The Seychelles delegation in Paris for the 2011 Top Resa Tourism Trade Fair joined Hilton Seychelles Resort&Spa to meet the French press. Alain St.Ange and Bernadette Willemin, CEO and Director for Europe for the Seychelles Tourism Board, joined Maurice Loustau-Lalanne and Bram Steller, Chairman and CEO of Air Seychelles, to address a press conference co-hosted by Hilton Seychelles Resort&Spa at the Hilton Arc de Triomphe in Paris.

Bernadette Willemin, who welcomed the gathered French press, said that Seychelles remains thankful to the French press for being present and for their continued support. Mrs Willemin also thanked Hilton Seychelles Resort&Spa for hosting the press conference and for working closely with the Tourism Board.

Alain St.Ange, CEO of the Seychelles Tourism Board, told the press that he was not in Paris to speak about the beauty of the Seychelles and about the award-winning white sandy beaches and turquoise and clean blue seas, because he said that everyone in the world knows this fact, because Seychelles remains the most sought-after dream tropical tourism destination. Mr. St.Ange spoke about the launch by Seychelles President James Michel of the new Seychelles brand of tourism, which is set to consolidate the island’s tourism industry by involving the Seychellois at all levels in the industry. Mr. St.Ange also emphasized that Seychelles remained that destination that prides itself on having an industry based on personalized tourism.

“We are not a charter destination, nor are we a mass market destination. We offer what we call personalized tourism, and this we know - we are one of the few idyllic tourism destinations still able to promote this unique selling point. Our Seychelles brand of tourism has also moved Seychelles into the world of events with the Seychelles Carnaval International de Victoria annually in March, the Creole Festival in October, and the Festival of the Seychelles in November,” said Alain St.Ange.

Etienne Gailliez, the GM for Hilton Labriz Resort of Silhouette Island, then presented the company’s latest property. Hilton Seychelles Resort&Spa was also represented at the press conference by Gisela Munchgesang and Devi Pentamah, the Director General and the Sales Manager, respectively, for Hilton in Seychelles and Mauritius. Hilton Seychelles Resort&Spa is now managing Hilton Northolme Resort on the island of Mahe and the new 111villa Hilton Labriz Resort on the island of Silhouette.

Gilles Gosselin, the Director of Europe for Air Seychelles, presented to the French press the new logo and livery of the airline and introduced Bram Steller, the airline’s new CEO. Maurice Loustau-Lalanne, the Chairman of the airline, addressed the press on the changes that are anticipated to the airline’s fleet by 2014. He confirmed that Air Seychelles was in the final stages of its planning to renew its existing planes and that two of the older existing Boeing 767–200 are being taken off the run in the very near future.