The Seychelles Island Foundation (SIF), the organisation which manages Aldabra, has this week taken the next step towards the construction of a hotel on the atoll.

Following on from the August announcement of plans to allow a land-based tourism development on the World Heritage Site, the SIF has now begun advertising for bids for the prequalification stage of the tender process.

Interested parties are being invited to submit an expression of interest in the tender for the development, including details of experience in operating hotels and the nature of their financial standing, to the SIF.

In order to do this bidders for the tender are required to register their interest and obtain a copy of the Request for Qualification (RFQ) from the SIF.

The RFQ states that "The Concessionaire would be at liberty to carry out new construction of facilities in the project area as well as demolish existing structures where warranted, subject to obtaining all the necessary approvals for the same."

The construction of the hotel, a departure from the current tourist situation which has largely been confined to operations on live aboard dive vessels, will take place on the Old Settlement site, approximately one kilometre from the atoll's research station and staff accommodation.

The ruins of houses from the period before the island came under administration by the British Royal Society in the 1970s currently stand in the Old Settlement, as well as the old island manager's house, the chapel and cemetery.

Approval for a land-based development was given in order to meet the costs of running the atoll, which was granted United Nations World Heritage Site status in 1982.

The annual revenue accruing to SIF from the lease is expected to be in the region of between $300,000 and half a million US dollars and SIF Executive Officer Mr Ronny Renaud said that the Foundation hopes that it will provide sufficient capital for the running of the atoll including any improvements to infrastructure and research programmes.

While advertising in the local press began last weekend, the Foundation is still negotiating advertising rates with various international publications, with adverts expected to appear shortly.

The closing date for submissions of expressions of interest is December 12.

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