World press praises Seychelles' innovative Carnival of Carnivals

(Forimmediaterelease.net) The Tropical Creole islands of the Seychelles have taken the world press by storm with the success of their unique “carnival of carnivals." Seychelles launched a carnival with a different twist when they invited the Community of Nations to participate in the island’s carnival and display to the world their own culture, unique selling points, and what their country is all about.

Twenty-one carnival floats from a range of countries joined a further sixty Seychelles floats when they descended on the Seychelles for the island's 2011 carnival edition, which was held in March this year, and everyone has been praising its success. This week, the French TV 5 Monde aired a feature on the Seychelles “carnival of carnivals" with popular TV Presenter Lise-Laure Etia highlighting the unique attributes of this carnival with a difference. Lise-Laure Etia also carried an interview with Alain St.Ange, the CEO of the Seychelles Tourism Board, the organizers of the “carnival of carnivals," where it was confirmed that the 2012 Edition of the Seychelles Carnival, set for March 2-4, will be aiming to attract even more countries from the African mainland and also those from the four corners of the world to continue displaying the unique concept of a melting pot of cultures carnival. TV 5 Monde with Lise-Laure Etia was 1 of 8 TV stations present in Seychelles for their 2011 Carnival, and this week features on Seychelles Carnival have started appearing accross the world.

Invitations to these TV stations were made by the Seychelles Tourism Board to ensure that all countries who participated in the “carnival of carnivals" received due coverage, and their respective culture, unique selling points, and what they were all about was presented to the world at large. Seychelles achieved its mission, and many participating tourism boards have said that they felt encouraged with the coverage they received and that they would be back in Seychelles in 2012 for the island's next carnival.

The Seychelles Carnival has also been receiving dedicated pages in many magazines and publications accross the world. The highly-respected and popular “7 Magazine" in La Reunion last week presented a four-page spread in full color on the Seychelles “carnival of carnivals." They also covered the participation of La Reunion with its own unique World Heritage Site, which comprises a friendly volcano. Miss La Reunion was also well covered in the four-page report, which carried pictures of the creale beauty dancing the sega in the streets of Victoria in the Seychelles.

Alain St.Ange, the CEO of the Seychelles Tourism Board, has confirmed that a souvenir coffee table book and a DVD on the 2011 Seychelles “Carnaval International de Victoria" is being finalized and should be released soon.

MEDIA CONTACT: Alain St. Ange, CEO, Seychelles Tourism Board, Email:alain.s@seychelles.com

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Seychelles President appoints first female judge

(Forimmediaterelease.net) Seychelles President Mr. James Michel has approved the appointment of Mrs. Mathilda Twomey as a Justice of the Court of Appeal, following the recommendation of the Constitutional Appointments Authority.

“Mathilda Twomey will become the first female judge in the history of Seychelles. I congratulate Mrs. Twomey on her achievement and wish her well in her new post. I hope that other young women will look to her for inspiration for a career in the judiciary in the future. Her appointment is timely as we have recently celebrated one hundred years of Women’s Day; it is another victory for Seychelles,” said President Michel.

Mrs. Twomey (née Butler-Payette) is a Seychellois Barrister-at-Law, who practiced law in Seychelles between 1987 and 1995 as a Senior State Counsel and Official Notary, as well as a Barrister/Attorney undertaking Criminal and Civil Litigation in courts and tribunals. 

In 1992-93, Mathilda Twomey was a member of the Seychelles Constitutional Commission that drafted the Constitution of the Third Republic.

Since 1995, Mrs. Twomey has been living and working in Ireland. Since 1996, she worked as a regional coordinator for Multiple Sclerosis Ireland, a non-governmental organization working in advocacy, policy development, and legal advice for people with disabilities.

Mathilda Twomey is completing a Masters in Law at the University of Ireland, and also has a degree in French Law from the University of Paris Sud, France, as well a Bachelor’s Degree in English and French Law from the University of Kent, UK.

