Seychelles forges stronger tourism ties with France at 2023 IFTM Top Resa |09 October 2023
Tourism Seychelles’ participation in the 45th IFTM Top Resa centered on strengthening bonds with France's tourism industry.
The Seychelles delegation, led by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism, Sylvestre Radegonde, spotlighted the destination's top attractions and actively engaged with industry professionals and the media.
Joining Minister Radegonde were Bernadette Willemin, director general of Marketing for Tourism; Judeline Edmond, manager for France-Benelux-Switzerland; as well as Jennifer Dupuy and Maryse William, Tourism Seychelles’ marketing executives France-Benelux & Switzerland.
The Seychellois travel trade was well-represented, with teams from Creole Travel Services featuring Guillaume Albert, Melissa Quatre and Dorothée Delavallade, and Mason's Travel, with Amy Michel, Lucy Jean Louis and Olivier Larue.
Additionally, Seychelles' hoteliers made a significant contribution to the Seychelles delegation, including Travis Fred from Castello Beach Hotel; Devi Pentamah and Marko Muthig from Hilton Seychelles and Mango House Seychelles – LXR; Shamita Palit from Laila Resort; Irina Shorakmedova representing Savoy Seychelles Resort and Spa, and Nives Deininger from Story Seychelles.
Mrs Willemin highlighted the trade fair's significance as an excellent platform to showcase Seychelles’ attractions to travel industry professionals and the media.
She emphasised the diverse array of experiences available to visitors and the critical role events like IFTM Top Resa play in generating sales leads, fostering networking opportunities, and elevating brand awareness.
Throughout the event, Seychelles' representatives engaged in fruitful discussions with major tour operators and airlines that serve the Seychelles destination. Additionally, the Seychelles stand hosted a number of meetings with press and media representatives.
Mrs Willemin expressed her satisfaction with the results of this year's edition of the trade fair, noting a surge in interest in the Seychelles destination. French trade partners demonstrated enthusiasm for collaborative efforts to promote the Seychelles islands.
Tourism Seychelles extended its gratitude to all partners present, conveying optimism for continued collaboration and partnerships within Seychelles' tourism industry to further enhance the market, which had already shown promising growth in visitor arrivals.
France has consistently stood as one of Seychelles' leading markets in terms of visitor numbers, with 2023 already witnessing a significant influx of French visitors to the islands.
Seychelles has been a steadfast participant in IFTM Top Resa, using the platform for conducting business-to-business meetings, negotiations, and networking among French and international companies, as well as intermediaries in the tourism sector. This engagement offers invaluable insights into the development of the French market and anticipated trends.
The accompanying photos show some highlights of the Seychelles delegation’s participation in the IFTM Top Resa.
