Seychelles private sector trade confirms the success of the recent Reunion Island Road show
aTP- Arab tourism portal News-The Seychelles Tourism Board’s second edition of their Reunion Island road show confirmed private sector confidence in the potential of business for Seychelles from that nearby island.
During the 04th – 06th October event, the Seychelles delegation comprised 7 degrees South, Mason’s Travel, Creole Travel Services, Constance Hotels, Seychelles European Reservations and a representative of the Seychelles Hospitality and Tourism Association. The roadshow was headed by Alain St.Ange, the island’s Minister for Tourism and Culture and Bernadette Willemin, the Seychelles Tourism Board’s Paris based Director for Europe and responsible for the Reunion market, as well as Bernadette Honore, the Seychelles Tourism Board senior marketing executive for Reunion. The Seychelles delegation met tour operators and travel trade representatives in the towns of St Gilles and St Pierre for networking sessions .
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One of the private sectors, Creole Travel services, said that the 2016 edition of Road show Reunion was a great success.
’The Reunion Road show was well organized and very fruitful. It was the perfect opportunity for us to meet with our tourism trade partners in Reunion and though various discussions we were able to identify the obstacles they are facing in selling the destination. The way forward now is to find out how, by working together, we can tackle those issues so that we can increase the number of visitors from Reunion who travel to the Seychelles’’ said the Creole Travel Services representative after the event.
Nathalie Du Buisson representing Seychelles Hospitality and Tourism Association also hailed the success of the road show.
“La Reunion was a great success, through the networking possibilities with the different TA & TO and Press that were present “
She said Air Austral new flight schedule effective November 2016 will be a great boost for further developing this tourism source market.
“The two direct flights with the new arrival/departure timing has been a major boost, and this will now encourage our smaller properties and hotels members to review their strategy on that market and set up packages for both couples and families that will benefit the Reunion market” Mrs Du Buisson said.
On their part the Seychelles Tourism Board sees such an event conducted in Reunion island as an ideal marketing tool for this tourism source market.
Bernadette Willemin said “this Seychelles event is a favourite amongst the travel trade, and this year was no exception as this was clearly seen by the attendance in each town we visited’’ before adding that “it is very important to host such dedicated Seychelles events in Reunion, not only to create the awareness but also to bring our beautiful islands into the lime light as we showcase the public / private sector partnership existing with our tourism trade partners" Mrs Willemin said. "The roadshow also helps to reinforce the relationship between Seychelles and the Reunion travel trade” she added.
The Seychelles Tourism Board has already set the calendar for the third edition of their Road show in Reunion Island for the April 2nd – 6th 2017.
