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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