The Minister for Tourism and Culture, Mrs Amanda Bernstein, held a courtesy meeting with senior executives of Emirates Airline on 12 June 2026, reaffirming the strong partnership between Seychelles and one of the destination’s most significant airline partners.
The Minister was accompanied by the Principal Secretary for Tourism, Mrs Sherin Francis. The Emirates delegation was led by Mr Majid Al Mualla, Divisional Senior Vice President, International Affairs, and included Mr Essa Sulaiman Ahmad, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations – West Asia & Indian Ocean, the Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Holidays, and other senior officials.
The meeting provided an opportunity to discuss the performance of the Seychelles tourism sector over the past three months and review the impact of recent geopolitical developments in the Middle East on international travel demand.
While Seychelles had recorded positive growth in visitor arrivals at the beginning of the year, the regional crisis resulted in a significant decline in arrivals during March, with visitor numbers dropping by approximately 37% compared to expectations. Both parties acknowledged that the downturn reflected temporary market disruption rather than any weakening of Seychelles’ appeal as a world-class tourism destination.
Discussions focused on recovery strategies, market stimulation initiatives and opportunities to strengthen collaboration across key source markets. Emirates reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the destination’s recovery efforts through continued connectivity, joint marketing activities and enhanced promotional initiatives.
Minister Bernstein welcomed Emirates’ continued support and highlighted the critical role the airline plays in connecting Seychelles to international markets.
“Emirates has been a valued and reliable partner for Seychelles for many years. The discussions held today demonstrate our shared commitment to overcoming current challenges and ensuring the continued growth and resilience of our tourism industry,” said Minister Bernstein.
The meeting concluded with both parties reaffirming their commitment to work closely together in the months ahead, leveraging Emirates’ extensive global network and Tourism Seychelles’ destination marketing efforts to accelerate recovery.
Emirates remains one of Seychelles’ most significant airline partners, providing year-round connectivity through Dubai and contributing substantially to visitor arrivals from key international markets.
