Tourism Seychelles continued its strong overseas marketing drive with its attendance in Saudi Arabia at the end of September and France at the start of October.
This comes after its Seychelles Day workshop in Italy last month.
Saudi Arabia
Tourism Seychelles solidified its presence in the Middle East with its participation in the Kingdom Business & Luxury Travel (KBLT) Congress in Saudi Arabia.
The congress, held at the Crowne Plaza Riyadh RDC Hotel & Convention, served as a closed-door platform to connect the global travel and tourism industry with Saudi Arabian buyers.
KBLT Congress facilitated partnerships by connecting global suppliers of the travel and tourism industry, such as hotels and resorts, destinations, concierge companies, cruise lines, airlines, and air charter companies and other travel solution companies from across the world, with handpicked decision-makers for outbound corporate, business and luxury travel from across the Kingdom.
Ahmed Fathallah, the Tourism Seychelles Middle East representative, said: “Our participation in the KBLT Congress has helped us to pave the way for new business opportunities with our Saudi partners. We had the opportunity to engage with industry professionals, seek innovative partnership opportunities, and showcase what Seychelles has to offer as an appealing vacation destination.”
The congress provided a platform for the representatives of Tourism Seychelles in the Middle East to reinforce existing relationships and forge new ties in the Saudi Arabian region with the objective of increasing demand for the island destination from Saudi Arabia.
France
Tourism Seychelles also attended France's 45th edition of its prominent international tourism trade fair at Porte de Versailles, IFTM Top Resa, with the aim of strengthening its bonds with France’s tourism industry.
The Seychelles delegation, led by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism, Sylvestre Radegonde, spotlighted the destination’s top attractions and actively engaged with industry professionals and the media.
Bernadette Willemin, Director General of Marketing at Tourism Seychelles, emphasised the diverse array of experiences available to visitors and the critical role events like IFTM Top Resa played in generating sales leads, fostering networking opportunities, and elevating brand awareness.
Throughout the event, Seychelles representatives engaged in fruitful discussions with major tour operators and airlines that serve the destination. The Seychelles stand also hosted meetings with press and media representatives.
Willemin expressed her satisfaction with the results from this year’s trade fair, noting a surge in interest in the Seychelles. French trade partners also demonstrated enthusiasm for collaborative efforts to promote the destination.
France has consistently been one of Seychelles’ leading markets in terms of visitor numbers, with 2023 already witnessing a significant influx of French visitors to the islands.
