Seychelles Tourism Minister, Mr Sylvestre Radegonde recently met with the new Founding Committee of the Seychelles Small Hotels & Establishments Association (SSHEA) on Thursday, December 14th, at the Tourism Department, Botanical House. The primary focus of the meeting was to foster the growth and ensure the sustainability of small accommodation providers in Seychelles.
The meeting saw the presence of Mrs Sherin Francis, Principal Secretary for Tourism, Mrs Bernadette Willemin, Director General for Destination Marketing, Mrs Sinha Levkovic, Director for Industry Planning and Development and Chris Matombe, Director for Strategic Planning.
Representing the SSHEA, Mr Peter Sinon expressed gratitude for the endorsement and support received from the Tourism Department. The session kicked off with the Strategic Planning Director presenting the latest statistics and analysing recent travel trends.
The conversation delved into the unique contributions and challenges faced by small establishments in Seychelles, whereby survey results from SSHEA were shared, highlighting top concerns such as high operational costs, noise pollution, and low occupancy rates.
Other points included challenges faced by the country as a whole, such as capping of tourism numbers, long-haul flight limitations due to climate change, and the proposed Tourism Environmental Sustainability Levy.
On the marketing side, during the meeting, the new committee stated their interest in being represented at meetings and events organised by the Tourism Department and its marketing wing, Tourism Seychelles.
Discussions included the policy for small establishments regarding trade fairs, roadshows, and media engagement, as well as strategies for enhancing digital marketing messaging and visibility of small hotels.
They were given insights into forward bookings and a presentation of the tourism marketing plan, discussing traditional market concerns and strategies for tapping into new markets.
The Founding Committee of SSHEA (Small Hotels and Establishments Association) and the Tourism Department conveyed their optimism about the future initiatives aimed at enhancing the visibility of small hotels and establishments in Seychelles. This collaborative effort is geared towards ensuring the sustained success and meaningful contribution of these entities to the dynamic tourism industry.
