Seychelles to host its first “food and hotels exhibition” in November

Seychelles to host its first "food and hotels exhibition" in November
 

Almasalla,Gate Arab Tourism News- Seychelles will host a first international food and hotels trade fair in during the period of 28-30 November this year, an announcement made by Tourism and Culture Minister Alain St.Ange this week.
 

The three-day exhibition will be organised by the CDC EVENTS & Travels (Pvt) Ltd, a Sri Lankan company of 15 years of experience in hosting such fairs.

Minister St.Ange was speaking to journalists during a press conference at his offices at the ESPACE building in the presence of the principal secretary for tourism Anne Lafortune, Sri Lankan high commissioner Rajatha Piyatissa, chief executive of the Seychelles Tourism Board Sherin Naiken, chief executive of the Small Enterprise Promotion Agency Penny Belmont, director/general manager  of Vision Voyages PTY LTD, GSA SriLankan Airlines/Mihin Lanka Sandy Kellar and CDC EVENTS & Travels (Pvt) Ltd Imran Hassan and its local partner Vipul Kanumale, and the chairman of the Seychelles Chamber of Commerce and Industry Marco Francis.
 

The exhibition which that will organised at the National Sports Council at Roche Caiman will see traders from Sri Lanka to India, Abu Dhabi to Singapore and from neighbours of the Indian Ocean to join the local business community for South-South cooperation to take place and for trade to meet trade fair.

Minister St.Ange said we are all tourism ambassadors for Seychelles and that we needed to understand the need to reposition the country in all its markets. This coming food & hotel exhibition is part of what the Tourism Board calls Business Tourism in the MICE Market of Events, Conferencing and Incentives.

The Minister added that the exhibition will be a chance to see a wider range of quality products on the doorsteps of Seychelles.
 

"We are encouraging hotel owners and traders to go meet these exhibitors, to establish new contacts and in so doing open the door for out private sector to strengthen itself," Minister St.Ange said.
 

He added that the idea is to bring diversity and to also give the local traders the chance to boost up their services through the new range of products.
 

Speaking at the conference, Mr Piyatissa said he is keen to ensure this event becomes successful as Sri Lanka and Seychelles enjoy a strong bond of cooperation.
 

This first food and hotels exhibition will help to cement that bond which exists between the two countries, he said.
 

"Through this exhibition, the local community will be able to establish a chain of suppliers for the hotel industry, thus this will be a boost for the Seychelles’ tourism industry," he said.

Mr Marco Francis said the Chamber of Commerce & Industries is always encouraging this kind of event in Seychelles to open more doors for the local business community.
 

The CDC EVENTS & Travels (Pvt) Ltd is liking with local partners such as the Sri Lankan High Commission, Senpa, the Seychelles Chamber of Commerce & Industries, the Seychelles Investment Board, the Ministry of Tourism and Culture and the Tourism Board.
 

Exhibits at the fair will be in various categories such as food and beverages, catering equipment and services, furniture and tableware, and health leisure and entertainment.

During the three-day fair, there will be a culinary contest whereby local chefs will compete for culinary honours in 11 categories such as creative bread display and creative coffee.
In a PowerPoint presentation, Mr Hassan gave details of the fair and the culinary contest, adding that some big hotels have already registered.

Mr Hassan said there will be special awards to be given such as the best chefs and the most outstanding culinary competition.
 

Mihin Lanka is set to be the main airline partner of this Food and Hotels exhibition Seychelles 2014.

During the press conference, Minister St.Ange also spoke about the Chamber of Commerce & Industry’s annual trade fair to be held starting May next year as part of the FetAfrik festival. "Last year for our Kreol Festival in October President Didier Robert of La Reunion headed a impressive delegation of from the business community of La Reunion to stage a Trade Fair and push La Reunion products. Earlier this year Mr Marco Francis and the Chamber of Commerce & Industries hosted a small trade fair primarily made up of Mauritian Business Partners, in May next year we shall offer a trade fair to promote South-South Cooperation where many regional countries will display their products and build new connections" Minister Alain St.Ange said.

Minister St.Ange said Seychelles was ideally positioned to promote the concept of friends for all, enemies of none, allowing our country to become a hub where trade partners of our region will come to develop South-South cooperation.

Minister St.Ange said it is good to see the private sector leading the way to set a new wave in bringing support to the MICE Market, one of the targeted niche markets for Seychelles.