Tourism Seychelles has reinforced its strategic collaboration with Emirates through the signing of a renewed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which took place during the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2025, on 29th April, at the Dubai World Trade Centre.
The MoU was signed by Essa Sulaiman Ahmad, Emirates’ Senior Vice President of Commercial – West Asia & Indian Ocean, and Sherin Francis, Principal Secretary for the Seychelles Tourism Department, as part of a delegation visit led by Seychelles’ Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism, Sylvestre Radegonde. The delegation also included Ambassador Gervais Moumou, Seychelles resident Ambassador in Abu Dhabi, Bernadette Willemin, Director General for Destination Marketing, Mr. Ahmed Fathallah, Tourism Seychelles representative for the Middle East market, as well as other representatives from the airline.
The renewed agreement marks the continuation of a longstanding and productive partnership that began in 2013. It sets out the shared commitments to jointly promote Seychelles as a premier travel destination across Emirates’ global network, and to strengthen efforts in increasing passenger traffic to the islands from key international markets.
"We are proud to renew our partnership with Emirates, one which has grown from strength to strength over the years,” said Minister Radegonde. “We are grateful for the support the destination keeps on receiving from Emirates airline, and we look forward to deepening this relationship further – one that should continue to enhance Seychelles’ visibility and create new opportunities for both parties."
Under the terms of the new MoU, Emirates will promote Seychelles through various channels across its network, while Tourism Seychelles will provide support through destination marketing initiatives. These will include assistance for travel agents and tour operators in agreed strategic markets, with special promotional packages, incentives, and collaborative campaigns aimed at boosting visibility and travel demand.
Sherin Francis, Principal Secretary for Tourism, also highlighted the importance of this collaboration: “By continuing our collaboration with Emirates, we are reinforcing our commitment towards the performance of the Dubai-Seychelles route and beyond, which is vital for the continued success of Seychelles as a global destination. Partnerships like this one have now become even more critical in the face of global challenges and uncertainties.”
Additionally, the two parties will organise a series of familiarisation (FAM) trips for travel agents, media representatives, and other key tourism personnel. These initiatives will offer first-hand experiences of Seychelles’ diverse offerings, with Emirates providing discounted or complimentary air travel as part of its contribution. The specific details and frequency of these initiatives will be developed jointly and carried out in alignment with the shared objectives of both organisations.
This renewed partnership directly supports the overarching theme of ATM 2025 – “Global Travel: Developing Tomorrow’s Tourism Through Enhanced Connectivity” – by highlighting the crucial role of airline partnerships in shaping the future of global travel and sustainable destination development.
