Tourism Seychelles successfully hosted its annual Tourism Forum for 2025 on Thursday 17th July, bringing together key local tourism stakeholders and international market representatives for a day of strategic engagement, market analysis, and forward-looking collaboration.
Held at Savoy Seychelles Resort & Spa, the meeting served as a critical platform to review the destination’s current market performance, align on future goals, and strengthen ties between Seychelles’ tourism sector and its global partners.
The 2025 edition followed a market-focused approach, with a strong emphasis on business-to-business (B2B) sessions between local trade partners and members of the international marketing team, including market representatives based abroad and those stationed at the Tourism Department’s headquarters at Botanical House.
The event was officially opened by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism, Mr Sylvestre Radegonde, who highlighted both the encouraging progress and the ongoing challenges within Seychelles’ tourism industry. He confirmed that visitor arrival figures remain strong, maintaining a 9% year-on-year growth as of last week’s figure.
Minister Radegonde emphasised that by working together to enhance the overall visitor experience, stakeholders can help ensure Seychelles remains a competitive and attractive destination throughout the year. He also reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to strengthening air connectivity by continuing to work closely with airline partners and stakeholders in the aviation industry.
He encouraged operators to enhance service delivery and uphold industry standards to ensure Seychelles remains a competitive and appealing destination year-round, stating, “Seychelles is Seychelles. And we are determined to keep it that way.”
Delivering a mid-year update, Principal Secretary for Tourism, Mrs Sherin Francis, reported a 10% increase in visitor arrivals, totalling 205,000. She noted strong growth from emerging markets such as India (+74%), Poland (+113%), and Israel (+66%), while Europe remained the leading source region with 71% of total arrivals.
“Our continued recovery is not only healthy, but strategically balanced, as we shift towards a more diversified visitor base and focus on experience-led travel," she said.
Tourism earnings rose by 17% to USD 535 million, alongside increases in average daily spend (+5%) and average length of stay (+3%). However, she highlighted the need to improve entertainment and weather-resilient activities, particularly outside the peak season.
Mrs Francis also underscored the importance of air connectivity, with active collaborations across 10 airlines and new routes on the horizon. On the digital front, Seychelles.com surpassed engagement targets, further supported by campaigns with CNN, BBC, and National Geographic.
She called on operators to embrace sustainability, enhance their online presence, and take up training opportunities—particularly in revenue optimisation—to remain competitive and adaptable.
Attendees at the 2025 Tourism Forum included the Director General for Destination Marketing, Mrs Bernadette Willemin, Director General for Destination Planning and Development; Mr. Paul Lebon; the Seychelles Hospitality and Tourism Association (SHTA); Seychelles Small Hotels and Establishments (SSHEA); National Planning; and the Tourism Marketing Sub-Committee; dive centres, licensed tour guides and independent operators who are contributing to the country’s vibrant tourism ecosystem.
Additional Partners included; institutional and regulatory bodies such as the Department of Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine, represented by its Principal Secretary Mr David Bianchi; the Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA); as well as the management and staff of the Tourism Department.
The 2025 Tourism Forum reaffirmed Seychelles’ continued commitment to partnership, innovation, and resilience in the face of global tourism challenges.
