The Tourism Department has successfully concluded the validation phase of the La Digue Visitor Use Management Plan (VUMP) following a week-long series of consultations that began on La Digue on Monday, 1st September, and concluded on Mahé on Thursday, 4th September.
The validation workshops brought together government, private sector, and community representatives to review and refine the draft plan, ensuring it reflects the voices and insights of key partners in shaping the island’s future as a model for sustainable tourism.
The VUMP is a strategic framework designed to safeguard La Digue’s pristine environment, celebrate its rich cultural heritage, and enhance the well-being of its community. Developed in collaboration with TEAM Tourism Consulting and supported by the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), the plan examines the rising challenges faced by La Digue in recent years, including increasing visitor numbers, congestion in key areas, and limited enforcement of existing policies.
At the same time, the framework offers a forward-looking strategy that seeks to balance tourism growth with environmental stewardship and community empowerment, reinforcing La Digue’s standing as Seychelles’ ecotourism destination.
Built around three key themes—innovative leadership, responsible management of natural assets, and a visitor economy that benefits all—the VUMP takes a zonal approach to ecotourism, dividing La Digue into Community Ecotourism, Dispersed Adventure Ecotourism, and Marine Ecotourism, each offering unique visitor experiences. It sets out eleven strategic objectives, ranging from trail development and marine activity management to the celebration of Creole culture and heritage. The framework also underscores the importance of data, establishing visitor benchmarks and strengthening how tourism’s impact and value are measured.
Rooted in the findings of the 2021 carrying capacity study and building on earlier assessments, the first phase of the project, which ran from November 2024 to July 2025, involved an extensive consultation process with both local and national stakeholders. This phase combined in-depth research with broad stakeholder engagement, beginning with a review of Seychelles’ planning context, international best practices, and key tourism trends for La Digue.
The consultation then progressed through two phases of workshops, discussions, and feedback sessions with site managers, tourism operators, government agencies, NGOs, and community members on both La Digue and Mahé.
In total, 125 stakeholders contributed, including 86 individuals on La Digue (37 of whom were tourism operators), 20 government agencies, 6 NGOs, and 3 educational institutions. Their collective input informed the draft plan and its monitoring and evaluation framework, which was subsequently presented to stakeholders for validation.
Speaking to the residents and tourism stakeholders on La Digue, the Principal Secretary for Tourism, Mrs Sherin Francis, stated that the La Digue VUMP once approved will serve as a long-term blueprint for managing visitor use, ensuring that tourism continues to benefit the local community while safeguarding the island’s iconic landscapes for generations to come.
“After we have received government’s approvals the La Digue’s Visitor Use Management Plan should serve as our guide to responsible tourism on the island, where every visitor experience respects the island, its culture, and its people. we believe La Digue can become this hotspot that showcases the authentic Seychelles experience and its culture. This plan once implemented will help us enhance the appeal of our tourism products and take our visitors on a true walk-through-time journey,” said Mrs Francis.
With the validation phase complete, the final report will be submitted to the Tourism Department before being presented to the Cabinet of Ministers for endorsement.
