Muguette Goufrani, Africa Travel Magazine's Associate Editor, focusing on French Language features and the World Culinary Tourism Expo, has fond memories of Seychelles snd its neighbouring islands off Africa's Indian Ocean Coast. Thanks to Prof. Wolfgang Thome of Kampala, Uganda, we are proud to present the following 'positive news' courtesy of Seychelles Tourism. More to come online and in our new series of World Editions in the Africa Travel and Nature Library. To send material, subscribe or advertising contact us any time airhwy@smartt.com Seychelles announces new strategies and staff structure for tourism marketing The Marketing Department of the Seychelles Tourism Board have announced new plans to ensure that the name of our islands reaches the four corners of the world. This was during its annual marketing meeting held last week and which was officially opened by the Head of State, President James Michel, at the International Conference Centre, in Victoria. With the new strategies, Seychelles will be consolidating its current marketing programs in its traditional markets as well as tap into new markets which have shown great potential. It is to be noted that Seychelles invested substantially in promotion work on several emerging markets last year and now intends to follow up on these during 2010 in its bid to raise the destination's profile on these markets. Key markets Europe remains Seychelles' No. 1 tourist hub with France, Italy, Germany and the United Kingdom pulling approximately 60% of the visitors' arrival numbers. Seychelles has never been as prominent on the Far East and African markets as it was during last year, and it has now made provisions in its new budget and extended staff structure to develop these markets and capture a remarkable share of their outbound visitors. The work of the different overseas tourism offices will be further boosted this year with the new Tourism Ambassadors concept. They are Seychellois living and working all over the world but are willing to promote their country of birth as a tourist destination. Their network of contacts and local knowledge will be invaluable in helping the country tourist offices to better reach and access consumers and tour operators in their regions. Ambassadors The first group of Seychelles Tourism Ambassadors were named during the marketing meeting. But the most significant strategy announced by the Seychelles' Director of Tourism Marketing, Alain St Ange, is the appointment of marketing directors who will oversee the promotion of Seychelles in different regions of the world. This adds weight to Seychelles' determination to bring experience and a sharp eye to its marketing programs, as the regional directors will act as an anchor for the country offices falling under them. Their experience will be vital in market penetration initiatives and effective distribution of marketing activities across the different markets. Key appointments A No. 2 in the marketing department hierarchy has been appointed to assist the Director of Tourism Marketing, in the person of Bernadette Willemin. Mrs. Willemin, a Seychelloise, is based in Paris and is also now the European Director. Besides Europe, where she will have the France, UK, Italy and Germany offices under her responsibility, she will also oversee Russia and the Baltic States. Mrs Willemin had previously been the Seychelles' manager in France as well as being responsible for Benelux, Spain and Portugal. Responsible for the most important markets, in terms of the biggest catchment area of our tourists, she will provide the Director's Office with up to date information on developments in her markets as well as on developing trends. Africa and the America do not only have potentials for growth but they respond well to twin-centre options, a concept which greatly favours Seychelles which have some of the best beaches in the world. Thus, in line with its efforts to forge ahead with the twin-centre option this year, Seychelles has appointed a Director of Tourism for Africa and America &endash; David Germain. Mr. Germain, who is a son of Praslin, is based in Cape Town, South Africa, and had previously been the tourism board's representative for that market. The Far East market needed reinforcement ahead of the ambitious plans for that region and Seychelles has brought in experienced Mryna Michel as the new Asia and Australasia Director. Mrs. Michel, originating from La Digue, will be based in Singapore where Seychelles is opening its first tourist office there. She has been until recently Director of the Seychelles Business Advisory Centre for Asia, in Singapore, and she has also worked in tourism locally before that. The Middle East region remains a profitable and exciting market for Seychelles. Mohammed Al Geziry Consultancy remains the appointed representation office with Julie Muirhead as the islands' longtime manager. Meanwhile, the Seychelles Tourist Offices' managers in the different overseas markets remain unchanged and these offices are now being beefed up to match the new impetus in marketing. OVERSEAS OFFICES The Italy Office is headed by Monette Rose whereas Edith Hunzinger leads the Germany office. Fiona Lane has an all-Seychellois team to help her relaunch Seychelles on the UK market, with coordinators Stephanie Medor and Lorraine Louis. Mrs Willemin will have adequate support as she expands her market territory and Karen Confait from the tourism board head office will be moving to the French capital to strengthen that office. Likewise, Mrs Hunzinger's work on the German market will receive the support of locally-based Christine Vel who is set to move to Frankfurt later this year. South Africa is a potential market which Seychelles has pegged seriously last year with the opening of a second office there. Marsha Parcou runs the second office in Pretoria but Mr Germain will have a new staff in Cape Town later this year, to give him time and support to work on developing the Americas and rest of Africa. The Far East will be well tapped this year as Mrs Michel will get the support of a staff positioned in Shanghai &endash; Stephanie Lablache &endash; besides Dong Chang Jeong and Julie Kim who are both based in Seoul, Korea. Mrs Muirhead will also see added impetus to her efforts to market Seychelles in the Middle East with a new member on her team , Tim Lane-Stott. HEAD OFFICE- MARKET DISTRIBUTION As part of strengthning the Marketing Department, the tourism board has also reviewed its market distribution amongst local staff and in the process named three out of four key marketing executives. The experienced Sharen Venus, long-time representative of the French market, has now taken up the UK market to help get the relaunch of this market moving. She will cover the UK alongside the Reunion and Indian Ocean portfolios. Ms Venus has also been given the responsibility of coordinating the newly appointed Tourism Ambassadors. A second seasoned staff member, Katia Antignani, retains the Italy market but also now takes on board Germany, Austria and Switzerland.The French market, plus the Benelux, Spain and Portugal, now falls with Elza Frichot. The fourth marketing executive will be recruited to take over the Middle East, Russia and the Baltic States and the Far East. Stephanie Lablache covers these markets as she awaits her move to China. The Eastern Africa block falls with Sharon Rosalie who currently holds a senior post in the E-marketing section but has been involved in developing that region last year.   MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Seychelles government refutes report on piracy paradise BY WOLFGANG H. THOME Hon. Joel Morgan / Photo courtesy of Wolfgang H. Thome The government of Seychelles, through the minister responsible, the Hon. Joel Morgan, has categorically refuted allegations spread by the "Independent" in the UK, then subsequently widely reproduced on the Internet, that the archipelago is unsafe for visitors. The government's formal response is reproduced further down in the interest of fair reporting, but before that a few comments in my own capacity. While in the Seychelles very recently, this correspondent had the opportunity to discuss security and related issues with competent individuals, generally thought to be in the knowledge what government does vis-a-vis the protection of the archipelago's territory and waters, the protection of tourism and fishing, and the protection of her own citizens. No one pretended that Somali piracy was NOT a problem; everyone acknowledged that it was a matter of concern but also pointed out that the capacity to deal with it had been substantially boosted in 2009, with better equipment and more men deployed on some islands, as well as by the country's coast guard. Security cooperation with the international naval coalition was also described as "an effective added deterrent" since daily flight by conventional reconnaissance aircraft by coalition partners based at the Mahe International Airport, as well as the use of UAV's or unmanned aerial vehicles by American detach, provided much-needed intelligence about the approach routes of Somali ocean terrorists and gave early detection of their intention to enter the 200 nautical miles economic exclusion zone declared by the Seychelles a while ago. There was consensus in the discussions that as a next step, the mandate and rules of engagement may need reviewing so as to create a more effective deterrent and that the UAVs may eventually need to be armed to be living up to their full potential. There was also agreement that with the strengthening of the legislative regime in the Seychelles, successful prosecution of those ocean terrorists caught can be achieved, and it is understood that special capacity in the main prison on Mahe Island had already been increased with the generous support of friendly nations. It was also learned that further training of Seychellois security was ongoing and that added naval assets would join the coast guard in 2010 to more effectively control the shipping corridors in and out of the main seaport in Mahe and patrol the more outlying islands, some of which are hundreds of miles away from Mahe. It is obvious that the article by the Independent was sensational, that is what obviously sells newspapers, but it did not portray a fair picture of what is going on in Seychelles. Ministerial Statement re. article by the Independent: "Your article &endash; 'How the Seychelles became a pirates' paradise' &endash; falsely suggests to the reader that the Seychelles islands are an unsafe destination where visitors should 'fear' coming face to face with pirates on one of the islands' beaches. "I must clarify that the Seychelles islands are safe. Tourists on the islands of Seychelles are not under direct threat of being attacked by pirates and should not be anxious of what you call 'the big fear' that pirates will 'launch a raid on one of the islands' beaches' or 'nightmare scenarios' of pirates 'waving guns at free-spending tourists' on Seychelles' beaches. "This is an unjustified and unrealistic picture of the current situation. "The Seychelles islands possess a vast exclusive economic zone of 1.3 million square kilometers of ocean, roughly the size of western Europe. "We have appreciated the strong support from all our international partners who have sought to assist us with patrolling and surveillance of the zone. "2009 was a year of increased piracy activity off the Somali basin, and pirate incursions in our EEZ increased. As you noted, this has severely affected the niche tourism sector of leisure yachting and the large-scale tuna fisheries operations and consequently our economy. "However, the impact on sea-based activity and land-based activity should not be confused. Seychelles has been directly affected by piracy on the high seas, as boats passing through the economic zone were targeted. However, Seychelles' tourism arrivals experienced only a 1.4 percent drop from the previous year, unheard of elsewhere in the region particularly during a year when the global recession impacted worldwide travel. "This is proof that, overall, Seychelles' tourism industry was not directly affected by piracy because the tourists are safe. "However, tourism at sea in certain areas is still a risk. The Seychelles government has issued warnings to leisure yachts wishing to sail beyond the inner islands, as it is not possible to guarantee their safety on an individual basis on the high seas. "While Seychelles and its international partners, such as the European Union's naval force, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, India, and the US continue to refine strategies to combat piracy in certain areas of our vast EEZ, both in terms of the surveillance and interception of suspected pirate craft, it is a case of 'business as usual' for all yachting and boat traffic among our inner islands. "Seychelles prides itself on being at the forefront of the fight against piracy as we actively promote our islands as an anti-piracy hub for international forces. We have had a 50 percent increase in the number of warships entering our port in the last year and have increased surveillance programs from our islands. For this reason our islands remain safe and are not, as you nonchalantly claim, a 'pirates' paradise'."