Seychelles at the Tourism Cities Seminar during Indaba 2013 Tourism Trade Fair in Durban
Almasalla Travel News – The Seychelles delegation at INDABA this year, led by Minister for Tourism and Culture Alain St.Ange, Seychelles Tourism Board CEO Elsia Grandcourt, Director for South Africa and the Americas David Germain, and Regional Manager Africa Marsha Parcou, had several opportunities to present the Seychelles destination at various platforms.
At the Tourism Cities at INDABA seminar which was moderated by Ms. Heidi van der Watt, founder of the International Centre for Responsible Tourism – South Africa and elected Board member of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, Elsia Grandcourt did a presentation on Sustainable Energy&Tourism of the Seychelles.
She talked about the sources of energy that the Seychelles is dependent on and what the country is doing to introduce alternative sources of energy and to encourage sustainable tourism.
Seychelles has a success story to tell when it comes to conservation and sustainable practices, and today has more than 50% of its limited land mass under protection. However, it is still heavily dependent on fossil fuel which is at an annual growing demand of 4.3%.
Seychelles has adopted an Energy Policy to develop a Sustainable Energy Sector which aims at gradually reducing the dependence on fossil fuel, focusing on increased energy efficiency, and to gradually increase the contribution of renewable energy in the energy supply.
The recent set-up of the Seychelles Energy Commission and creation of the Ministry responsible for Energy has allowed for a review of legislation and an energy act to allow independent power producers (IPP) on renewable energy to operate alongside the Public Utilities Corporation (PUC) and to encourage private investment in the field of renewable energy to operate as independent power producers.
Other well-known international and South African speakers also addressing at the seminar included: Bekithemba Langalibale (National Department of Tourism), Nombulelo Mkefa (City of Cape Town), Eddy Khosa (FEDHASA), Simbarashe Mandinyena (RETOSA), Adamah Bah (The Gambia), and Colin Devenish (V&A Waterfront).
“Such platforms are important as it allows for Africa to share with Africa and the world on the best practices that each respective country is doing,” said Elsia Grandcourt of the Seychelles.
