The newly-appointed Seychelles Minister for Tourism and Culture, Alain St.Ange, will be in Mauritius between March 26-29, 2012 to attend the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Ministers of Tourism meeting and the Regional Tourism Organization of South Africa (RETOSA).

ETOSA is the Regional Tourism Organization of Southern Africa responsible for the promotion and marketing of tourism in the region. The organization is managed by a board drawn from the National Tourism Authorities and National Tourism private sector umbrella bodies in the SADC region. This year, the RETOSA Executive Committee members and RETOSA Board members will meet in Mauritius for the 48th annual board meeting. The meeting will be attended and represented by the 14 country member states.

During the meetings, Minister St.Ange will deliberate on issues including status and performance of the tourism industry in the SADC region, accreditation requirements of RETOSA, adoption of the region’s tourism growth and development strategic plan, as well as the formalization of a SADC Ministerial committee on the UNWTO 2013 General Assembly.

In a release statement, Alain St.Ange outlined that the SADC RETOSA meetings are “the cornerstone of the Seychelles partnership and solidarity towards tourism growth and development within the Southern African region.”

He added: “All African countries should work on common objectives and join forces to consolidate their marketing efforts in a bid to promote and showcase the diversity of the region to the discerning visitors.”

Minister St.Ange’s presence in Mauritius falls in the wake of Seychelles President James Michel’s state visit in Mauritius where the Seychelles President praised the good bilateral ties that exists between the two sister countries and the need to work together to further consolidate this partnership between Seychelles and Mauritius.

Minister St.Ange’s official visit in Mauritius is geared towards consolidating this bilateral tie. He will be meeting privately with the Mauritian Minister for Tourism and Leisure, Hon. John Micheal Tzoun Sao Yeung Sik Yuen, as well as hosting a press conference with the Mauritius media houses.

Minister St.Ange will be accompanied on this visit by the Chief Executive Officer of the Seychelles Tourism Board, Mrs. Elsia Grandcourt; the Tourism Board’s Regional Manager for Africa, Ms. Marsha Parcou; and the Press Attaché to the Minister, Ms. Bernadette Honoré.