The French Department of Martinique and the Seychelles are set to cooperate in the field of tourism and culture after the proposed signature of an MOU between the two islands are signed by Minister Alain St.Ange, the Tourism and Culture Minister of the Seychelles, and Mrs. Karine Roy-Camille, the Tourism Commissioner of the Martinique Regional Council after discussions with the island’s Presidente de la Commission Culture.

The two heads of tourism from the Seychelles and Martinique met on the sidelines of the 2012 Caribbean Tourism Association’s State of the Industry Conference, which saw the Seychelles Minister deliver an address on National Tourism Boards, and also sit on a panel discussion chaired by the UNWTO Regional Director for the Americas, Mr. Carlos Vogeler, with Mr. Laurence Bresh, Britain Marketing Director from Visit Britain, and Mrs. Helen Schur Parris, the CEO of Sunline.

Areas of possible cooperation between Seychelles and Martinique includes: 1) cultural exchanges between the two islands, 2) study ways to cooperate in the field of tourism marketing, 3) participation by Martinique in the Carnaval International de Victoria and in the Seychelles Festival Kreol, and 4) placements of Martinique hotel and tourism students at the Seychelles Tourism Academy, among others.

“Our islands have a lot of similarities; we are both Creole-speaking islands that understand each other and working together is only the natural thing to do,” said Minister St.Ange of the Seychelles.

Mrs. Elsia Grandcourt, the CEO of the Seychelles Tourism Board; Mr. Gaëtan Paderna, Martinique’s Director of Marketing, Communication, Cruise&Local Promotion; Mrs. Muriel Wiltord-Latamie, Director, Americas for the Martinique Promotion Bureau; and Ms. Jessica Marie, the Accounting&Administration Coordinator for the Martinique Promotion Bureau also attended the meeting between Mrs. Roy-Camille and Minister St.Ange.