Officials of the Seychelles Hospitality and Tourism Association (SHTA) and the Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) have expressed concern at the many challenges facing the Seychelles tourism industry.
SHTA Chairman, Louis D’Offay, says while total visitors arrivals in 2011 was a record 194 000, despite economic turmoil in Europe, coupled with the drop of the value of the euro, this year promises to be a tough one.
He said the pullout of Air Seychelles from Europe, the country’s main tourism market, has cast uncertainty among foreign tour operators selling Seychelles. He said it was clear hotels would have to discount but at the same time would also have to bear higher operating costs such as higher VAT and electricity rates.
D’Offay made a plea to government to increase resources made available to the country’s tourism board, to beef up its marketing efforts.
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