Tourism is an industry and should be treated as such. This was the message to a group of tourism leaders by Alain St. Ange, a person who is regarded as an icon in the travel and tourism industry not only in his native Seychelles.
Tourism is not an activity, it is an industry, and it needs the political will and the commitment of the respective countries if it is to succeed in all its sectors.
Alain St. Ange, WTN VP and former Minister of Tourism Seychelle
When the Vanilla Islands were launched many years ago as a regional tourist initiative by the representatives of participating Indian Ocean Tourist Offices and tourist authorities, St. Ange was the driver behind this initiative.
St.Ange’s goal was for Vanilla Island nations to grow tourism together and transform the region into the Caribbean off the African coast.
Headquartered on the Island of Reunion, a French territory in the Indian Ocean the Vanilla Island idea is still in the making. Similar to issues in the Caribbean, also the Vanilla Islands have their ups and downs in managing the branding of their region as one.
The ‘Vanilla Islands project was designed to link its destinations, bringing together and highlighting the islands’ assets in a joint tourist initiative.
Issues such as connectivity between most member islands are still scarce. Even today it remains almost impossible for visitors to plan a multi-island experience. Some of the existing air links are too expensive to be utilized for tourism packages. Even with combined marketing, islands have to still very much compete for visitors.
National ego and questionable business interests make the idea of one region working together effectively impossible.
Cooperation between Seychelles and Reunion always had a special meaning and had been actively maintained despite logistic differences.
St. Ange flew to Reunion on Monday and spoke to an attentive group of Senior Business Executives of the island.
Alain St. Ange bought the $1186 round trip ticket on the one remaining airline for the 2 hours 44 minutes from Seychelles to Reunion.
He headed to the Reunion White House, the La Casa Blanca restaurant to enjoy some authentic Couscous La Casa Blanca restaurant in Reunion. Everyone on this French island knows the White House for its Mediterranean and Moroccan food.
The Reunion Business Community showed up in full force to listen to Alain St. Ange at this upscale restaurant, which also features a premium Bellota, Bellota delicatessen, an extensive wine corner, an Italian soft furnishing boutique, an art gallery, and other activities, into their private gathering.
According to St.Ange, everyone was attentive. At the end of his 1-hour presentation, there were many questions followed by active elaborations.
With ITB Berlin around the corner, it can be hoped the Vanilla Islands can speed up the process to become the organization it always wanted to be, a tourism initiative to bring the Indian Ocean region under one roof.
(eTN): How Couscous at the White House Shapes Indian Ocean Tourism? | re-post license |Â post content
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