Seychelles reconnects with trade partners at WTM Africa |25 April 2022

The Tourism Seychelles team at the World Travel Market Africa event in Cape Town

Present at the World Travel Market Africa event, Tourism Seychelles representatives and a small delegation of local partners were in Cape Town to reconnect with trade partners from the South African region.

The three-day international fair, which took place at the (CTICC) Cape Town International Conference Centre from April 11-13, 2022, was the first in-person event for the region since the pandemic.

Tourism Seychelles team comprised David Germain, regional director for Africa and Americas; Christine Vel, director for South Africa and Other Africa, and Ingride Asante, marketing executive for South Africa and African market.

Representing the local trade Amy Michel and Kevin Albert attended the event on behalf of Mason’s Travel and Summer Rain Tours respectively while Jordyn Erasmus and Gina Arntzen were present as Blue Safari Travel spokespeople.

The team met with several trade partners from all over the world, tourism professionals from the Americas, Europe, Asia, and the rest of Africa visiting the Seychelles stand and had series of business to business (B2B) meetings with the exhibitors and Tourism Seychelles to discuss the features of Seychelles as a destination.

Speaking of the event, Christine Vel, the director for South Africa said that the fair was a successful one for the destination.

"We are quite satisfied with the outcome of the World Travel Market Africa as we have seen that our trade partners still have much enthusiasm and interest in the destination," said Ms Vel.

As part of Tourism Seychelles’ participation at the WTM Africa, Mr Germain was chosen as a panelist for the live edition of the World Travel Market Africa moderated by Chris Mears, chief executive (CEO) of African Travel and Tourism Association (ATTA). The panel also comprised the CEO of Tourism Business Council of South Africa, Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa; and Mariette du Toit-Helmbold, chief Destineer at Destinate, and they discussed the revival of the African tourism sector after the pandemic.

Launched in 2014 under the Africa Travel Week umbrella, WTM Africa is a key trade rendezvous for the travel industry. The 2023 edition of WTM Africa will take place from April 3-5.

Contributed