Ambassador Marie-Louise Potter, the Seychelles Permanent Representative to the United Nations and Ambassador accredited to the USA has said that she was satisfied with last Monday's meeting she co-organised with the International Organization of La Francophonie (IOF) on the question of sustainable tourism development in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) which was moderated by Ambassador Ronny Jumeau, the Seychelles Ambassador for Climate Change and Small Island Developing States.

Alain St.Ange, the Seychelles Minister responsible for Tourism and Culture who had travelled especially to New York for this meeting also said as he left the USA trilled that the question of sustainable tourism development in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) had been well debated and that he was sure that member states of the UN were as interested as Seychelles was because of the lively Q & A open session that followed the presentations at the meeting. The Seychelles Minister had been at the United Nations (UN) this week to deliver a keynote address at this meeting co-organize by the International Organization of the Francophonie (OIF) and the Seychelles on the question of sustainable tourism development in Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

Minister St.Ange was leading a delegation made up by Ambassador Marie-Louise Potter, the Seychelles Permanent Representative to the United Nations, and Ambassador Ronny Jumeau, the Seychelles Ambassador for Climate Change and Small Island Developing States.

Ambassador Potter worked closely with the International Organization of the Francophonie (OIF) to stage the meeting which has resulted in an appeal now made to rally all the SIDS Group around a table for a follow-up meeting prior to the Samoa Meeting.  It was at this UN Meeting that the Seychelles Minister surprised everyone by saying that the topic being discussed 'Sustainable tourism is not just a terminology, it is instead a concept that needed the political will and tenacity' as he demanded that he speak from the heart instead of using his prepared official text. "Sustainable tourism is not just a terminology, it is instead a concept that needed the political will and tenacity. To deliver for our respective population we need to believe in this concept of sustainable tourism and then move to implement it. To be seen and remembered as having been good custodians of what we have been blessed with, we need to act today and follow the sustainable tourism route," Minister Alain St.Ange said.

The Minister spoke after Ambassador Potter had made her opening remarks which reminded everyone present of the importance of believing in the concept of Sustainable Tourism Development. Both Ambassador Potter and Minister St.Ange who took the floor after her said that climate change impacts more broadly the sustainable development of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and that this was why that subject matter was seen as being major challenges for the Small Islands Developing States (SIDS) as was being discussed at that meeting at the United Nations on Monday the June 23 in which a committed delegation from the Seychelles was present. Minister Alain St.Ange, the Seychelles Minister responsible for Tourism and Culture, said that he needed to thank the Organization International de La Francophonie (IOF) for co-organizing this meeting with and alongside the Seychelles.

"We note that in the framework of the Samoa Conference preparations, which is to be held from the 1st to the 4th of 2014, the International Organization of La Francophonie (IOF) is working to develop an initiative on sustainable tourism within the SIDS members. We are all very appreciative of this," the Seychelles Minister said.

This UN (United Nations) meeting in New York was the opportunity for the Republic of the Seychelles to highlight its achievements in the sustainable tourism framework. Minister Alain St.Ange, the Seychelles Minister for Tourism and Culture, said as he delivered his keynote address to the conference that Seychelles wanted to be seen and remembered as good custodians of what the islands had been blessed with. He reminded the ambassadors and country representatives present that everyone in Seychelles had today over 50% of their total land area declared protected zones as nature reserves, and he went on to say that Seychelles had appointed an ambassador to only work with other interested parties on the climate-change issue, he said that Seychelles had put into place the necessary approach to claim back its tourism industry in order to get there people more involved in their very own tourism that remains for Seychelles the pillar of their economy, because he said that without that approach of involving their people, Seychelles could never have a sustainable tourism that could be consolidated for the long term.

The gathered ambassadors and country representatives present were also informed that Seychelles was continuing with the program of Wildlife Clubs in their schools to ensure that their younger generations were developing the interest for appreciating what the islands of the Seychelles had in order to protect these natural attractions and assets. The Minister said that Seychelles had also embarked on the training of their people to ensure that they could join their tourism industry workforce and that they were presently building a brand new tourism academy. The Seychelles Minister also said that they had given their culture its rightful place in the tourism development of their country, and he went on to say that when Seychelles was speaking of culture, Seychelles was speaking of its people which they are putting at the center of their development. "No country has the right to be ashamed of their culture and of their people. It is the duty of the tourism authorities to showcase one's culture and in so doing one's people as real assets of their country," Minister St.Ange said.

Alain St.Ange is a founding member of the ICTP (International Coalition of Tourism Partners) and sits on the Executive Council of the UNWTO (United Nations World Tourism Organisation). For more information about Minister Alain St.Ange of the Seychelles visit:- alainstange.com