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seychelles
Constance Lemuria on Praslin.
Seychelles campaign paying dividends
by Sarah Cornwell
AS LOCAL travel agents
become more familiar with
Seychelles through a concerted trade marketing campaign
and the islands shake off their
exclusively pricey image,
visitor numbers from South
Africa are steadily increasing
and the islands’ suppliers are
showing growing interest in
this market, backed up by
local tour wholesalers here.
115 islands make up Seychelles, each different, some
still totally uninhabited, but
most visitors and packaged
breaks set off from Mahé.
Non-stop flights operated by
Air Seychelles are preferred
but alternative routings are
possible via Ethiopian Airlines
and, now, for the onward traveller, British Airways.
Praslin is a short air or boat
transfer from Mahé and home
to one of two Contance Hotels
and Resorts properties, the
Constance Lemuria (Ephelia
is on Mahé). Paradise Sun is
a popular four-star option
on Praslin, good value and
superb location.
An overnight on Mahé is
not necessary if customers
are booked to stay on Praslin,
however, accommodation is
needed for outlying islands.
“If guests are going to
Praslin, they can connect on
arrival,” explained Margaret
BEST BUYS
World Leisure Holidays has seven nights at Paradise Sun
(half board) from R32,650, valid May 2 – June 22, 2018. Seven
nights half board at AVANI Barbarons is from R26,850. Both
include flights, transfers and approximate taxes.
The Holiday Factory has seven nights at AVANI from R19,060,
with a 35 percent early bird special. Valid September 1 – October 31. Includes flights, breakfast daily, accommodation
in a standard room and return resort transfers.
Seyunique has seven nights at Paradise Sun, including dinner and breakfast daily, taxes, and transfers, from R56,869
for two adults sharing.
Thompsons Holidays has seven nights at Paradise Sun from
R28,552, including breakfast and dinner daily, bonus added
value and flights and transfers. Valid April 9 – June 19. Reference: TH1936310.
16 Travel Industry Review | April/May 2018
Park, Product Manager, The
Holiday Factory.
“The flying time between
Mahé and Praslin is around 15
minutes. If they are visiting
any other island and are
planning on going straight
there, they have to overnight
on Mahé, as the only flights
that operate late are those between Mahé and Praslin. The
ferry service also does not
operate at night. The same applies for the morning return
flight back to South Africa.
You can connect from Praslin
but if staying on any other
island – with the exception
of Cerf and Silhouette – you
need to return to Mahé the
night before,” said Ms. Park.
“Fortunately Mahé has a
good variety of hotels from
five-star to simple accommodation for the one night,”
added Melanie Floor, Exclusive Serenity, representative
for Frégate Island Private.
There is still growth potential to book more twin-stay
packages, which take in two
or more islands, although,
currently, stays of five to seven nights are requested most.
“With the possibility of island hopping, Seychelles also
offers a great variety for those
who want to explore different
islands... something that not
a lot of other Indian Island
destinations can offer,” Ms.
Floor commented.
Jade Crocket, representative for Constance Hotels
and Resorts said: “The top
selling resort for the South
African market is Constance
Ephelia… two main beaches, five restaurants, on-site
adventure activities, such as
zip-lining, abseiling and kayaking through the mangrove
forests… very spacious junior
suites and family villas, to
hilltop villas overlooking the
north beach.
“Constance Lemuria is rated
among the Leading Hotels of
the World [and] personifies
the island of Praslin with its
protected forests and hidden
beaches. The resort is the
home of the only 18-hole
championship golf course in
the Seychelles and one of the
most beautiful in the world…”
She maintained: “The Seychelles tends to be higher in
price than Mauritius, but once
a travel agent sees and understands the destination, they
will be able to sell it more.
It is a true value-for-money
destination.”
The Seychelles Tourism
Board’s annual product roadshow will be held in Johannesburg on July 17; Durban July
18 and Cape Town July 19.
The islands experienced a
17 percent increase in arrivals
from South Africa last year
and more growth is forecast
in 2018.