On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Seychelles’ tourism industry, and in response to President James Michel’s call for the Seychelles Tourism Board to be the drivers of the Seychelles’ brand of tourism, the tourism board, in collaboration with the President’s office, has produced a “green paper” of the Seychelles’ Master Plan for Tourism.

The first draft of this important document, which will chart the way forward for Seychelles’ tourism, was presented to President James Michel this morning at State House. When presenting the paper, the chief executive of the Seychelles Tourism Board, Alain St. Ange, said it is important for the country to take stock of the strengths and weaknesses of its industry that is so vital for the country’s economy, so that it can keep on making new achievements.

“Seychelles has achieved so much in the last 40 years since its tourism industry was launched in earnest on July 4, 1971. Today, as we launch this master plan to consolidate our industry’s future, we have to recognize that the decision by President Michel, through his vision to get Seychelles and the Seychellois to claim back their industry, we are setting the base for the consolidation of our industry,” said Mr. St. Ange.

Mr. St. Ange commended the President for himself taking responsibility of the tourism portfolio when he needed to bring about his vision for the industry and its future. He also thanked the President for initiating the master plan with which to measure the industry’s progress and contribution to the economy.

“Tourism is today the leading pillar of the Seychelles’ economy and it is a model that is working. It is for this very reason that we should not let it run on without assessing where we are going and what we want to achieve in the next five years,” he said, “President Michel initiated the master plan at a good time, when the new Seychelles’ brand of tourism was taking life and the people were being encouraged to come forward and be part of this vibrant industry. All sectors and everyone is now being covered in this new plan.”

Based upon input from all relevant sectors of Seychelles’ tourism industry after an exhaustive fact-gathering exercise, the purpose of this master plan has been to create a road map for tourism that will consolidate the industry over the long term, while providing it with the sustainability it will require to prosper.

Distilled from a wide body of opinion and from the experience of industry stake-holders, this document is valid for 5 years, after which time it will require updating.

The final document is expected to be published at the end of November 2011 and the tourism board takes this opportunity to invite the tourism industry, affiliated members, government departments, and all other relevant agencies to provide their feedback and suggestions for consideration by mid-September 2011.