The Seychelles Tourism Board has been invited to address the Airlines and Airports Conference, the World Routes Development Strategy Summit, which will be held in Berlin, Germany, from October 2-4. This summit meeting, held with the support of the ICAO, the World Bank, and UBM Aviation, brings together tourism experts, airport authorities, and airlines from across the world. This year, over 2,500 delegates are expected to attend the Berlin Summit. Press from all over the world are expected to descend on Berlin to cover this aviation summit.

The summit, called under the banner “Uniting international aviation stakeholders to shape the future of global air transport,” will this year see Alain St.Ange, the CEO of the Seychelles Tourism Board, take to the floor alongside heads from the Malta and Spanish Tourism Boards to chair a session entitled “Government support in the tourism market and the transformation of the tourism authority.” This session will discuss the subject of “Emphasizing the importance of partnering aviation and tourism,” a point that remains key to every tourism destination.

Alain St.Ange will be accompanied by Elsia Grandcourt, the Deputy CEO of the Tourism Board; Conrad Benoiton, a Board Member of the Seychelles Tourism Board and a former Head of Air Seychelles and of the Seychelles Civil Aviation; and Glynn Burridge, the Tourism Consultant and Copy Writer at the Tourism Board.

The three following points are tabled for discussion by the panel, which will be co-chaired by Alain St.Ange.

- “Are tourism authorities evolving more into a destination management and marketing organization while the government takes a back seat?”

- “Are foreign carriers considered for access on the basis of economic and social contribution and not the impact on national carriers?”

- “What is the impact of flight taxes on tourism and business travel?”

“It was an honor to receive the invitation for Seychelles to be part of the list of speakers at this 2011 Berlin World Routes Development Strategy Summit where we shall address and also co-chair a main working session at the summit, and also be representing Seychelles and participating at the Ministerial Briefing Session of the Summit,” said Alain St.Ange.

Alain St.Ange has, since over a year ago, been a sought-after speaker on the world tourism circuit. He is today credited as having led the revival of the Seychelles tourism industry under the Office of the President of the Republic of Seychelles and with the unconditional support of the island’s tourism private sector trade.