The
Seychelles delegation at INDABA this year led by Minister for Tourism
and Culture Alain St.Ange, CEO Seychelles Tourism Board Elsia
Grandcourt, Director for South Africa and the Americas David Germain
and Regional Manager Africa Marsha Parcou had several opportunities
to present the Seychelles destination at various platforms.
At the Tourism Cities at INDABA seminar which was moderated by Ms Heidi van der Watt, founder of the International Centre for Responsible Tourism – South Africa and elected board member of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, Elsia Grandcourt did a presentation on Sustainable Energy & Tourism of the Seychelles. She talked about the sources of energy that the Seychelles is dependent on and what the country is doing to introduce alternative source of energy and to encourage sustainable tourism. Seychelles has a success story to tell when it comes to conservation and sustainable practices and today has more than 50% of its limited land mass under protection. However, it is still heavily dependent on fossil fuel which is at an annual growing demand of 4.3%. Seychelles has adopted an Energy Policy to develop a Sustainable Energy Sector which aims at gradually reducing the dependence on Fossil fuel, Focus on Increased Energy Efficiency and to gradually increase the contribution of renewable energy in the energy supply.
At the Tourism Cities at INDABA seminar which was moderated by Ms Heidi van der Watt, founder of the International Centre for Responsible Tourism – South Africa and elected board member of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, Elsia Grandcourt did a presentation on Sustainable Energy & Tourism of the Seychelles. She talked about the sources of energy that the Seychelles is dependent on and what the country is doing to introduce alternative source of energy and to encourage sustainable tourism. Seychelles has a success story to tell when it comes to conservation and sustainable practices and today has more than 50% of its limited land mass under protection. However, it is still heavily dependent on fossil fuel which is at an annual growing demand of 4.3%. Seychelles has adopted an Energy Policy to develop a Sustainable Energy Sector which aims at gradually reducing the dependence on Fossil fuel, Focus on Increased Energy Efficiency and to gradually increase the contribution of renewable energy in the energy supply.
The recent set up of the Seychelles Energy Commission and creation of the Ministry responsible for Energy has allowed for a review of Legislation and Energy Act to allow Independent Power producers (IPP) on renewable energy to operate alongside the Public utilities Corporation (PUC) and to encourage Private Investment in the field of renewable energy to operate as Independent Power Producers.
Other well-known international and South African speakers also addressing at the seminar included:
Bekithemba Langalibale (National Department of Tourism) Nombulelo Mkefa (City of Cape Town) Eddy Khosa (FEDHASA) Simbarashe Mandinyena (RETOSA) Adamah Bah (The Gambia) Colin Devenish (V&A Waterfront)
Such platforms are important as it allows for Africa to share with Africa and the world on the best practices that each respective countries are doing said Elsia Grandcourt of the Seychelles.
