Seychelles: Launching of Eco-Tourism Strategy

Launching of Eco-Tourism Strategy 
Anse Royale earmarked for eco-tourism pilot projects
(SEYCHELLES NATION, Monday 29 September 2003) 
 

The Anse Royale district has been chosen as the testing ground for the 
implementation of a number of eco-tourism pilot projects.

As part of the Seychelles Eco-Tourism Strategy (SETS 21), the projects were 
officially launched by the Minister for Tourism and Transport, Mrs Simone de 
Comarmond, in a ceremony held at the Seychelles Polytechnic Theatre at Anse 
Royale on Saturday September 27 in the morning.

The event, which is also one of the activities organised to mark this year’s 
Tourism Week, was attended by government ministers, members of the diplomatic 
corp and other officials and representatives from the private sector and 
non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

Speaking to the press about some of the proposed projects, Mr Marc Marengo, 
the special adviser in the ministry, said they would include setting up a 
proper public beach park area, the transformation of the Sweet Escott 
wetlands into a tourist attraction and the initiation of a “culture trail.”  

The culture trail will feature a map indicating areas in the district where 
tourists can find cultural and traditional attractions, such as the Jardin du 
Roi, where they could get Creole food and souvenirs, and other places where 
they could go to learn more about the Seychellois way of life. 

“We are also working on a concept of 'chez des habitants,' where a few houses 
will be selected to offer certain services to tourists, which can be catering 
or accommodation, or even just to allow the visitor to spend sometime with a 
Seychellois family or go on a picnic and get to know us better,” Mr Marengo 
explained.

The realisation and subsequent success of these projects, he added, would 
strongly depend on the effort and participation of everyone in the district’s 
community.  He pointed out that while the ministry would act as the 
facilitator, it would be up to the people in the community to come up with 
their own funding, management plan and mechanisms to implement the projects.

Mr Marengo said the people could themselves work together to ensure tourists’ 
security in the district by carrying out community policing and maintaining 
an effective system of waste management to keep their district clean and 
welcoming at all times.

Anse Royale, he said, has been chosen because of its historical importance 
and its rich cultural and traditional heritage, but depending on the success 
of the projects, other districts could be included.

In her address, Minister de Comarmond said the implementaion of  SETS 21 
through the anticipated projects at Anse Royale was in line with “Vision 21” 
requirements, which stressed the greater participation of communities in the 
promotion of eco-tourism.

“SETS 21 provides the communities with the opportunity to exercise more 
control on tourism development, so that the local population will, in a more 
direct manner, reap greater benefits and act together to minimise the 
negative impact of the industry on the environment,” Minister de Comarmond 
said.

All districts, she said, have something special to offer to attract tourists 
and would from now on play an important role in decision making concerning 
the tourism industry to ensure that it brings more socio-economic benefits.

“This new concept will generate fresh dynamism in a series of activities like 
Creole cuisine, traditional dishes, arts and crafts, cultural performances, 
sports activities, traditional fisheries and others, which can be developed 
by all communities,” Minister de Comarmond said.

Welcoming the idea that Anse Royale will be used to promote the eco-tourism 
strategy, the district’s MNA, Honourable Barry Faure, said the people in the 
community have been lobbying for some time to get recognition for its vast 
tourist attractions. He said this was realised with the approval of a motion 
he brought in the National Assembly, asking the government to evaluate the 
district’s tourism potential. 

Mr Faure said the people in the district, especially the youth, have already 
started to get the ball rolling with the recent adoptions of areas like the 
wetlands and the beach.

The NGOs affiliated with eco-tourism have also pledged their support through 
the mobilisation of the Wild Life clubs in the districts. According to Nature 
Seychelles' chief executive Mr Nirmal Jivan Shah, the success of the 
eco-tourism strategy also relies on more knowledge about the environment and 
conservation. 

Saturday’s event ended with a short panel discussion, whereby the district’s 
residents were invited to give their views about the eco-tourism strategy.

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