The Seychelles Minister for Tourism and Culture, Alain St.Ange, has reiterated to the Southern African Development Community (SADC) the importance of member states to assist in the surge against maritime security and the fight against piracy, which negatively impair on the tourism industry.

Minister Alain St.Ange made the appeal during the SADC Ministers responsible for Tourism meeting, which was opened at the Grand Baie Conference room in Mauritius by the Mauritian Minister for Tourism and Leisure Micheal Yeung Sik Yuen.

Minister St.Ange said that “it is important that this African body recognizes the existing threat of piracy in the Southern African region.”

The Seychelles Minister for Tourism and Culture has also acknowledged and commended the effort of the SADC member countries to consider the specificities of island oceanic states to gather projects to feature in the SADC infrastructure’s master plan.

In their deliberations, the SADC Ministers responsible for tourism have approved in principle a proposal for tourism minister’s of the Southern African development community block to meet before December 2012 for a study analysis in the cost benefit of RETOSA and decide whether the Southern African tourism body should remain in South Africa or return to the Angolan capital, Gaborone, to be part of the SADC headquarters.

The proposal to bring RETOSA back to its original organization was put forward by the South African Minister responsible for Tourism, Martinus Van Scnalkwyk, on the basis of its cost effectiveness and for new dynamism.

The Seychelles Minister responsible for Tourism and Culture has also briefed the SADC Ministers of Tourism of the forthcoming Routes Africa 2012 conference to be held in Seychelles from July 8-10, 2012.

“Participants of the forum will include representatives from the airline industry, tourism authorities, and civil aviation authorities, and for this 2012 edition, we are looking at the cruise ship businesses, because our region remains an ideal venue for the fly-cruise business possibility option,” Minister Alain St.Ange said.

The Seychelles Minister for Tourism and Culture said that “Seychelles noted the importance to push forward the triangular approach to tourism by consolidating the tourism authorities, civil aviation, and airlines with the added angle of cruise ship integration for this year’s edition of Routes Africa 2012.:

Following Seychelles bid to host the next RETOSA Board meeting, the Seychelles Minister of Tourism and Culture proposed that the meeting take place in July before the Routes Africa 2012 Conference. The Seychelles Tourism Authority will liaise with the SADC secretariat to confirm the final dates for the RETOSA Board, which will be held in Seychelles.