Alexander Jovanovic, Amy Sefton win STB’s Facebook photography contest • Marvis Confait’s photo was the judges’ favourite |23 June 2018

Alexander Jovanovic is the winner of this year’s Facebook photography competition organised by the Seychelles Tourism Board (STB).

His photo obtained the most likes in the final voting.

The photo captioned ‘A spicy slow cooked kari koko zourit [octopus curry cooked with coconut milk] bursting with flavour as it is spilling out of the nautilus shell, perched on black wild rice and mellow avacado salad over a bed of jasmine rice, obtained 282 likes.

Mr Jovanovic wins 2 nights for 2 persons on half board basis in a Junior Suite sponsored by The H Resort Beau Vallon Beach Seychelles.

Amy Sefton clinched the second and third prizes in the Facebook photography competition.

Her photo captioned ‘Octopus tentacles at Claudine, Four Seasons Resort Seychelles at Desroches Island’ obtained 270 likes, while the one captioned ‘Palm Heart Salad at Kannel Restaurant, Four Seasons Resort Seychelles’ obtained 208 likes.

Amy wins a 2 nights’ stay for 2 persons on bed and breakfast basis in a Superior Room sponsored by Le Meridien Fisherman's Cove and a 1 night stay for 2 persons on bed and breakfast basis sponsored by Carana Beach Hotel.

The Facebook photography competition is an annual contest organised by the STB, with a different theme chosen each year.

This year’s competition themed ‘Lakwizin Kreol Seselwa’ [The Seychellois Creole Cuisine] a similar theme as last year, was aimed at getting a diverse selection of photos depicting the Seychelles’ cuisine for the image library.

The competition was open only to residents of Seychelles, aged 18 years and above.

The competition was launched on April 16 and participants originally had until May 7 to submit their photos, but the deadline was extended to May 28 to entice more participants. People were then given 48 hours to vote for their favourite photos, among the album chosen by the internal panel.

STB’s digital marketing executive, Jill Freminot, said: “We had 80+ people who showed interest; around half of whom submitted their registration forms. We received 48 photos in total and 29 were chosen by our internal panel to be placed in an album on our corporate Facebook page for our followers to vote for their favourite. This Facebook album reached 15,556 people in total.”

A prize for the most outstanding photograph has also been awarded by the internal panel. The judges’ choice award went to Marvis Confait for his submission of a ‘Tuna steak with tomato and onion dressing with smoked fish, papaya chutney and octopus coconut curry served with rice’. Marvis wins a dinner for two at Eden Bleu Hotel's Marlin Bleu restaurant.

All photos submitted to the Facebook photography competition become the property of the STB and will be used on its social media platforms, as well as in its promotional campaigns when marketing Seychelles as a tourist destination across the globe.