The German Swimmer André Wiersig has landed in Seychelles on a bright and sunny Saturday two weeks ahead of his Seychelles challenge, the long-awaited Seychelles Open Ocean Project anticipated for mid-April.
Joining forces with various entities in Seychelles André Wiersig dedicates his challenge to sustainable tourism and plans to swim from the main island of Mahé to the island of La Digue covering a distance of more than 50 kilometres in the Indian Ocean.
The project initiated by TourBookers, the biggest digital platform for tours in Seychelles and the Seychelles Chamber of Commerce and Industry in partnership with The German Ocean Foundation has received the support of the Government of Seychelles, through the collaboration of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Tourism, Ministry of Youth Sports & Family, Enterprise Seychelles Agency, Seychelles Hotel and Tourism Association and the Department of Culture.
Present at the Seychelles International airport at Pointe Larue to welcome the German swimmer, the Director-General for Destination Marketing at Tourism Seychelles, Mrs Bernadette Willemin was accompanied by the National Sports Council representative Mr Alain Alcindor and the CEO of Tourbookers Seychelles Mr Mervin Cedras.
The Director-General highlighted that Seychelles hosting the Open Ocean Project will certainly boost the country’s visibility and stated that the event will be the perfect opportunity to place the destination back in the limelight as an ideal location for sports tourism in the region.
“We are anticipating that 2022 will be the year that sees the restart of all our international events, and we are glad that the Open Ocean Project is kicking it off in style as the event bodes in perfectly with the destination’s philosophies,” said Mrs Willemin.
Speaking to the media, Mr Wiersig mentioned his excitement to be in Seychelles for this historical event. “This is my next contribution to a larger ecological movement, and through swimming, I want to inspire others to protect our ocean,” he said.
The swimmer says he is looking forward to getting comfortable in the current local climate and dedicating his energy to his mental and physical training as part of his preparations for the main event.
The Open Ocean Project will showcase the island’s versatile features as an ideal sports event destination and promote its pristine environment, strong stand for sustainability, and rich cultural heritage.
