"World Tourism – New Initiatives" Tourism Leader s Summit listens to the Seychelles point of view
Almasalla Arab Travel Portal News – Alain St.Ange, the Seychelles Minister responsible for Tourism and Culture was invited to be a speaker at the PATWA (Pacific Area Travel Association) World Tourism Leader d Summit on "World Tourism-New Initiatives" that was held on the sidelines of the ITB Tourism Trade Fair in Berlin.
Minister St.Ange had been invited to share the stage with Mr Taleb Rifai, the UNWTO Secretary General, Minister Mohamed Hisham Abbas Zaazou, the Minister of Tourism from Egypt, Mr Girish Shankar, the Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism of the Government of India, Mr Martin Craigs, the CEO of PATA (Pacific Asia Travel Association) and Mr Casimir Platzer, the President of the IH&RA.
Mr Sagar Ahluwalia, the Secretary General of PATWA welcomed everyone to the World Tourism New Initiatives Tourism Leader’s Summit. In front of a room full of press and ITB Delegates, Mr Ahluwalia "Welcome to the 2014 edition of the Tourism Leader’s Summit and thank you to the Distinguished Speakers for accepting to be present at this annual gathering of World Leaders in the field of Tourism" Mr Sagar Ahluwalia said.
When he took to the floor Alain St.Ange, the Seychelles Minister responsible for Tourism and Culture spoke about a Seychelles tourism experience and the island’s tourism brand aptly called the Seychelles Brand of Tourism. The Seychelles Minister explained the philosophy behind the concept of Seychelles claiming back its tourism industry whilst still encouraging investors to the islands. "Our people must see themselves in their tourism industry, the industry that remains the pillar of their economy. This is the only way for the people of our country to all work together to defend and to protect their industry" the Seychelles Minister said.
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Minister St.Ange then spoke about the needed new initiatives for the tourism industry. "Togetherness and the necessity for countries to work together. Alone you remain what you are, but working together in your region, or on your continent you help make a strong region or a strong continent. We have to all look at the way forward with an open mind, and we must stop seeing only competition from countries in our neighbourhood and in our own backyard. We need to see how each neighbour could complement your own marketing approach" Minister St.Ange said.
The Seychelles Minister also spoke about the Indian Ocean Vanilla Islands Initiative and the proposed African Union’s new initiative to get Africa as a whole to be united in their drive for a stronger tourism industry on the continent. "These new initiatives will work in collaboration with the UNWTO that remains and that should remain the umbrella body for the tourism industry".
He ended his address by touching on the Visa Free Policy in place in Seychelles citing that Seychelles remains Friends of All and Enemies of None.
