The goal of environmentally friendly sustainable tourism came a step nearer this week, with the launch of the Ministry of Tourism and Transport's "Towards an Ecotourism Strategy" document.

Created as an offshoot of the "Vision 21: Tourism Development in Seychelles 2001-2010" guidelines which were launched in December 2001, the new eco-tourism policy booklet has been designed to promote the proper management and regulation of ecotourism.

Speaking to journalists on Wednesday September 24, in his capacity as Chairman of the National Ecotourism Committee, Mr Marc Marengo said that the new eco-tourism strategy would initially be launched at the Seychelles Polytechnic, Anse Royale, on World Tourism Day on Saturday September 27.

A three-year consultative process, drawing together representatives of NGOs, government and private enterprises, has gone into creating the strategy document.

The document states that ecotourism products in Seychelles have, until now, been developed with little or no specific regulation and it is in answer to this need for guidance and regulation that the document has been produced.

The vision statement of the document establishes seven key areas as goals and objectives of the policy; activities related to the natural environment, marine-related activities, community-based tourism, cultural heritage, handicrafts, public beaches and the redevelopment of central Victoria.

Mr Marengo said that the document had been created through consultation and for consultation, and needed to be acceptable to all.

He said that the launch would include an inventory of all of the community's tourism assets and look at how they could best be developed.

The launch will initially be focused on the community level and rely on the help of members of the community to find out how they can benefit, Mr Marengo said.

He added that some possibilities for pilot schemes in Anse Royale could include a focus on culture, the community and the natural environment, for instance a nature trail through the Sweet Escott marsh.

Mr Marengo explained that Anse Royale had been chosen as the launch site for three main reasons; partly as an emerging "second town", partly due to its strong community structure, but predominantly because the residents of Anse Royale had requested the ministry's assistance in creating a sustainable tourism policy.

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