Page 18 - 364655 LP243790A Travel Matters Magazine 52pp A4 (July 2022)

INDIAN OCEAN
Travel Matters speaks to
KAREN CONFAIT
Tourism Seychelles Director of Marketing - UK & Ireland, Nordics
How has the market recovered post Covid?
The market is recovering well, with the UK back in the top four source markets for Seychelles, so bouncing back! In June
we were sitting at a third of where we were in 2019 in terms of visitor arrivals, so overall, it’s very encouraging. We are so pleased to see the visitor arrival numbers remain on the rise and great to hear from our operators and service providers that business is booming again.
2020 and 2021 have been challenging years for our small destination and we have invested much effort into reversing the situation. The current numbers indicate that we are well on our way to surpassing the 􏰀􏰁􏰀􏰂 figures.
What booking trends and patterns are you seeing?
There seems to be various trends this year, such as many more last minute bookings, upgrades for long stays, higher category hotels and room types and therefore, overall higher revenue bookings. Travellers are looking for a variety of experiences which we are promoting more and more - from your island hopping to more adventurous stays.
What’s new in the Seychelles that agents need to know about?
While we don’t have anything new in terms of product, we are highlighting our sustainability efforts.
Seychelles has very limited landfill space and very few recycling initiatives so we are encouraging visitors to become part of the local campaign, “The Last Straw Seychelles”, where we aim to reduce the use of plastic straws in the country. Bring along your own reusable straw or buy one locally through The Ocean Project!
Seychelles also has a national ban on plastic bags and ballons. When looking to book accommodation, find out whether they are certified with a sustainable label. In Seychelles, 􏰀􏰂 hotels are now certified with the Seychelles Sustainable Tourism Label (SSTL).
Tell us about the latest air options into the Seychelles and are you hoping to increase capacity?
All the Middle East carriers serve Seychelles, including Emirates, Etihad, Qatar as well as Turkish Airlines and Ethiopian. From Europe, we have flights with Condor, Edelweiss and seasonal flights with Air France. So there is really good seat capacity into the destination.
Give us the top three reasons to visit the Seychelles
• Diversity - such a diverse destination in terms of its people, culture, islands, things to do and see - so much more than just a beach destination.
• Stunning nature - endemic flora and fauna seen nowhere else in the world - perfect for nature lovers and eco travellers.
• Amazing adventure destination - with plenty of opportunities for hikers to explore the lush tropical
jungle and nature trails that can be found on many of the Seychelles islands - as well as stunning waterfalls - and a unique underwater world - all waiting to be explored!
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