aTP- Arab tourism portal News
By : Ashraf El Gedawy
Site Editor In chief
Today it is a year since the 2017 elections for Secretary General of the UNWTO. In the Middle East and the GCC Countries we were reminded of this United Nations election through the weekly Saint Ange Tourism Report coming out of Seychelles.
A question that has been circulating in my mind for more than a year, and I think others are shocked by the same question, why was Alain Saint Ange, the successful tourism minister of the African Equatorial Seychelles, punished by the world’s top tourist organizations for the post of secretary or secretary general of the World Tourism Organization, replacing the great Arab Dr.Taleb Rifai who ended his term of office after two successful mandates. Dr Taleb Rifai as the head of the UN Tourism Body established new horizons, and he promoted new standards for the international tourism industry. He developed economic perspective with a comprehensive social concept.
Considering that the modern tourism industry achieves the integrated and sustainable development of the communities, and achieves a resurgence and quality of life for members of the surrounding community, a mission that was succeeded by former Minister Alain St.Ange in his small developing country “Seychelles”.
We have known and seen it first hand as journalists and media through its constant list of cultural activities, which did not depend on the structure nor did they stop by the clock as government offices, but they created opportunities and implemented promotional and marketing opportunities as projects to encourage the tourism industry in his small country which the God Almighty blessed with unique natural and marine elements and a pleasant tropical climate throughout the year. The Minister of Tourism St.Ange established a strong tourism industry and a tourist renaissance in the Seychelles Islands. Tourism in Seychelles has become the main pillar of the economic life of the Seychelles community. Around the clock, the Minister was working to encourage and develop tourism investments, promoting educational and technical skills to provide tourist services.
Daily fresh press releases, press releases about the tourism industry in his country, and the most important activities and events of tourism and cultural festivals and artistic and heritage competitions, sports … etc were issued from his offices. As a result of this constant activity, the agenda of events and events of tourism and cultural mass over the 12 months of the year created the buzz about Seychelles. A delegation to the Seychelles during his tenure as Minister of Tourism when delegates of the most important and largest international newspapers and news channels to cover the many tourism events on the island of dreams, lovers and Paradise Earth as called by the international press was sought after by everyone of importance. This is a brief reminder of the success of the St.Ange Minister achieved for the tourism industry in the Seychelles Islands. Thanks to his efforts, tourism in Seychelles has become part of the world of international tourism.
This was what encouraged the international tourism institutions and specialized supporting bodies to push the name of this wonderful minister, (who works at full capacity) to be nominated as Secretary General of the World Tourism Organization, which sponsors the tourism affairs of large and developing countries, and provides them with advice and technical expertise to achieve more success in the international tourism industry.
This encouraged Minister Alain St.Ange to make the difficult decision to run at last year’s World Tourism Organization (WTO) elections in May 2017 to compete for the most important, challenging and difficult post in the world of tourism and travel worldwide.
Because this respected and distinguished minister, as it appears from his name, did not allow himself to be like the candidates from the long list of ministers. I mean here the personal behaviour of the man. It is natural for the minister to announce his candidacy for his high office. He is acting as a minister for tourism in his homeland, and if he succeeded, he would resign from the ministry to take up his new post. We have seen many examples of ministers and officials locally, internationally and globally doing so for the last 20 years ..!
But we are in front of a very special case whose character correspond to its characteristics, its ethics and principles with the meaning of its name. A person inside, like it is on the outside… A model of high morals, ideals, values and principles in a time that does not recognize all these good qualities of man and is often considered by some of us as idealistic, unrealistic, in the shadow of a local, international and worldly society, the interests are dominated by a polarized world, and polarization for benefits and interests is the dominant feature at the global level.
This successful minister who had decided to run for the top position in the World Tourism Organization and when successful becomes responsible for this position has a great responsibility. This is when his experience and previous successes in creating a high-level tourist destination in a few years, competing with the two major tourist destinations and a fierce competitor to a distinctive tourism product.
A former ambassador to the post of tourism minister was appointed in January last year 2017, ready to run for secretary general of the World Tourism Organization in May of the same year.
What followed the press block uncovered was a dirty dirty plot to exclude Seychelles Minister Alain St.Ange from the election of the United Nations organization. We will not rewrite about the election because it is now history when the United Nations elections ended with the name of the new secretary-general of the organization and was approved by the board of directors of the organization.
But the man seen as the serious and able candidate, St.Ange of Seychelles, who complied with the instructions of his island’s President immediately without hesitation, and announce his withdrawal from the race. This was the result of the plot that revealed some of the episodes after a period of withdrawal of the former minister the irrefutable evidence that there was a dirty conspiracy on the small state of Seychelles, and his withdrawal from the race was a satanic order of a couple of Ministers of other African countries .. These are called (enemies of success) ..!
After the international tourism community and the tourist community in the Seychelles suffered great disappointment because of the exclusion of the wonderful Minister St.Ange.
The international ministers of tourism in the world were hoping that the minister would return to his post at the earliest cabinet reshuffle in the Seychelles. He deserved to be honoured and returned because he is undoubtedly the “driving force of tourism in Seychelles.” .
He has much more to add to the tourism industry in his country, and it deserves to shine again at the hands of a man who loves success and who has the ability to innovate and work without boredom around the clock,
Festivals and carnivals for tourism promotion and cultural protection, and many international events that almost disappeared from the agenda of tourism in Seychelles deserves to be revisited and this is it done by the President of the Republic …? !!
Ashraf El Gedawy
