Former minister of tourism for the Republic of Seychelles, a World Tourism Hero, VP of the World Tourism Network, and friend of the eTurboNews family is a very proud citizen of his small island nation of 120,000 citizens in the Indian Ocean.

Happy Independence Day Seychelles.
On the 29th of June 1976, Seychelles was granted its Independence from Great Britain and became the Republic of Seychelles with Sir James Mancham as its founding President. Congratulations to every Seychellois on this anniversary of our Independence Day. Happy Independence Day Seychelles
Alain St. Ange, former Minister of Tourism Seychelles

The late Sir James Mancham was also a friend of Juergen Steinmetz, publisher of eTurboNews. He and his associates contributed many articles on global issues relevant to tourims. Sir Mancham personally emailed his last article to eTurboNews just hours before his unexpected and tragic passing on January 8, 2017.

All of us at eTurboNews see Seychelles not only as our most loyal and oldest partner, but our publication grew with this partnership over 25 years. Congratulations to the people of this great and proud island nation, and those running the travel and tourism industry spreading the Seychelles Spirit to the world.
Juergen Steinmetz, publisher eTurboNews

The Seychelles became a member of the Commonwealth of Nations upon gaining independence in 1976. Every year, the city is filled with a lively demonstration of national pride and patriotism to commemorate this milestone. The streets are adorned with the vibrant hues of the Seychelles flag, while even the lamp posts twinkle with decorative lights. As night falls, the skies illuminate with captivating fireworks.

Carnival Seychelles — Seychelles Carnival

The Seychelles archipelago is comprised of 115 islands situated in the Indian Ocean, specifically at the eastern boundary of the Somali Sea. These islands were initially spotted by Vasco da Gama in 1502, who named them the Admiral Islands after himself. Arab traders and settlers from Madagascar later journeyed to the islands, although concrete evidence of their visits remains unclear. The first documented landing occurred in 1609, when British men from the British East India Company ship Ascension arrived there, although no permanent settlement was established.

Following the French Revolution, the colonists established a Colonial Assembly in 1790 and made the decision to govern their colony. They believed that the land in Seychelles should be inherited by the children of the existing settlers, who should have the freedom to govern the colony according to their own discretion, instead of being dictated by Mauritius. Jean-Baptiste Queau de Quincy assumed control of the colony in 1794, employing his cleverness and caution to guide Seychelles throughout the ensuing years of war.

Edward Madge served as the initial civilian administrator under the British regime, while Quincy retained his position as Justice of the Peace, leading to a bitter feud between the two. It was not until 1964 that new political movements emerged, with the establishment of the Seychelles People’s United Party (S.P.U.P.), later renamed Seychelles People’s Progressive Front (S.P.P.F.). Led by France-Albert René, they advocated for socialism and independence from Britain. Following the 1974 elections, during which both political parties in Seychelles campaigned for independence, negotiations with the British resulted in an agreement. As a result, Seychelles became an independent republic within the Commonwealth on June 29, 1976.

Tourists on this island today will have the unique opportunity to join this celebration. There is a lot this country can be proud of, and it’s vibrant tourism industry under the leadership of The Hon. Sylvestre Radegonde, Minister of Tourism and Sherin Francis, the Principle Secretary of Tourism is a main reason.