau team was being recognized. “We believe in the power of the press, and as such, we work with the press. We even have, since two years now, an exclusive Friends of Seychelles Press Club. As a country we have nothing to hide and continuously invite members of the press community to visit Seychelles and to see for themselves the exceptional beauty of our tourist paradise islands,” he said.

Seychelles is set to receive its largest number of press in March. Most of the world-respected TV channels, radio stations, newspapers, and magazines are descending on Seychelles for the carnival of carnivals due to be staged jointly by the Vanilla Islands of the Seychelles and La Reunion. This carnival sees the known and best carnivals of the world parade side by side, followed by cultural groups from the Community of Nations. The Carnival that is held annually in Seychelles is staged under the theme of the melting pot of cultures. It is confirmed by carnival organizers in Seychelles and La Reunion that the 2012 edition of that unique event will be an even greater success.

About the author

Avatar of Linda Hohnholz

Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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