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The Editorial this week highlights:- a. ITB Tourism Trade Fair in Berlin. b. Thank you Vicky Lanza of Sable D’Or Luxury Apartments. c. Seychelles enters a new era. d. Seychelles former President Albert Rene has passed away. e. The ‘crooked restaurant’ of Praslin. f. Air Seychelles moving Seychellois up the Management ladder. g. Tourism Ministers News – Nepal lost their loved Tourism Minister in a helicopter accident and Ghana changes Tourism Minister in Cabinet reshuffle.  Stand alone articles this week:- 1. Seychelles to take over Berlin in a tropical storm as strong tourism delegation hits ITB in March. 2. Creole Travel Services appoints Dianne Dalida as PR & Branding Manager. 3. KwaZulu Natal showcases wildlife, heritage and scenery at ITB Berlin. 4. 12th Edition of the Seychelles Eco-Friendly Marathon receives outstanding participation this year. 5. Mason’s Travel staff deliver record participation, performances at Seychelles annual marathon event . 6. DEREK GREGORY of Seychelles Travel is in Seychelles. 7. Seychelles Hospitality & Tourism Association (SHTA) annual gathering 2019.  8. Only two beaches in Africa make it into TripAdvisor’s top 25(SEYCHELLES’ ANSE LAZIO AND CAPE VERDE’S SANTA MONICA BEACH SQUEEZE INTO TRIPADVISOR’S TOP 25 BEST BEACHES IN THE WORLD). 9. Vatel Mauritius on exploratory visit to Seychelles. 10. Seychelles Tourism Board, joined by trade partners and airlines promote Seychelles in key Brazilian cities. 11. Air Seychelles to go daily to Johannesburg. 12. Tourism Matters: Alain St.Ange says that the industry tailor made for Seychelles – but is everyone really happy 13.  Seychelles Tourism CEO Sherin Francis is Tourism Personality in VoyagesAfriq Magazine. 14. Kenya’s largest ferris wheel provides views of Nairobi. 15. Singapore Airlines ups Johannesburg frequency . 16. Closing Notes.

Alain St.Ange

ITB Tourism Trade Fair in Berlin

This week the world of tourism will be travelling to Berlin in Germany for the ITB Tourism Trade Fair. This is one of the biggest tourism trade fairs in the world and countries who want a bigger share of the discerning travellers will all be trying to impressing tour operators and the press as they all showcase their new developments and attractions.

I will also be in Berlin this week for private meetings and for addressing a conference in my capacity as a tourism consultant.

Thank you Vicky Lanza of Sable D’Or Luxury Apartments

Sable d’Or Luxury Apartments at Beau Vallon

Saying thank you is always important when someone goes out of their way for you. Today it is important for me to say a big thank you to Vicky L’Efevre Lanza for inviting me to join her table of friends at the Tourism Industry Association’s Social Evening last Saturday. Vicky had rallied a group of great friends together and it was indeed a superb opportunity to have the chance to discuss with Harry & Margaret Savy, Mike Westergreen, Maryline Rea Loizeau & Don, and Jose & Michelle St.Ange.

Vicky is the owner of the Sable D’Or Luxury Apartments of Beau Vallon.
The Sables d’Or Luxury Apartments sit on an historical site. Having been built on the site of the old home of one of the foremost families in the islands, the L’Efevre’s who once owned all of Beau Vallon Beach and most the mountain range called Trois Freres behind it. Trois Freres, clad in emerald green rain forest, makes a spectacular backdrop to Sables d’Or.

The last of the L’Efevre’s to live in the house was Vicky L’Efevre Lanza who was born there and went on to raise her own family there. Vicky then had the foresight to see what a beautiful building could rise from her birthplace. A well-known local personality, she oversaw the transformation and is now managing the apartments alongside her daughter Veronique.

Her delight and warmth in showing people her stunning islands began then and continues to this day which makes her new job, running Sables d’Or Luxury Apartments ideal. She is enthusiastic about doing what she enjoys most, which is being with people and sharing her ‘joie de vivre’.

Actually she has always been involved in the travel business in one way or another. She joined BOAC / British Airways in 1972 and spent 35 years working for the airline. She was Manager in Seychelles and then transferred to Mauritius as Commercial Manager for the Indian Ocean.

The self-catering apartments are each named after a local fruit that was grown on trees planted by Vicky’s father or late husband on the property.

Seychelles enters a new era

Seychelles has entered a new era with the recent passing of former President Albert Rene this week. His death followed so closely to the passing of founding President, James Mancham.

Both these political personalities shaped, in their own ways, the political landscape of the islands as well as the Seychelles we see today.

Seychelles former President Albert Rene has passed away

Albert Rene
President of Seychelles 1977 – 2004

(He also held the Tourism Portfolio in the early 1980s, when the “Unique by a Thousand Miles” tagline was coined)
President Albert Rene, the Seychelles’ second, and long serving President, passed away in Seychelles Hospital at the age of 83 during in the early hours of the 27th  February 2019.

During the Seychelles Independence in 1976, Albert Rene was Prime Minister in the coalition government of President James Mancham. In 1977, he staged a Coup D’Etat and became President. He retained his presidency of the islands until 2004, where he handed power to his Vice President, James Michel.

In the early 1980s, President Rene took over the responsibility of the island’s tourism portfolio in a bid to relaunch the Seychelles tourism industry. He recruited John Enright and Eamonn Keane through the Irish Tourism Board. John Enright became the CEO of the Tourism Board and Eamonn Keane was attached to the Ministry of Finance with the aim of facilitating anything tourism related.

