Mr. Marco Ferraz, the President of the Brazilian Association of Tour Operators met with Alain St.Ange, the Seychelles Minister responsible for Tourism and Culture, who is in Brazil on a working visit. Mr. Ferraz is the current President of Braztoa, the Tour Operators Association of Brazil, that has 96 members with 86 of these being all the major tour operators of Brazil.

Mr. Ferraz was happy to see the new drive by Seychelles to capture the Brazilian outbound market, and during the discussions with the Seychelles Minister, he offered his personal support to get Seychelles more known. A special event by Braztoa in the coming weeks will see, for the first time, Seychelles included in the activities by Braztoa to increase their members on outbound business. “This is the direct and personal cooperation that will help position Seychelles on the Brazilian market,” Minister Alain St.Ange said after the meeting.

Several of the main Brazilian tour operators are today promoting a Seychelles holiday through South Africa with South African Airways, or through Dubai with Emirates, and through Doha with Qatar Airways. “These three airlines are all willing and able to work with us. They all place Seychelles as the holiday destination which is but one stop away. Today, Brazilians who predominantly holidayed in the USA or Europe, are looking for new destinations, and this is the call we are making and will continue to make with all our partners now working with us on the ground in Brazil,” Minister Alain St.Ange of Seychelles said.

The Braztoa President was happy to note that the Top School of Samba from Brazil was going to be part of the “Carnival of Carnivals” in Seychelles in February next year to represent Brazil in this unique event.