Other countries who came in on the Executive Council with the Seychelles are Tunisia, Angola, and South Africa. “It is good for Seychelles to take its rightful place on the World Tourism Body of the Community of Nations. This helps our islands to be heard and to be seen as a relevant tourism destination. Members of our delegation have been working hard in meetings with other organizations such as SADC, RETOSA, and the Caribbean Tourism Organization and also with other Member States. Because we worked as a team, and because we came as a team instead of just a Minister, we managed to do Seychelles proud. Our Seychelles delegation has also worked long hours with their Zambian counterpart to finalize all arrangements for an MOU to be signed between Zambia and Seychelles during the 20th General Assembly of the UNWTO when the eyes of the world tourism was on Africa," Minister Alain St.Ange said.
Members of his delegation included Anne Lafortune, the PS for Tourism; Sherin Naiken, the CEO of the Tourism Board; David Germain, the Seychelles Tourism Board's Director for Africa and the Americas based in Cape Town South Africa; and Jenifer Sinon, the Board's Director for Administration and HR. Accompanying the Seychelles delegation to the 20th General Assembly was Jimmy Butt, the Seychelles Tourism Ambassador in Zambia, and also Elsia Grandcourt, the outgoing CEO of the island's Tourism Board, whose new posting as the UNWTO's Director for Africa was to be announced at the General Assembly itself.
“We knew that someone from our islands was going to be named as the Director for Africa for the United Nations World Tourism Organization, and it was important to have the person with us as part of our team. Elsia Grandcourt has done Seychelles proud, and everyone in our islands who has Seychelles at heart will be rejoicing that a Seychelloise from the whole world of tourism has been singled out to take up such an important position in the world's tourism umbrella body," the Seychelles Minister said in Zambia.
“We are, of course, happy to now have a seat on the Executive Council of the UNWTO. This United Nations tourism body remains the most important grouping for the tourism industry. Our presence will help us to get our region and Africa more in focus when decisions on or about tourism is being made," Minister St.Ange of the Seychelles said.
PHOTO: Minister Alain St.Ange of the Seychelles addressing the Commission for Africa of the UNWTO
