Tag Archives: Seychelles

The number of visitors to Seychelles has surpassed figures for the whole of 2021 during the third quarter of 2022, proof of tourism recovery in the country. The 182,850th passenger disembarked at the Seychelles International Airport at Pointe Larue on Wednesday, 27th July 2022, topping the 182,849 passengers who travelled to the island destination last year. As a token of appreciation, the passengers of the morning flights were treated with small gifts from the Tourism Department. The Director-General for Destination Marketing, Mrs Bernadette Willemin, noted that given the difficulties the tourism sector has endured these past two years, she is proud of the great feat that has been achieved. As in previous years, Europe remains the main market source, which accounts for 73.83 per cent of all arrivals. Leading the European market are France and Germany, with the former drawing in a total of 24,615 visitors since the start of the year to week the end of week 29. Behind the European market sits the Asian market, with the United Arab Emirates, Israel and India taking the lead, respectively. “We are delighted to once again be celebrating a significant milestone in our journey towards the recovery of the local tourism industry. Reaching 2021 figures in only 7 months, is an achievement that would not have been possible without the collaborative effort of the government and private sector. We are keeping our eyes on making yet another hit in our 2022 arrival numbers,” said Mrs Willemin. Emphasising the importance of remaining competitive as a destination, Mrs Willemin added that the tourism team has been focused on reinforcing its marketing strategies and intensifying its online presence. “As a destination, we are striving …

Emirates has announced it will increase services to popular holiday destinations, Maldives and Seychelles, ahead of the Easter break. Starting March 28, the airline will offer customers 28 weekly flights to Male, and seven weekly flights to Mahe. The added services will meet market demand and offer customers greater flexibility, choice and connectivity while planning their travels this Easter holiday. Emirates currently offers customers 24 weekly flights to the Maldives, utilising a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. Starting from 28 March until 18 April, the airline will ramp up services to 28 flights a week – offering customers enhanced connectivity to the popular Indian Ocean destination, via Dubai. Tickets can be booked on emirates.com, Emirates sales offices, or via travel agents. Experience world-class spa resorts, pristine beaches and explore stunning marine life in one of the world’s best diving destinations. All travellers to the Maldives, excluding Maldives citizens, must present a negative COVID‑19 PCR test result, conducted within 96 hours prior to departure. Travellers are also requested to complete the online Immigration and Health self‑declaration form within 24 hours prior to arrival. Starting from 28 March until 30 October 2021, Emirates’ flights from Dubai to Mahe will increase from five-times-a-week to seven-times-a-week, utilising a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. The announcement comes as the island-nation is set to re-open its borders for international travellers with no vaccination or quarantine requirements, starting 25 March. All travellers will still be required to present a negative PCR test taken 72 hours prior to departure. Visitors to Seychelles will enjoy the island-nation’s lush, tropical forests, picturesque beaches and diverse marine life. Tickets can be booked on emirates.com, Emirates sales offices, or via travel agents.

Air Seychelles has introduced weekly direct flights from Dubai World Central Airport (DWC) to Seychelles between March 27 and May 29, 2021, starting from USD 343 (AED1,259). As the first country to welcome inoculated travellers from around the world, Seychelles is a safe and travel-worthy holiday destination with strict measures in place to curb the spread of COVID-19. The Indian Ocean archipelago has announced that it will reopen for all international tourists from March 25, by when 70% of its population will have been vaccinated. The seasonal service will operate from the DWC Jetex Private Terminal, renowned for its top-of-the-line experience and unrivaled personalized customer service. The flights, scheduled for eight weeks, will depart Dubai every Saturday morning, arriving in Seychelles around midday, conveniently timed to provide travellers the opportunity to experience the panoramic views of the unparalleled beauty of the Seychelles unique mountains and coastline prior to landing. The return flights from Seychelles International Airport to DWC will operate on Friday afternoons, thus providing travellers a full seven days and six nights in Seychelles. All travelers, regardless of vaccination status, must present a negative PCR test upon arrival taken a maximum of 72 hours prior, as well as complete the mandatory Health Travel Authorization at seychelles.govtas.com prior to departure from Dubai. Travellers will not be required to quarantine on arrival, however, must follow the existing health regulations, including wearing face masks in public and social distancing. The flights will be operated by the airlines’ Airbus A320neo aircraft featuring 12 Business Class and 156 Economy Class seats, as well as a modern inflight entertainment platform allowing free wireless downloads of movies, TV shows, and music on travellers’ personal devices. Economy …