Seychelles Nation – May 1982

I had already been recruited in the Ministry of Tourism by Minister Mathew Servina, the then Minister of Tourism a couple of years before the arrival of John Enright and Eamonn Keane, and worked closely with the consultants who came up with the new launch strategy for Seychelles, inclusive of the new very successful logo “Unique By A Thousand Miles”. At that time, Seychelles had branded itself as one of the world’s “Best Kept Secrets.” The concern soon surfaced that perhaps our secret was too well kept, prompting the relaunch by John Enright of the Irish Tourism Board, who was called upon to relaunch our ailing tourism industry. Mr. Enright brought in an effective group of consultants and launched the successful “Seychelles, Unique By A Thousand Miles” tag line. I joined John Enright as his Executive Assistant and worked by his side for many years. This was in 1981 after the Seychelles Tourist Board was established, with John Enright as director and when at 27-year-old I became his assistant.

John Enright, with the support of the Head of State, moved to increase the visibility of the islands, accompanied by a large private sector trade delegation, he organised a European promotional tour in 1982. He also used the Seychelles Culture and the island’s Folkloric Troupe in the promotion of the islands.

1982 Seychelles Tourism Board Senior Management Team
 John Enright, Anthony White, Richard Turnbridge & Alain St.Ange 
(Photo – Right to Left)

The 1982 Seychelles Tourism Board’s Management Team lead the European Promotion Tour with a large private sector delegation to relaunch the Seychelles Tourism Industry
President Rene survived many attempted Coups and political challenges during his lengthy political career, and has taken to the grave many secrets from his term of office.

Albert Rene will receive a State Funeral on Thursday 7th March 2019.

I’d like to take this opportunity to offer my condolences to his family, friends and supporters. The political landscape of Seychelles is set to change with the passing of the stalwart of the ruling party, but today we take the time to reflect upon a man who dedicated his life to doing what he believed was right. Whether we agree or not with his methods and views, today we think about those who have lost a loved one. The history books will document the rest.

The ‘crooked restaurant’ of Praslin

The seven wonders of the world are landmarks that have attracted visitors from the world over. The Planning Authority of Seychelles has pushed the Owner of a new purpose built stand-alone restaurant on Eve Island at Praslin to have a ‘crooked roof and veranda’ for a part of the front of its building.
This new colonial styled construction has become a much ‘talked about’ local construction. It is now visited by many wanting to see and understand ‘the why’ behind the decision of the country’s Planning Department. Immaterial of the reasons, the decision left Praslin with a building that is three quarter straight as it should be and the last quarter of the front of the building tapering away giving Praslin a ‘crooked building’.

Mr Tutu Constance, the owner of the property is saddened by the decision that caused his new colonial styled building to become a ‘Seychelles planning firm hand controlled project” turned into ridicule.

Air Seychelles moving Seychellois up the Management ladder

Jean Weeling, Air Seychelles Chairman stands with
Sheryl Barra, Head of Corporate Affairs &
Cosette Moustache, Head of Legal and Company Secretary

ean Weeling, the Chairman of Air Seychelles was happy to introduce the National Airline’s new Seychellois Members of their Management Team during the Tourism Industry’s Social Evening at La Plaine St. Andre.

The Air Seychelles Chairman was standing with two Seychellois recruits:- Sheryl Barra, Head of Corporate Affairs & Cosette Moustache, Head of Legal and Company Secretary as he explained the drive by the Airline to have more and more Seychellois in Senior Positions.

This news remained part of the best kept secrets. Seychellois as a whole wanted to hear how we are faring as a people in the restructuring of our National Airline. I take this opportunity to the two young ladies Sheryl Barra and Cosette Moustache for their appointment and wish them success at Air Seychelles.

Tourism Ministers News

Nepal lost their loved Tourism Minister in a helicopter accident and Ghana changes Tourism Minister in Cabinet reshuffle

News – Nepal & Ghana Tourism Ministers

Tourism Ministers News

Nepal lost their loved Tourism Minister in a helicopter accident and Ghana changes Tourism Minister in Cabinet reshuffle

Nepal

The Air Dynasty helicopter crashed on February 27 killing the 39-year-old tourism minister, among other import and influential Nepalese. The helicopter burst into flames after it hit a hill while Tourism Minister Adhikari was returning to Kathmandu after visiting famous Hindu temple Pathibhara in Eastern Nepal. The minister accompanied by the technical team from the Ministry of Civil Aviation had gone for a feasibility study for an airstrip in Chuhandanda, in Tehrathum district.

The bodies of the minister and other victims were kept at Tundikhel open ground for tributes. The bodies were taken to Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Maharajgunj, for post-mortem and identification, after they were brought to Kathmandu on Thursday.

A sad loss for the World of Tourism and we take this opportunity to present our sympathy to the family of the Minister and the Government and people of Nepal.

Ghana

Ghana’s Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister, Catherine Afeku has been reshuffled to take up a new position at the office of the president. The Minister was part of a list of ministers and deputies that have been given new task in the President Akufo-Addo government. Afeku will now take up a position at the Office of the Senior Minister at the presidency.

Barbara Oteng Gyasi,a former Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, is now the Minister-designate for Tourism, Arts and Culture.

It is important to again acknowledge all who are diligently re-posting the Saint Ange Tourism Report weekly. Our Report ranges far and wide, from Australia to the Americas, from the Indian Ocean Vanilla islands to Africa & Asian and Greater Europe, with your continued support, which is greatly appreciated. You are helping us to grow from strength to strength with each new Edition.