PHOTO: Mathilda Twomey / Photo from Seychelles Tourism Board

MEDIA CONTACT: Alain St. Ange, CEO, Seychelles Tourism Board, Email:alain.s@seychelles.com

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Anse Royale hospital Visit (Seychelles)

Visited Anse Royale newly built hospital and Beau Vallon Outpatient Clinic! Well done Chinese Government for the Anse royal project grant. And congratulations to the Seychelles Government for the Beau Vallon Clinic. We will support both places to make sure that both places are fully furnished with all that is required to give the Seychellois people a better healthcare.
I support both projects!

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Three deep wells for the people in Tanzania

in April 2011, African Reflections Foundation ( myself as Founder) jointly with Karen Flewelling of Saratoga New York, will be building yet another three deep wells for the people in Tanzania, this time in three villages in Kigamboni District in Dar Es Salaam. Hundreds of people will have safe drinking water

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Seychelles brand of tourism earns international respect and recognition

(Forimmediaterelease.net) The Seychelles brand of tourism, the vision set into motion by Seychelles President James Michel last year, has not only achieved its first objectives for the country by showing marked increases in visitor arrival numbers, but it is also now receiving recognition internationally as a model that is today working.

Alain St.Ange, the CEO of the Seychelles Tourism Board, left Seychelles for Gabon on Monday at the invitation of the government of Gabon to work with the government of that West African country to discuss their tourism marketing strategies, the creation of their tourism board, and the opening of tourism offices for Gabon.

“The Seychelles Tourism Board was chosen as the model to follow, because it is a recognized fact that the Seychelles tourism industry is working. Visitor arrival numbers are up when other destinations are still struggling. Our successes was noticed even before we increased avaliable airline seats to our country, a shortfall that has now been corrected as the country moved this year to attract more direct flights to Seychelles, and in so doing, we shall not only further increase visitor arrival numbers, but we shall also tackle the tourist supply and demand issue so that our yield from our main industry can now become what we expected it to be," said Alain St.Ange, CEO of the Seychelles Tourism Board. 

The Seychelles brand of tourism was launched after President James Michel personally took over the tourism portfolio last year and appointed Alain St.Ange as the CEO of the Seychelles Tourism Board. The Seychelles brand of tourism has since instigated the development of a Tourism Master Plan and has moved to stop Seychelles from being sold only as a sun, sea, and sand destination, but to become more events based with a specific plan towards the development of domestic tourism for the islands. The first major event of the new Seychelles brand of tourism was the succesful recent Carnaval International de Victoria, which is set to become the “Carnival of Carnivals."

Gabon's invitation to the Seychelles Tourism Board was communicated by the Advisor of the President of Republic of Gabon responsible for the development of tourism, the industry that remains one of the preoccupations of President Ali Bongo Ondimba of Gabon. Mr Alain St.Ange will be arriving in Gabon on Wednesday and will be meeting with President Ali Bongo Ondimba and with the country's Prime Minister, the Minister of the Economy, Commerce, Industries, and Tourism before participating in a working session, which will be chaired by the Minister responsible for the economy and which will be attended by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation, and La Francophonie; the Minister of Arts and Culture; the Minister for Immigration; the Minister of Internal Affairs; the Minister of Transport; and Director Generals of different government departments, hotel general managers and airline representatives.

Mr. Alain St.Ange will hold press conferences after his meeting with the President and Prime Minister of the Republic of Gabon and again after the working session with the different government ministers. The last days of his week's trip will see meetings with Gabontour and a working session with the private sector of Gabon.

PHOTO: CEO of the Seychelles Tourism Board Alain St.Ange / Photo from Seychelles Tourism Board

MEDIA CONTACT: Alain St. Ange, CEO, Seychelles Tourism Board, Email:alain.s@seychelles.com

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TIME Magazine covers the Seychelles island that's a haven for birdlife

(Forimmediaterelease.net) Seychelles has been covered in TIME Magazine in its March 14, 2011 European edition in an article under Flight Center: Great Outdoors by Lee Middleton entitled “Cousine: Birdlife Haven of the Seychelles." The article reports to the world on the conservation efforts on the island of Cousine. Lee Middleton writes: “Approaching Cousine, the first thing the eyes register - after recovering from the sight of the island's blinding white hem of sand - is the sky. Or rather not the sky, but the vast numbers of sea birds diving or wheeling overhead. Over 100,000 of them roost on this 25 hectare island - one of the 115 that make up the Seychelles."