Seychelles strengthens its relationships with Middle Eastern travel trade partners through the Seychelles Tourism Board’s (STB) participation in the first virtual Gulf Travel Show on November 23 and 24th, 2020. The two-day virtual event united around 2,500 participants joining in from 59 countries across the globe, with the Middle East Seychelles Tourism Board Office representing the island destination in networking and paving a path towards the recovery of the tourism industry. The first virtual edition of the GTS used an impressive and user-friendly platform which displayed the convention centre, a virtual hall, auditorium, and exhibition hall, creating an immersive virtual experience. Amongst the 40 exhibitors was the STB Team, who kept visitors updated about the destination, the latest safety measures and products. Whilst visiting these virtual booths, visitors also met with the representatives and had access to essential documents and videos. The virtual show’s gamified system fostered a dynamic atmosphere with the leader board encouraging visitors to participate in the different talks and to connect with the exhibitors. Insightful and engaging panel discussions, including an explanation of trends defined by technology companies, led by local and international industry leaders drew in visitors. Representing STB at the event was Ahmed Fathallah, member of the STB Dubai Team, who said “This show brought together industry experts, world-class speakers and attendees from across the region all under one virtual roof. STOME will continue to take part in these regional activities to continue to spearhead the gradual restart of the tourism industry. We will always be here for our trade partners and continue to offer and extend the assistance that we can give.” Hosted by TravTalk Middle East, the Gulf Travel Show provided a …

Emirates is offering UAE nationals and residents a chance to plan a quick escape this summer to Seychelles. The airline was the first international airline to return to the island country, coinciding with its re-opening to tourists on 1st August. Book now and unwind at some of the world’s most pristine, white sand beaches and crystal clear water. COVID-19 PCR tests are mandatory for all inbound and transit passengers arriving to Dubai (and the UAE), including UAE citizens, residents and tourists, irrespective of the country they are coming from. Economy Class passengers can enjoy fares starting from AED 3,705, Business Class passengers can enjoy fares starting from AED 10,915, and First Class passengers can enjoy fares starting from AED 22,045. The offer is valid for bookings made starting today until 7 September 2020, for travel until 31 May 2021.*Visitors to Seychelles will be captivated by its stunning white sand beaches and lush, tropical forests. Go on an adventurous hike, relax in five-star hotel resorts or enjoy exploring the island’s diverse marine life. To visit the popular Indian Ocean holiday destination, UAE travellers must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test, conducted within 72 hours of the date of travel. Emirates is offering customers convenient access to Seychelles with four weekly flights, utilising a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. Emirates flight EK705 will depart Dubai at 02:10 am and arrive in Mahe at 06:45 am local time. The return flight, EK 708, will depart Mahe at 23:50 pm and arrive in Dubai at 04:20 am local time, the following day. COVID-19 PCR tests are mandatory for all inbound and transit passengers arriving to Dubai (and the UAE), including UAE citizens, residents and tourists, …

Emirates airline announced that it will resume passenger services to Seychelles from 01 August, coinciding with the country’s re-opening to international tourists. Operating flights to Seychelles five times a week with a Boeing 777-300ER, Emirates offers travellers convenient access to this popular Indian Ocean holiday destination. In addition, Emirates will increase its services to the Maldives from the current five a week, to six times a week from 04 August to meet customer demand. For travellers in the UAE, Emirates Holidays offers great holiday packages with a selection of choice resorts in the Seychelles and the Maldives. Emirates Holidays has also relaxed its booking policy to offer customers a chance to book a holiday package in advance with only a deposit of AED 199, as well as introduced video appointments, enabling customers to plan ahead and enjoy a stress-free and personalised booking process from the comfort of their own home. With the gradual re-opening of borders over the summer, Emirates has revised its booking policies to offer customers more flexibility and confidence to plan their travel. Customers whose travel plans are disrupted by COVID-19 related flight or travel restrictions, can simply hold on to their ticket which will be valid for 24 months and rebook to fly at a later time; request travel vouchers to offset against future Emirates purchases, or request refunds via an online form on Emirates’ website or via their travel booking agent.Emirates currently serves over 60 destinations in its network, facilitating travel between the Americas, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and the Asia Pacific through a convenient connection in Dubai for customers across the world.

