The meeting that took place in Beijing was led by Alain St.Ange, CEO of the Seychelles Tourism Board, who was in China as part the Seychelles President’s official delegation on a working visit to China.

Alain St.Ange addressed the Beijing Tourism Group on the merits of pushing Seychelles as the new destination for Chinese holiday makers. The Chief Executive Officer of the Seychelles Tourism Board explained the ideal combination options for a Seychelles holiday with an African Safari, or a shopping stop in the Middle East. He explained the promotional campaign launched by Seychelles for the twin-center approach with Africa that stated “From the Big Five to the Best Five.” Mr. St.Ange emphasized the proximity of Seychelles to the African mainland and said that after a safari with pictures of the “Big Five of African Wildlife,” a beach holiday in the Seychelles with its “Best Five” natural attributes was a perfect combination.

Alain St.Ange also touched on the importance of tourism for the Seychelles and highlighted the “Seychelles brand of tourism” concept launched by the President of the Republic, Mr. James Michel. He differentiated the differences between Seychelles and other tourism destinations and explained the two destination possibilities in the one Seychelles stop with a stay on a granitic island - one on the coral islands of the Seychelles. The unique selling points of Seychelles were also tabled for the heads of the Beijing Tourism Group, namely big game fishing or fly fishing, bird watching or island hopping, sailing or diving, casino or golf, etc.

Mr. Alain St.Ange was accompanied at this meeting by Mr. Jean-Luc Lai-Lam and Mr. Lee, Marketing Executives from the Seychelles Tourism Office in China. He then introduced Mr. Derek Savy from Elite Club Seychelles; Mrs. Vania Robert from 7 Degrees South Seychelles; Ms. Andrea Ma from Mason’s Travel China Office; and Philippe Yee-Chong-Tchi-Kan, a tourism professional from La Reunion who accompanied the Seychelles delegation to China. Each of the representatives of the destination management companies at the meeting, then did a presentation of their respective companies as they made a bid to represent the Beijing Tourism Group in Seychelles.

A representative of Air Seychelles was also present, and she took the opportunity of promoting the country’s national airline to the heads of BTG.

BTG is the largest travel and tour group in China with some 90 agents based only in Beijing. “BTG operates right across China. The partnership will open Seychelles as the new destination for China and the Chinese holiday makers,” said Mr. St.Ange.