Martin J. Craigs, the Chief Executive Officer of PATA, the Pacific Asia Travel Association, invited a group of selected Tourism Ministers and experts in the field of tourism for a meeting followed by dinner at the House of Commons in London.

Minister Alain St.Ange, the Seychelles Minister responsible for Tourism & Culture, was one of the Ministers invited to be part of that meeting to discuss the issue of the carbon tax which is today seen as being a tax affecting tourism destinations.

Mr. Taleb Rifai, the Secretary General of the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and Mrs. Fiona Jeffery OBE, the Chairman of the World Market were among the many invited personalities at the gathering of tourism experts.

Mr. Martin Craigs and PATA were thanked by everyone for the initiative of rallying everyone to join together to make the point against the carbon tax which is causing a disorder in the fare structures for long-haul holidays under the banner of protection of the environment. “Most of the tourism destinations affected today are already conscious of the need to practice sustainable tourism, because this remains their unique selling point. The tax is but a means of raising money for the state coffers,” it was said at the meeting.

The repercussions for British Airways was also discussed, as travel out of the UK is today being clearly affected. “Any reciprocal taxes on British Airways at destinations it is today serving would finish the airline,” others said.

Present also at the meeting was Keshini Navaratnam, the known and highly-respected presenter from BBC.
Seychelles is a founding member of the International Council of Tourism Partners (ICTP).