Emirates has renewed individual global marketing agreements with Mauritius and Seychelles in the form of Memorandum of Understandings with the respective tourism boards. The MoUs were signed by Orhan Abbas, Emirates’ Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations for Africa, Kevin Ramkaloan, Director of the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority, and Sherin Francis, Chief Executive Officer of the Seychelles Tourism Board in presence of Maurice Loustau-Lalanne, Minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine in Seychelles. Various joint activities will be developed under the agreement, such as attendance of tourism trade shows and fairs, trade familiarisation trips, product presentations and workshops. Emirates started operations to the Mauritius in September 2002 with three weekly flights. The daily A380 service was launched in December 2013, and the double-daily service was introduced in October 2014, following a strong demand for Emirates’ flagship aircraft on this route. In 2016, more than 1,200,000 tourists visited Mauritius. In June 2015, Emirates increased its capacity to the Seychelles, when it switched from the Airbus 330-200 used on one of the two daily services to a larger Boeing 777-300ER. The introduction of the Emirates Boeing 777-300ER, which operates as flight EK 705 from Dubai and as EK 706 on the return flight, increased the overall capacity on the route by 1722 seats per week and made the route an all-Boeing 777 operation.

Qatar Airways has rounded off its 2016 global route expansion on a high note with the launch of daily flights to the idyllic islands of the Seychelles – the 14th new destination on the airline’s route map this year and the third in Africa. The destination comprises 115 tropical islands in the western Indian Ocean, located off the east coast of Africa. Its airport is located on the island of Mahé near the city of Victoria, the capital of the Seychelles. Visitors can experience the Vallée de Mai Nature Preserve on the island of Praslin, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Seychelles National Botanical Gardens on Mahé, or, of course, enjoy the white sand beaches the islands are known for. The Seychelles is key to Qatar Airways’ global network expansion strategy and its continuing growth in Africa. The airline currently operates to 23 African gateways, including the recently launched service to the Namibian capital of Windhoek, which joined the airline’s route map in September 2016. The Doha to Seychelles flight schedule offers an attractive 08:50 morning arrival and 19:25 evening departure so travellers can take full advantage of their time on the islands. Passengers planning a getaway to the Seychelles are encouraged to plan a stopover in Doha, with a new transit visa scheme offering visitors a free transit visa for up to 96 hours on your way to or from your final destination.

Seychelles becomes Turkish Airlines’ third island in the Vanilla Islands Group, with the addition of three weekly return flights to Mahé, Seychelles. Turkish Airlines has celebrated the addition of a tourist favourite, Seychelles, to its global route map with the airline’s inaugural flight landing at Mahé International Airport and opening up a world of 114 countries to passengers travelling from the land of perpetual summer. Flying directly from Mahé International Airport, the brand new service will connect passengers departing from Seychelles to 88 worldwide destinations including Paris, Dubai, Frankfurt, London, Milano, Bombay, Abu Dhabi, Vienna, Munich, Zurich, Rome, Moscow, Dusseldorf, Colombo and Hong Kong. The flight is already available for booking at www.turkishairlines.com. This service brings the total number of destinations the airline flies to in Africa to 42, as it keeps its status as the carrier that flies to more countries and international destinations than any other airline by serving its services to 114 countries across Europe, Russia, Central Asia, Far East Asia, the Middle East, Africa, North and South America. The inaugural flight from Istanbul got a water cannon salute at Mahe International airport at a ceremony graced by Ahmet Olmuştur, Chief Marketing Officer of Turkish Airlines;  Alain St. Ange, Minister for Tourism and Culture of the Republic of Seychelles; and  Joel Morgan, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Transport of the Republic of Seychelles, in the presence of diplomatic, protocol and media representatives as well as Turkish Airlines’ officials.

Qatar Airways will provide travellers with greater access to the idyllic white sand beaches and turquoise waters of the Seychelles with daily flights from Doha starting on December 12, 2016. Travellers wishing to explore Seychelles – one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations in the Indian Ocean – will enjoy convenient flights and award-winning service when travelling with Qatar Airways. Residents of the Seychelles will also benefit from the opportunity to connect to the airline’s network of more than 150 business and leisure destinations around the world via the airline’s hub in Doha. The airline’s expanding global reach and modern fleet will take travellers to exciting places across the globe including the airline’s latest destinations launched in 2016: Adelaide, Atlanta, Birmingham, Boston, Helsinki, Los Angeles, Marrakech, Pisa, Ras Al Khaimah, Sydney, Windhoek and Yerevan.