Tourism Seychelles successfully wrapped up its participation at ITB Berlin, the world’s largest travel trade show, held from March 5th to 7th, 2024, at the Berlin Exhibition Grounds.
The event proved highly fruitful, fostering valuable connections and disseminating exciting updates about Seychelles as a premier tourist destination.
The Seychelles delegation, headed by Seychelles Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism, Minister Sylvestre Radegonde, along with Director General for Destination Marketing, Mrs. Bernadette Willemin, and Tourism Seychelles representative for Germany and Austria, Mr. Christian Zerbian, was joined by representatives from local businesses and members of the Tourism Seychelles team from the Seychelles headquarters. Their goal was to captivate visitors by showcasing the wide range of experiences offered in the archipelago.
During the three-day event, the delegation engaged in productive business-to-business meetings with international tour operators and airline partners, including Emirates, Qatar Airways, Edelweiss, and Condor Airlines.
Minister Radegonde stated at the event, “Despite significant challenges facing the travel industry, such as rising living costs and inflation, our international partners and visitors at ITB Berlin maintained a positive outlook. I am pleased to have had several meetings that have been very positive and generally showed that people’s desire to travel would remain essentially stable.”
Exhibitors from Seychelles included Anantara Maia Seychelles, Berjaya Hotels & Resorts, Savoy Resort & Spa, Creole Travel Services, Hilton Seychelles Resort & Spa, Kempinski Seychelles Resort, Masons Travel, Laila – A Tribute Portfolio Resort, Story Seychelles & Fisherman’s Cove Resorts, 7° South, Thalassa Seychelles, Paradise Sun, Hotel L’Archipel, and Silhouette Cruises. Each exhibitor showcased unique offerings, promising unforgettable experiences for visitors.
The Tourism Seychelles team was further strengthened by Ms. Christina Cecile from the International Marketing team and Mrs. Nadine Shah, Manager for Digital Communities, both stationed at Headquarters.
Mrs. Bernadette Willemin, Director General for Destination Marketing, emphasized the significance of participating in events like ITB Berlin, stating, “Participation in prestigious events such as ITB Berlin is crucial for Tourism Seychelles. It allows us to stay in touch with the pulse of the industry, fostering valuable connections and assuring our partners worldwide of Tourism Seychelles’ unwavering support in the continuous development and promotion of Destination Seychelles. These platforms provide us with an invaluable opportunity to showcase the diverse and enchanting experiences our archipelago offers, reinforcing our commitment to being a premier global tourist destination.”
Despite widespread strikes, this year’s ITB Berlin saw a slight increase in attendance, with nearly 100,000 attendees, surpassing expectations given the challenging circumstances. Diverse and globally represented, more than 5,500 exhibitors from 170 countries illuminated the three business days, occupying all 27 exhibition halls at the Berlin Exhibition Grounds.
During ITB Berlin 2024, Mr. Sylvestre Radegonde was honoured with the prestigious Minister of the Year Award for the Indian Ocean Region by the Pacific Area Travel Writers Association (PATWA). The announcement took place during a special event, highlighting Minister Radegonde’s exceptional leadership and his significant contributions to the tourism sector of Seychelles.
Looking ahead, ITB Berlin 2025 is scheduled to take place from March 4th to 6th, as a B2B event.