Seychelles

In an attempt to reduce its reliance on the European market, Seychelles tourism looks at India as the key prospect. Bernadette Willemin, Director, General ...

The wedding and MICE business is also a major contributor to business for Seychelles. The wealth of Seychelles as a country is the environment, making sustainable tourism a key proposition for its economy. Seychelles needs to fine-tune its offerings to make the stay comfortable for the diverse Indian audience. Within India, Seychelles has mostly looked to promote itself in the metro cities, particularly Mumbai, because of its connectivity with Seychelles. The way forward is to synergise, coordinate, collaborate, and place India as a bigger contributor to the tourism economy of Seychelles. She shared that the destination is amping up its efforts in trying to strengthen ties between the two countries. The contribution of Europe to the Seychelles tourism economy is a whopping 60-70 per cent of its total business. Laying down the objectives of Seychelles Tourism’s efforts to reiterate the importance of the India market, Willemin shared countless reasons that make Seychelles a desired destination for the Indian traveller. However, through the diversification of its products and offerings, Seychelles has allowed itself to serve more than just the premium segment. Surveying Seychelles beyond beaches, the destination has a diverse set of products right up its alley. Contrary to popular belief, more than 60 per cent of the hotel properties in Seychelles are homegrown hotels, boutique hotels, and self-catering properties. Bernadette Willemin, Director, General Marketing, Tourism Seychelles, urges travellers to look at the destination past its contemporary image of a honeymoon destination.