After 25 years of doing business in the country, principally as builders and civil engineering contractors, the Seychelles' wing of the Mauritius-based Kurjibhai Ramji Group of Companies  (KRG), is now venturing in the tourism industry with the acquisition of Le Relax Hotel and Restaurant.

Situated at Anse Royale, Le Relax Hotel and Restaurant overlooks the panoramic view of the Chauve Souris island and the Anse Royale bay. The hotel is currently being refurbished with the use of local materials. Once renovation is completed, the entire infrastructure will not only be transformed into a promoter of the Seychellois culture to local and overseas clients but shall also meet with quality standards and expectations of the international market. 

Besides Seychelles, the KRG group has offices in Mauritius and Rodrigues and has established, in the Indian Ocean region, a name for itself in the sectors of civil construction, trade and commerce, property development and, travel and tourism. The Seychelles wing is headed by the Resident Director and Chief Executive Officer, Pravin Darad, and is a consortium of companies making up of Allied Builders (Seychelles) Limited which is in the civil construction, Island Holdings Limited involved in trade and commerce and Rabadia Properties Limited which is in property development.

KRG's decision to venture in the tourism industry in Seychelles follows the success of its Mauritius-based Leisure Tours and Travel, and Patel Properties Limited which have been in operation since 1982. Hence, the group also felt the need to further diversify its activities in Seychelles.

Very soon, the group is to launch a new five-star hotel project in Mauritius which will very likely help to further spice up its tourism offers in the region. In addition to the three-star Le Relax, the KRG group has plans for a three-star plus hotel on La Digue.

"Once we have the hotel running, we plan to link our tourism services in all three destinations – Seychelles, Mauritius and Rodrigues – and offer our clients attractive group packages so they can enjoy all three tourism destinations at one go," M. Purnayya Rao, the Assistant Project Manager, told Business Nation.

Mr Rao said Anse Royale was a strategic, untapped tourism location in southern Mahe and to attract the maximum number of tourists, it needed to be developped to the full.

"Combining its alluring natural features like the Fairyland beach, with inviting swimming and snorkelling spots, and what Le Relax has to offer, Anse Royale can in due course be turn into an important tourism zone that will help in adding value to the tourism industry of Seychelles," Mr Rao said.

The hotel consists of 10 fully furnished and air-conditioned rooms altogether, with five super deluxe rooms with seaview and five deluxe rooms, a pool-side restaurant and bar. Additional features will include a beauty parlour, a souvenir shop and a library for the guests. The hotel will also provide internet connectivity for its clients.

The restaurant, that shall be open for public from morning 7 a.m to night 11 p.m, has the capacity to accommodate 100 to 125 clients. The kitchen specialises in tropical Creole cuisine and will offer a wide range of menu choices. The restaurant will also cater a spectrum of Seychellois and Indian snacks, as a special feature for the beach tourists. Various theme nights, such as Rodrigan night, Creol night, Indian night, etc., along with barbeque buffets, will be regularly organised. The restaurant shall provide another opportunity of entertainment by arranging weekend 'happy hours' with live music.

Mr Rao said KRG staff in Seychelles was receiving training from the Seychelles Bureau of Standard (SBS), Seychelles Institute of Management (SIM) and Seychelles Industrial Development Cooperation (SIDEC) as part of the group's move towards the adoption of the quality management and environment standards ISO 9001 and 14001.

"We simply cannot compromise on the services we offer. These standards are very explicit and will ensure that no stone is left unturned in our service delivery and in respect to the maintenance of the hotel and the environment," Mr Rao stressed.

Mr Darad added that "to exemplify our efforts in promoting Seychelles as a base for eco-tourism, we are trying to adopt the Fairyland beach. We intend to maintain the beach and provide the local as well as the international clients with the true essence of Seychelles – our pollution-free ambiance, white sandy beaches and turquoise waters."

Such fresh projects, especially in the tourism industry, Mr Darad said, would only help to boost the country's economy.

"After being in the construction business for 25 years, we feel it's high time we diversify our services and in what better sector to start with than tourism," Mr Darad said, adding that KRG group believed that Seychelles tourism industry had a lot of potential "but needed a fresh lease of life."

"If the country's economy is to recover, it's imperative that we take a more professional approach and start somewhere," Mr Darad told Business Nation.

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