IDC encouraging tourism projects on Assumption and Coetivy |15 June 2023
Mr Savy (right) and Mr Lionnet during the press conference
The Islands Development Company (IDC) is encouraging tourism developments on the islands of Assumption and Coetivy and has launched an expression of interest in that regard.
The company’s chief executive, Glenny Savy, met with the press yesterday afternoon to give further details on this move.
According to Mr Savy, IDC feels that the time is perhaps right now to conduct such development, especially on Coetivy, where IDC only recently acquired a lease from government for part of the island to develop its cultural activities in the form of a biotic relationship between a tourism development and the agricultural and the aquaculture development that are taking place.
Also present during the press conference was the deputy chief executive, Christian Lionnet.
“Coetivy is a wonderful place, a great site for a tourism development, something similar to Desroches island, so this is primarily the reason why we would like to develop something on Coetivy in tourism at the same time that we are doing agriculture,” said Mr Savy, who noted that they are anticipating a 50-bedroom to a 100-bedroom hotel on the island.
With regard to the tourism project on Assumption, Mr Savy said that the reason is to serve the World Heritage Site of Aldabra, given that the latter’s policy does not permit for such a development to take place there.
He noted that the Aldabra atoll cannot survive without the operations on Assumption where planes and other assistance can land.
The project being initiated by IDC for expression of interest for the moment is for the construction for a 10-bedroom to a 40-bedroom hotel to cater for up to 90 persons for day trips to Aldabra and to return to the semi desert island to sleep over.
Given the cost to maintain and upkeep Assumption, which is around R10 million per year, Mr Savy said that the tourism project will not only allow IDC to reduce its operating overheads and cost on the island, which is good for the company, but would also open up Aldabra to a lot more people than it is doing today, including revenue for both IDC and the country.
He added that apart from helping to reduce the cost to maintain Assumption, the project will also help to minimise the operating loss being experienced on Aldabra.
“Rather than just being cost centered on an annual basis, the idea is to try and develop a small infrastructure on Assumption which will be able to receive guests who then can go on day visits to the Aldabra group and return to overnight on Assumption,” shared Mr Savy.
Mr Savy said that IDC is at the moment looking for interested locals or foreign developers for the tourism project, which will be followed by the environment impact assessment on approval. He added that IDC initially had a plan to construct the tourism facility on its own but has seen it more beneficial for it to be done through direct foreign investment while the company stays as the facilitator.
Speaking on IDC’s activities, Mr Savy said that all are doing well, resulting in the company making a profit of R109 million last year.
He said that the company will need more people to work on Coetiviy as it develops its agricultural sector.
He added that the door is still open for local farmers wishing to invest in the agriculture sector on Coetivy.
Other activities to be carried out on Coetivy include sea cucumber and vanilla harvesting.
Given that the island of Coetivy is the subject of an ongoing court case brought by its previous family owners, Mr Lionnet said that the company is and will continue with its development plan on the part of the island leased to them by government and will adjust its activities based on the outcome of the court ruling.
He noted that IDC is not involved in the ownership challenge case in court.