Last Friday evening, Michael Sik Yuen, the Mauritian Minister responsible for Tourism, officially declared open the First Edition of the Mauritius Shopping Fiesta, the event that today claims that Mauritius offers goods at cheaper prices than Dubai and Shanghai, in the presence of HE Jean Luc Duval, the Deputy Prime Minister of Mauritius, Minister Alain St.Ange from the Seychelles, and Mauritius Ministers Von Mally and Aimee.

Minister Michael Sik Yuen spoke about the challenges facing Mauritius and the need to increase spending by the visitors through making Mauritius the shopping tourism destination. The Fiesta will last for a whole month with all shopping centers offering remarkable discounts and airlines offering extra kilos as checked-in luggage.

The Mauritian Minister spoke after Robert Desvaux, the Chairman of the Mauritius Tourism Promotional Authority, and their Chief Executive Officer, Karl Mootoosamy, had addressed the gathering at the Bagatelle Shopping Center of Mauritius.

“Mauritius has launched its own event in Calendar of Events of the Indian Ocean Vanilla Islands Grouping. Seychelles has the annual Carnaval International de Victoria co-hosted this year by Seychelles and La Reunion, and Madagascar and La Reunion have also put forward their own event, which is now promoted by all the six islands of that region. I am in Mauritius in the spirit of solidarity, and I bring greetings from Seychelles, as I wish Mauritius all the success with its Shopping Fiesta,” Alain St.Ange, the Seychelles Minister responsible for Tourism and Culture, said in Creole as he took the podium at the official opening ceremony at the Bagatelles Shopping Complex.

A delegation of drummers from the Carnaval de Paris and spectacular ladies from the Rio Carnival then paraded through the Bagatelle Shopping Complex before meeting at La Pirogue Hotel for a beachside banquet dinner where a cocktail competition was underway.

Also present for the Shopping Fiesta were Miss England 2012, Miss UK 2011/2012, Miss India, Miss La Reunion, and Miss Lebanon.

It is also reported that Minister Michael Sik Yuen of Mauritius and Minister Alain St.Ange from the Seychelles also met for a one-to-one breakfast meeting on Saturday morning at Le Victoria Hotel.