Seychelles Tourism Board presents 2013 Marketing Strategy to private sector trade members

(Forimmediaterelease.net) The Seychelles Tourism Board has presented its marketing strategic plan for this coming year to members of the tourism private sector members in a presentation that took place on the afternoon of Thursday, December 13, 2013 at the ICCS Conference in Victoria.

In attendance at the Marketing Strategy 2013 presentation, were Mr. Alain St.Ange, the Minister of Tourism&Culture, who made the opening address, in the presence of Mr. Barry Faure, the Chairman of the Seychelles Tourism Board, who is also the Secretary of State in the President’s Office; Mrs. Elsia Grandcourt, the Chief Executive Officer of the Seychelles Tourism Board; and Mr. Louis D’Offay, the Chairman of the Seychelles Hospitality and Tourism Association (SHTA).
Also present were the overseas and locally-based staff of the Seychelles Tourism Board, as well as a full room of members of the SHTA and the tourism industry members from the private sector.

The Marketing Strategy of the Seychelles destination for 2013 was presented by Mrs. Elsia Grandcourt, the CEO of the Seychelles Tourism Board, who started the presentation by firstly outlining the tourism board’s vision and mission.

“The Seychelles Tourism Board Global Strategy vision is to achieve for Seychelles the status of the most desirable island destination on the market offering the unique, Seychellois way of life, at the right price, and within a sustainable eco-friendly environment,” she said, after which she proceeded to present the tourism board’s mission.

“In its drive to further raise visitor numbers, the Seychelles Tourism Board will continue to develop and maintain an authentic, dynamic, and sustainable product at home, based on professionalism and value for money, innovation, and cost effective marketing campaigns throughout core and emerging markets,” acknowledged Mrs. Grandcourt.

She then continued by highlighting the targets set for next year, including the strategic priorities which have been identified to be the following: Brand Awareness, Niche Market Development, Education, Product Delivery of Market Needs, Events Positioning, Market Segment, E-Strategy, and last but not least Research.

Mrs. Grandcourt then continued with the presentation by elaborating on each of the priority areas, explaining one by one in detail, including the tactics to be used in order to achieve the set targets of the Seychelles Tourism Board.

Before Mrs. Elsia Grandcourt presented the 2013 marketing strategy, Minister Alain St.Ange, the Seychelles Minister responsible for Tourism and Culture, explained that the role of the Seychelles Tourism Board, including its overseas offices in the four corners of the world and CEO, is to go into the marketplace to promote Seychelles and get Seychelles more visible.

Touching on the diversification of Seychelles markets, the Minister pointed out that “Seychelles is today lucky, as over two years ago we moved to diversify our target market which today is making up for the void made by the losses from the main traditional core markets of France, the UK, and Italy.”

This shows that the policy of diversification has worked, expressed Minister St.Ange, at the same time noting that this should never stop Seychelles from putting in more effort to capture greater shares from the three traditional markets.
The Minister explained that Seychelles had invested a lot over the years in getting itself known in these core traditional markets, and this is why during the two-day marketing meeting, emphasis was placed on re-looking at the Seychelles strategy for these main core markets.

“Budget for marketing has always been a point of criticism of the government, and discussions on that matter was always raised by everyone in Seychelles. Today, government has heard this plea, and today, government has come up with a solution for everyone who benefits from tourism to help with its marketing for the benefit of every investor, large or small, and to help guarantee the consolidation of our island’s tourism industry. The smaller Seychellois investors in tourism are set to benefit from the increased visibility campaigns from the marketing fund, and this will ensure that visitor arrival numbers continue to grow as per the country’s set targets. This will in due course increase the yield from tourism as supply and demand logics kick in. The Tourism Board just needs to continue to market and to diversify the target markets as they have been guided by the trade during the Marketing Strategy meeting and by the Marketing Committee set up in conjunction with the private sector,” Minister St.Ange said.

“Alone the Seychelles Tourism Board will not get far,” the Minister told the crowded room at the ICCS Conference Center, “This is why Seychelles needs to continue to work with partners as we are doing with the ICPT and Vanilla Islands’ concepts. In unity, we have a stronger region, and as we make it stronger, we will find that we will get more business to the region.”

He also appealed to the whole of the Seychelles tourism industry to work together to protect and defend the industry which the pillar of Seychelles economy.
The presentation concluded with questions and suggestions from the trade members who were in attendance, followed by a cocktail at the Wharf Hotel and Marina where trade partners could further discuss and network with the overseas regional directors and managers of the tourism offices of the Seychelles Tourism Board.

The presentation of the island’s Marketing Strategy 2013, which outlines the marketing steps to be taken by the Seychelles Tourism Board so as to further see tourism growth and consolidate its position in the marketplace, followed a two-day meeting, full of extensive discussions, strategizing sessions, and presentations by the Seychelles Tourism Board team, which included its Chief Executive Elsia Grandcourt, overseas regional directors, and managers of Tourism Offices, as well as their local counterparts and important and respected tourism players from the private sector.

Chaired by the Seychelles Minister of Tourism and Culture, Mr. Alain St.Ange, this highly-important meeting was held at Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort&Spa, between December 11 and 12, 2012.

Sourced: forimmediaterelease