President opens first phase of new tourism academy |27 June 2015

Modern and well-equipped classrooms, an ICT (Information and Communication Technology) section, a specialised library, office space and a modern kitchen and new restaurant, those are the new facilities built as part of the first phase of the new Hotel and Tourism Academy building at La Misère.

It was President James Michel who had the honour to unveil the plaque to officially inaugurate the new facilities, in the company of Vice-President Danny Faure, Minister for Tourism and Culture Alain St Ange and the academy’s principal Flavien Joubert. Other guests included members of the diplomatic corps, members of the National Assembly (MNAs), members of the National Celebrations Committee and of the Seychelles Hospitality and Tourism Association (SHTA) as well as lecturers and students.

In a short speech, Minister St Ange described the occasion as “a great day”, as he feels that “we have delivered for the trade, the country and more importantly for the students who aspire to join the trade which remains the pillar of Seychelles’ economy”.

He remarked that under the leadership of President Michel, the country has been able, added to an inter-ministerial committee which permits discussions with other government sectors of the tourism trade, to establish a perfect public-private partnership which involves the SHTA and private operators. He believes that this has helped the trade deliver on the president’s vision to take back our tourism industry.

“These types of operations are an example to other countries in the world,” Minister St Ange said, adding that “government has realised that if we want to keep our five-star status as a tourist destination, we must invest in necessary facilities”.

“There is nothing best to learn in the atmosphere that Seychelles offers the best,” commented the minister responsible for tourism.

He went on to remind that the STA is, with the help of the French government, the first educational institution in the country to offer half of its courses in French and half in English. He noted that in the spirit of regional cooperation in the field of tourism, the relations with France and its Indian Ocean dependencies of Reunion and Mayotte will continue.

He also thanked Mr Joubert for, with its partnership with Shannon College in Ireland, producing quality students for the trade.

Mr Joubert on his side reminded how the new STA building was conceived:

“In 2009, President Michel visited the STA and promised to build a new academy. […] Today we are witnessing the realisation of a promise made by the president to the students and teachers of the academy and to the people of Seychelles. It was a promise made, it is now a promise delivered,” he said.

He added that as the building was being built, the STA has equipped itself in quality human resources through heavy recruitment and an intensive training programme locally as well as overseas, in order to build up a 100% team of Seychellois lecturers.

Mr Joubert has called on the students to join him in thanking all the “champions” in the tourism industry who make things move and who have contributed in building and equipping the new school.

Daniel Bonnelame, a first-year student of the Tourism and Tour Guiding Course, gave his impressions of having started his studies in the new facilities.

He said he and his colleagues were very lucky to benefit from the state-of-the-art establishment and promised that they will do their very best to satisfy the trade.

Work on the second phase of the construction of the new Seychelles Tourism Academy building will include the construction of a training hotel with separate villas, banqueting centre, spa and wellness centre, reception area and dormitories for staff and students.