A 20-plus delegation from the Seychelles tourism and business community are travelling to Delhi and Mumbai this weekend for various meetings that are set to help position the islands as a holiday destination for Indian holidaymakers. The delegation travelling to India is being led by Alain St.Ange, the Seychelles Minister responsible for Tourism and Culture.
“We are thankful to the support by members of the Indian Association of Seychelles who are working closely with us in the organisation of this working visit to India. The Seychelles High Commissioner accredited to India, Waven William has personally been coordinating the different planned meetings and we are today sure that this trip will bear fruits for Seychelles and for those who are travelling with us to India” said St.Ange.
In Delhi St.Ange will join Minister Shripad Yesso Naik, the Indian Minister of State for Tourism with responsibility for Culture and Sagar Ahluwalla, the Secretary General of PATWA and other Ministers of Tourism from different Indian States to address the PATWA Seminar on Tourism. Madan Prasad Bezbaruah, the Asia Representative of the UNWTO and Sujit Banerjee, the Secretary General of the WTTC will also be joining the meeting.
A Seychelles roadshow is also planned where tourism trade partners of India will meet Seychelles Tourism Operators who are travelling to India to get themselves and Seychelles more known. A series of B2B Networking Sessions is also on the programme for the Seychelles Delegation.
St.Ange and Gilbert Faure of the Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority will also be received by the Indian Minister responsible for Civil Aviation at his Offices at Safdarjung Airport, and with Sherin Naiken, the CEO of the Tourism Board and Benjamine Rose, the PS for Culture they will be received by Naik in New Delhi.
In Mumbai Minister St.Ange and his delegation will meet with Rakesh Mishra, the Vice President of the Mumbai Pradesh Bharatiya Janata Party, the Youth President of the BJP, Yuva Morcha, a number of Film Producers and the Indo-African Chamber of Commerce and Induatries before a series of one to one interviews with the Indian media.
St.Ange, who is expected to deliver a series of addresses at the different organised forums and meetings, said that the Seychelles Tourism Board felt it was time to launch their drive in India now that Air Seychelles is planning to re-start direct flights to India. This visit comes barely a year since the launch of the first edition of the Seychelles-Indian Day in October 2013.
A five person group from the National Cultural Troupe under the leadership of Marietta Matombe will also be travelling to India to provide entertainment during the various tourism events and functions. Members of the Indian Association of Seychelles have come forward to sponsor the travelling costs for the dancers of the National Cultural Troupe.
St. Ange and William will be joined by Sherin Naiken, CEO, Seychelles Tourism Board; Benjamine Rose, the PS for Culture; Gilbert Faure, CEO, Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority; V.J. Patel, Chairman, Indian Association of Seychelles and head of VIJAY Constructions; Marco Francis, Chairman, Seychelles Chamber of Commerce and Industries; Ramakrishnan Pillay, CEO and Chairman, Pillay R. Group; Shanmouga Pillay of Kannus; Narendra Raghvani of Sahajanand Builders; Narasimhan Ramani a Chartered Accountant & Company Secretary; Pravin Darad, Managing Director, Allied Builders; Rose-Marie Hoareau, Director of Marketing, Seychelles Tourism Board; Manish Jha of the Avani Resort; Savio Perera of 7 Degrees South; Tekla Maira of Raffles Praslin Seychelles; Amian Roy of Coral Strand Smart Choice Hotel; Gaurai Rai and Prahlad Singh Chauhan of Le Relax Management; Komal Seth and Aletiya Sing of Beachcomber Group of Hotels; Manas Sinha of Banyan Tree Seychelles and Pascal Viroleau, CEO, Indian Ocean Vanilla Islands Regional Organisation.
