WTM London 2019: Seychelles to showcase eco tourism in 250th year
Rob GillThe Seychelles is hoping a year-long series of events to celebrate the islands’ 250th anniversary will help boost tourism numbers in 2020.
The Indian Ocean archipelago of 115 islands was uninhabited until French colonists arrived in August 1770 and established the first settlement on the island of Mahe.
The destination started the celebrations in September with a cultural performance in capital Victoria, and festivities are due to continue for the next 12 months.
Sherin Francis, chief executive of Seychelles Tourism Board, called the anniversary a “watershed moment” for the country and an “opportunity to celebrate our history, diversity, culture and those ties that bind us together as a nation”.
“It also serves as an opportunity to bring another dimension to our appeal as a tourism destination by placing increased emphasis on the historical and cultural aspects of the Seychelles islands and underscore them to the world via a raft of activities, events and other happenings due to take place throughout 2020,” added Francis.
Another key focus for the Seychelles is highlighting eco-tourism and its commitment to sustainability – it was the first country in the world to include conservation efforts in its constitution.
The islands have vowed to go “above and beyond” to preserve its natural heritage with protected national parks making up 60% of the country’s total land area – the highest proportion in the world.
The Seychelles government has also made moves to limit the number of tourist beds per island to ensure any growth in tourism does not come at the expense of the environment.
The commercial use of plastic bags, cups, plates and cutlery was also prohibited in 2017, followed by the ban of single-use plastic straws last year.
During the first six months of 2019, the Seychelles saw visitor numbers rise by 9% to 187,000 compared with the same period in 2018.
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