Praslin Island in the Seychelles set to have its own "food fiesta" on the National Calendar of Events after request by the island s National Assembly Members
Almasalla Arab Travel Portal News – The two Members of the National Assembly representing the island of Praslin accompanied by the District Administrators from both Baie Ste Anne and Grand Anse Districts met with Minister Alain St.Ange, the Seychelles Minister responsible for Tourism and Culture to make their case to have an annual event on the island of Praslin that would appear on the National Calendar of Events.
Hon Marc Volcere, the MNA for Grand Anse Praslin, Hon Nathasia Esther, the MNA for Baie Ste Anne Praslin accompanied by Mr Moses Barbe, the DA for Grand Anse Praslin and Mr Kenneth Pointe, the DA for Baie Ste Anne Praslin met on Praslin with Minister St.Ange who was being accompanied by Anne Lafortune, the PS for Tourism and Sherin Naiken, the CEO of the Tourism Board and together they discussed the request received by the two elected representatives from Praslin to see a national Event staged annually at Praslin and for the event to appear on the National Calendar of Events.
The two Praslin MNAs explained that Mahe has many cultural events that provided entertainment to the population and that helped stimulate the economy of the main island, and they said that La Digue had its 15th August Feast of La Digue, but they said that Praslin had been left behind. After lengthy discussions where different ideas where table and discussed Minister Alain St.Ange and his delegation fell into agreement with National Assembly Members and District Administrators of Baie St Anne and Grand Anse Praslin for an annual Food Fiesta on Praslin.
It was agreed that the Praslin Island food Fiesta would fall within Ministry of Tourism and Culture annual cultural events list. Chairing the meeting at Castello Beach Resort, Alain St.Ange, the Minister for Tourism and Culture said his Ministry will work closely with Seychelles Tourism Board to come out with proper marketing strategies and promotional tools to position the event and to also ensure that it becomes a new attraction for even more visitors to discover Praslin.
When he was asked why a food fiesta and not a Praslin version of an event already being staged on Mahe, Minister St.Ange said:- “It is pointless for the Ministry to do a remake or to just copy a Mahe Island event and to re-stage it on Praslin. The island of Praslin is a destination of its own, its needs to be marked with its own event and to position it as an island with its own unique attractions.
Now following the presentation table by the two elected representatives of Praslin, the island has a unique opportunity to become known as the island centered on good food with special attention to culinary delights’’ Minister St.Ange said.
The Ministry of Tourism and Culture accepts the idea that the food fiesta will help to boost visitors on Praslin and help the Island tourism operators and in so doing the economy of Praslin and its islanders.
June and July are traditionally slow months for visitors in Seychelles which is why the National Assembly Members and the District Administrators of the Island have proposed that Seychelles should host the food fiesta in the middle of the month of July to encourage more bookings for hotels on Praslin.
As he closed the meeting Minister St.Ange said this event will also bring unity on the island as the opening ceremony of the Food Fiesta will be held at Grand Anse and the Saturday event at Baie Ste Anne.When people of Praslin will benefit economically from the food fiesta, the island’s economy will be stronger. This will in return benefit the economy of the whole country’ Minister St.Ange said.
The Ministry of Tourism and Culture, the two National Assembly members and the District Administrators of Praslin will continue to meet to finalize plans for the first Praslin Food fiesta and also in order to announce the date of the first Praslin food fiesta.
