Seychelles tourism industry takes to the sea
Members of the Seychelles tourism industry were seen enjoying the perfect setting of Anse Lazio of Praslin last Saturday just a day after the swim ban was officially lifted. Seychelles is known for its clean and clear turquoise blue seas and its white and clean beaches, accessible all through the year, because the Seychelles benefits from a climate that has given them the name of the “islands of perpetual summer.”
The government of the islands announced last week that they felt comfortable that they had implemented the recommendations from experts that were invited to Seychelles following the two freak shark accidents of mid-2011. The Hospitality&Tourism Association, the SHTA, invited its members to Anse Lazio to be part of the many tourists who flock to the beach that has been voted the World’s Best Beach year after year. Raymond St.Ange, the Executive Director of the Tourism Industry’s Association, with Peter Pomeroy of La Reserve Hotel, and Caroline D’Offay (daughter of Louis D’Offay, the owner of L’Archipel Hotel), led the tourism industry’s show at Anse Lazio.
Charter boat owners and hotel staff from different establishments were also joined by Alain St.Ange, the CEO of the Seychelles Tourism Board, in an afternoon of fun in the sea at Anse Lazio - a picture perfect beach that is today manned by life guards and rescue Zodiacs.
The tourism industry of the island of Praslin, the Garden of Eden of the Seychelles group of islands because of its unique Vallee de Mai National Park with its endemic Coco de Mer (the erotic looking double nut that only grows in the Seychelles), had been requesting for the swim ban to be lifted through representations by their industry’s association. It was not a surprise to see their joy as they swam at Anse Lazio beach just a day after the lifting of the swim ban.
Raymond St.Ange said that it was important to show to the world at large, through the press present and through the many tourists who use that spectacular beach, that the tourism trade professionals also use that beach, which they consider safe. Alain St.Ange, on his part, said that he was enjoying a swim at Anse Lazio on Praslin because: “The Tourism Board wanted to stand with the industry’s professionals, as they were making their point that Praslin was open for business. The Tourism Board had worked with the ministry responsible for the environment in ensuring that recommendations from South African experts that assisted the Seychelles after the 2011 freak shark attacks had been looked at and implemented. Today we know that Seychelles can safely say we even have a life guard program that is being trained and retrained, and that even Australian life guards have arrived to assist with further training to ensure we have a capable service manning our busiest beaches. We share the joy of the Praslin tourism industry in saying that Praslin is indeed open for business.”
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The SMSA (Seychelles Maritime Safety Authority) last week lifted all the swim and dive bans from the island of Praslin, paving the way for all sea base activities to be reactivated from that island that remains a main tourism asset for the Seychelles.