Lee Middleton goes on to bring out in her article that the island of Cousine, which is part of the Seychelles islands group, moved from being a coconut plantation to be declared a reserve in 1986. The Seychelles islands are known for its commitment to conservation, having declared over 50% of its land territory as nature parks or reserves. Cousine island with its four villas of 175 square meters each is listed as one of the privately-owned islands welcoming visitors alongside North Island, Fregate Island, Bird Island, and Denis Island. Seychelles prides itself as being the only group of mid-ocean granitic islands having also a group of flat coral islands. These islands enjoy a year-round tourism industry and are known as the islands of perpetual summer.

Alain St.Ange, CEO of the Seychelles Tourism Board, said that Seychelles was honored with the positive article in the renowned TIME Magazine. “We often say to journalists that we are sure they will become ambassadors of our country after a visit. Seychelles is just a pretty country with unbelievable natural attractions such as our clean and white sandy beaches, our clear turquoise blue seas, the diversity of our islands having both granitic and coral islands, and the diversity in our population, as our initial settlers originally came from the four corners of the world to bring into existance the friendly Seychellois People," Alain St.Ange said.

MEDIA CONTACT: Alain St. Ange, CEO, Seychelles Tourism Board, Email:alain.s@seychelles.com

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Travellers World magazine says best resort - Seychelles, best beach - Seychelles

(Forimmediaterelease.net) Travellers World Magazine has named North Island as the Best Resort in their Top Ten Resorts of the World and has also named Fregate Island Beach as the Best Beach in their Top Ten Beaches of the World. Travellers World magazine organizes a voting systen by its readers to name the Top 100 Places of the World. Seychelles was also voted as the sixth Best Island in the Island Category ahead of Mauritius, which was listed in seventh place. 

The magazine was issued to coincide with the ITB Tourism Trade Fair in Berlin, Germany, which was attended by a large delegation from the Seychelles including Alain St.Ange, the CEO of the Seychelles Tourism Board, who said that it was always nice to receive World Awards for one's unique selling points.

“We have always known that we have the best beaches, which are lapped all year long by our clear turquoise blue seas. Now we also have the World's Best Resort; this is a plus coming at the right moment as we are establishing our very own Seychelles brand of tourism, and North Island fits well in our brand of hotels," Alain St.Ange said.

MEDIA CONTACT: Alain St. Ange, CEO, Seychelles Tourism Board, Email:alain.s@seychelles.com

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Seychelles Tourism Academy takes best school award in 2011 Seychelles Carnival Floats Competition

The Seychelles Tourism Academy was voted best school in the Carnival Floats Competition in the 2011 Seychelles Carnival, held last weekend in the archipelago’s capital, Victoria.

The islands were organizing their very first international carnival which received world coverage from the many press personalities who had traveled there for the big event.

Spectators lined both sides of the streets as the floats proceeded through Victoria in possibly the biggest show ever taken place in Seychelles.
The tourism academy fielded a magnificent float under the theme “A job for everyone in the tourism industry." Students of the academy depicted the courses on offer at their school, such as housekeeping, front office, bar and restaurant, and wellness and spa. While some of them were dressed in their uniforms, others wore skirts and tops in metallic dark green and yellow colors. They performed and cheographed beautifully to win the first prize, which was SR15,000 (US$1247).

The University of Seychelles took the other prize in that category, which was SR10,000 (US$832) for second place. Its theme was “A new education horizon for Seychelles" and showed students at school and later on in life becoming professionals and leaders for the country. The importance of training for the Seychelles tourism industry has been in the minds of the authorities as the President of the Republic, Mr. James Michel, launched the Seychelles brand of tourism for the islands. Seychelles depends on tourism, which remains the pillar of these tropical islands. President James Michel also holds the portfolio for tourism with Alain St.Ange, the known tourism personality, who is the CEO of the Seychelles Tourism Board.
MEDIA CONTACT: Alain St. Ange, CEO, Seychelles Tourism Board, Email: alain.s@seychelles.com

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