The Port Management Association of Eastern and Southern Africa (PMAESA), based in Mombassa, Kenya, has pledged its support of Alain St.Ange, the Seychelles Candidate for the post of Secretary-General of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO).
Ports are an important facet of the tourism industry and Alain St.Ange, it is said has always been keen to work with this Port Management Association.
Ms Nozipho Mdawe, the Secretary-General of the PMAESA said in a letter addressed to the UNWTO that they are formally endorsing Alain St.Ange as a candidate for Secretary General of the UNWTO.
“As the former Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports & Marine Seychelles, Mr. St.Ange has made enormous contributions to the promotion and development of tourism and culture in Seychelles in close cooperation with the private sector.
“The results today speak for themselves. After suffering a decline in cruise ship tourism since a surge in piracy off the Horn of Africa in 2009, the number of cruise passengers visiting the Seychelles archipelago is set to increase in 2017 (from the 6,800 in 2015 to 15,000 in 2017).
“St.Ange had collaborated with the PMAESA during a Cruise Tourism Workshop held in Seychelles in June 2016. The aim of the workshop was to develop strategies to improve the competitive edge and market share of the Eastern and Southern African cruise tourism industry within the international cruise business.
“St.Ange also participated in the creation of the Vanilla Islands, the grouping of the Indian Ocean Islands, which underscores the belief of a shared prosperity and also the spirit of cooperation between Francophone and Anglophone cultures in the islands of the Comoros, Reunion, Mayotte, Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar.
“His understanding of the tourism industry in Seychelles and the Indian Ocean Archipelago and the tie-in between cruise tourism, ports, and air travel have made him a crucial partner and facilitator.
“St.Ange was not only the Minister for Seychelles, he was also a friend of the Indian Ocean Islands region and an avid supporter. It is his firm belief that the social, economic and cultural development of a region is essential for the well-being of the population,” said Mdawe.
Alain St.Ange on his part has written to the Ports of Africa in the Eastern and Southern Region to thank them for that letter of support, which endorses his bid for the position of Secretary-General of the UNWTO. “Ports and Airports, the ICAO, IATA, the ACI, the AFCAC, ASAA, AFRAA, the IMO, the PMAESA, APIOI, the Association representing Cruise Ships amongst others are all part of the supporting bodies making tourism work. Engaging with these bodies, as well as with the private sector bodies such as WTTC and PATA will remain high on my agenda should I win the May elections for the post of Secretary-General of the UNWTO,” said St.Ange.
