Seychelles revamps tourism plan to maintain momentum after royal honeymoon

The Seychelles’ Islands are almost synonymous with honeymoons. For decades newlyweds from all over the world have flocked to the white beaches and topaz waters to celebrate their love. Even royalty honeymoons at the Seychelles.

Seychelles tourism recently received quite a boost when Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge celebrated their honeymoon there. As one would imagine, interest in holiday tours to the Seychelles increased significantly after it was announced as the royal honeymoon destination.

According to TripAdvisor, searches for Seychelles holiday related information increased by 300% in two days. Thousands of people swarmed the internet and picked up their phones to find out about Seychelles travel packages, air fares, and accommodation options.

The heightened interest in the islands has been maintained by two more significant events:

1. Seychelles tourism celebrated its 40^th year on 4 July. At the celebrations the chief executive of the tourism board, Alain St Ange, revealed a “green paper” or draft paper for the Seychelles’ Master Plan for Tourism. For the past 40 years the board has worked hard to increase the Seychelles’ attraction as a destination. It has been very successful but to ensure that momentum is not only maintained but increased, the green paper aims to concentrate efforts over the next five years.
   

   Seychelle holidays, La Digue Islands

2. Two of the Seychelle’s most prestigious hotels have been nominated for the international Villegiature Awards in the Grand Prix category of the Best Island Hotels for 2011. The Denis Island and Frégate Island Private will face off against other luxury hotels from Mauritius, Indonesia and Malaysia. The winners will be announced on 14 November.

But perhaps one of the biggest attractions of a holiday in the Seychelles is that you don’t have to be royalty to feel like royalty.

What do you have to look for when booking a holiday

Knowing what to look for can save your time and money and make it more enjoyable of course. It is absolutely essential to check your available holiday calendar and to leave room for flexibility to make sure you can take advantage of some great offers and specials.When web users plan a holiday, and use the internet to make a booking, images are the most important factor influencing their decisions, followed by a description of the hotel or resort destination and maps. It is often experienced that holiday makers  look for information on activities and events, the weather and travel information such as the time zone, currency and visa information.

Next time you book your holiday make sure you pay equal attention to the type of activities the resort has to offer and if it suits your family’s requirements.

Most holiday goers are interested in reviews by other keen holiday makers too. As internet users across the world continue to utilise social networking, sites such as Facebook, Flickr and Twitter play an important factor in influencing their choices when it comes to making bookings online. Don’t  be shy to ask around and exchange opinions within your social network. Also be aware that people only tend to post reviews mainly if they had a bad experience. Experiences are unique to the individual, time and place.

It is important that one familiarises oneself with the logistic of your hotel or b&b and if you need any visa requirements or potentially getting the necessary vaccinations just before you hit the “Buy now” button.

Ultimately you need to be inspired, sit back and enjoy the experience.