Five young Seychellois students following hospitality and tourism studies on the island of La Reunion, met with Ministers Jean-Paul Adam and Alain St.Ange who were on an official working visit to La Reunion.

Shabellah Bristol, Vanessa Savy, Jasmine Talma, Ternesna Cadeau, and Elsia Renaud were all working at the government establishment of MOKA in St. Denis, La Reunion, when President Didier Robert of La Reunion hosted Tourism Ministers of the Indian Ocean Commission (COI) for lunch during the Ministers’ Summit.

Present at the lunch was also Minister Jean Paul Adam, the sitting President of the Indian Ocean Commission (COI); Mr. Jean-Luc Marx, the Prefet de La Reunion; andMr. Jean Claude de L’Estrac, the Secretary General of the Indian Ocean Commission (COI); among others.

It was an opportunity for the Seychellois Ministers Jean Paul Adam (Foreign Affairs) and Alain St.Ange (Tourism and Culture) to meet with their five hospitality and tourism students to see how they were and to get an update on how their studies were progressing.

“We were happy to see our very own students working alongside their La Reunion counterparts serving at this important lunch function. They were shining with pride and keen to showcase their ability,” said Minister Alain St.Ange, whose Ministry overseas the Seychelles Tourism Academy that is responsible for these students.

Four of the students are completing an attachment program at the end of this month and were looking forward to returning to Seychelles.

“These people-to-people contacts are the basis of a wide cooperation with Reunion. We are proud that our young professionals in the tourism industry can benefit from this fantastic learning experience, whilst also sharing ‘the Seychelles touch’ with our neigbors,” Minister Jean Paul Adam said to the press in La Reunion after meeting with the Seychellois students.

Tourism remains the pillar of the Seychelles economy and emphasis on training for the industry remains a government priority. “We are always raising the bar in how we train our young Seychellois to be better prepared and to be ready to take up more senior positions in our tourism industry. This is why President James Michel personally pushed for the reconstruction of the Tourism Academy, and this is why, Mr. Flavien Joubert, the Principal of the Tourism Academy, is leaving no stones unturned in his drive to work with the private sector trade to deliver for Seychelles what the industry needs and what the industry requires,” Minister Alain St.Ange said.