Seychellois urged to tap into cruise ship market |30 January 2023

The MV Artania in port viewed from the hilly suburbs of Victoria

•   More activities encouraged to get passengers and crew to spend

By Patsy Canaya

The tourism department has said there is a need to bring services including local food and crafts closer to cruise ship passengers and crew, berthing in Port Victoria, and has appealed to local artisans to tap into the available market.

The minister responsible for tourism, Sylvestre Radegonde, made the call on Saturday while touring the MV Artania cruise ship, which moored in Port Victoria on Saturday afternoon for a one day layover, and paying a courtesy call on its captain.

Minister Radegonde, who was accompanied by a delegation from the tourism department including its principal secretary, Sherin Francis, said that following a generally good year in 2022 where the country welcomed 334,552 visitors, Seychelles has once again set the bar for tourism arrivals in 2023 at 330,000 and for revenue from tourism activities to go up to a billion US dollars.

He stated that in order to achieve this, each individual should play their part instead of relying on the tourism department.

«I am calling on tourism establishments, bars and restaurants to enhance their effort and increase sale. I am not asking for you to overcharge or steal from visitors but come up with ways to encourage them to spend while in Seychelles. They have money to spend, so let us ensure they do not return home with cash in their pockets,” said Minister Radegonde.

He said one such opportunity was when cruise ships call in Port Victoria. The matter was raised during his discussion with MV Artania’s captain, who stated that both their clients and crew have expressed how they would like to see and do more while in Seychelles.

“Cruise ship should not just be about disembarking a large group of passengers that are taken to the beach, and then come back to the ship. If there are activities happening on the ground for them to spend on, they will definitely remain ashore,” he stated.

Mr Radegonde added the crew also queried about street food and they were considering allowing to set up at the Island Development Company carpark, where street vendors will be able to sell local dishes.

The tourism department is also encouraging craft vendors to be in the vicinity although it recognises that this should be done in a proper manner.

“We do not want only big companies and tour operators to benefit from this industry but everybody who has something to offer to tourism. This is a collective work and it should not be the minister’s job to go look for artisans. We should create the right environment and businesses should not hesitate to come forward,” he stated.

Seychelles cruise ship season for 2022-2023 opened in October and 18 ships are expected to dock in Port Victoria during that period.

The latest, MV Artania, which moored on Saturday, left the port late yesterday. It is a 230-metre long vessel, which has the capacity to carry 1200 passengers. For this trip it had 1034 passengers, and 487 crew members.  The vessel which was here from Madagascar, was on its way to the Maldives.

Photos by Louis Toussaint