Travel in Seychelles

After decades of conflict, the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a surprise attack against Israel on Saturday.

That funny time of the year has arrived — and it’s not even Halloween yet.

Ideal conditions await you in Lamu, the island off mainland Kenya, in January: skies are clear, waters are translucent for diving and snorkelling, and afternoon sea breezes keep temperatures balmy. It can be busy early in the month, but the archipelago has plenty of hidden corners where you can find solitude.

If you’ve always thought that a vacation on a yacht was out of reach, only available for the super-rich and famous, then think again. You don’t have to be Jay Z or Beyoncé, David or Victoria Beckham, or Leonardo Dicaprio to indulge in a week-long holiday at sea. A yacht charter is more affordable, and less exclusive, than you might believe.

ITB Asia, Asia’s leading travel trade show, is pleased to announce its top exhibitors for the highly anticipated 16th edition, set to take place from 25 – 27 October 2023 in Singapore.

Think of the Indian Ocean, and it's likely you'll conjure images of pristine sands scattered with coconut palms, surrounded on all sides by turquoise sea. Such desert islands — worthy of Robinson Crusoe — are easy to find in the region, offering sun, sea and perfect seclusion, far from the rigours of everyday life. From the pancake-flat atolls of Alphonse in the Seychelles to the wildlife haven of Comoros, here's where should be on your radar.

Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts has named a new regional president: Adrian Messerli is now president of hotel operations for the EMEA region. He succeeds Simon Casson, who held the role since 2016 and announced his departure from the group earlier in the year for a to-be-confirmed new opportunity.

The small island of Ikaria, with its 164km (102 miles) of undulating coastline, sits serenely in the midst of the Northern Aegean islands, just a hop from the much larger Samos.

The Seychellois routinely refer to their home as ‘paradise’ and, frankly, it’s difficult to disagree. Among the many beauty queens of the Indian Ocean, this collection of 115 islands off the shores of East Africa has strong claims to the overall crown. Merging the fabled beaches and turquoise hues of the castaway Maldives with the rugged, jungled peaks of volcanic Mauritius, the archipelago blends sybaritic excess with tropical adventure. Add to the mix local Creole culture and endemic flora and fauna — including the world’s largest palm tree and free-roaming giant tortoises — and you’ve got yourself a winner. 

Nothing captures the Indian Ocean quite like rum — and it has a long history in the region. Sugarcane, the key ingredient, has been cultivated for the fiery brew in India for thousands of years, and the spirit has been distilled in Réunion and Mauritius for centuries. Today, the local rum industry is still small, but quality is improving all the time with many producers drawing the eyes of the world.      

Even far before the pandemic, a large wedding was not in the cards for Biljana Bartulac and Sam Erskine. “I would see people spend a lot of money on their weddings, and actually not enjoy them at all because they were too huge, and the couples too stressed out,” says Biljana. “Then the next day they’d wake up and ‘Oh, that’s it.’ They spent so much money for that one day.”

This was discussed during the bilateral meeting between the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism, Mr. Sylvestre Radegonde, and the High Commissioner-designate of Malawi to Seychelles

Both agreed that signing the GCA as a multi-sectoral agreement will enable broader bilateral exchanges and cooperation in specific areas of interest, benefiting both nations.

Saudi Arabia announced its masterplan for King Salman International Airport — touted to be one of the world’s largest airports. Public Investment Fund, the country’s sovereign wealth fund, will build the more than 57 square kilometres airport, and it will include the current King Khaled airport. With plans for six parallel runways, and including the existing terminals, the airport aims to accommodate up to 120 million travelers by 2030. By 2050, the airport is expected to accommodate up to 185 million passengers and process 3.5 million tons of cargo. The masterplan would boost Riyadh’s position as a global logistics hub, stimulate transport, trade and tourism, and act as a bridge linking the East with the West. The new airport is expected to contribute $7 billion annually to the country’s non-oil gross domestic product and to create 103,000 direct and indirect jobs, in line with Saudi’s Vision 2030 objectives. The kingdom has plans to attract 100 million annual visits by 2030.

African destinations have taken major steps in recent years to move away from a heavy emphasis on safari tourism, and several of them are focusing on a cruise tourism industry poised to make a complete recovery by the end of 2023.

Good morning from Skift. It’s Tuesday, February 28. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.

Meliá Hotels International is Spain’s largest hotel and resort operator, aiming to grow its portfolio across the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, and Asia Pacific by 40 percent in the next three years. The Mallorca-based company, controlled by the Escarrer family, is open to selling a stake to a world player like Hyatt or Marriott. But its strategy in recent years could set it up to go it alone for much longer.

India has restored e-visa services for the nationals of Saudi Arabia wanting to visit the country with immediate effect, the Embassy of India in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia tweeted last week. The facility which had been available for five categories of travel — e-tourist visa, e-business visa, e-medical visa, e-medical attendant visa and e-conference visa — was suspended during the Covid-19 pandemic. The application and payment of fees are required to be made for a minimum of four days in advance from the date of travel and wait for the approval. For online filling and submission of the application, applicants need to visit the official website — indianvisaonline.gov.in. Earlier, Saudi Arabia had announced a few exemptions for Indian nationals to obtain a visa for traveling to the country as it looks to India as a key source market for tourism, especially with Saudi’s ambition to achieve 100 million visits annually by 2030. Saudi Tourism Authority during its recent delegation visit to India, featured a range of meetings, industry round-tables and networking events followed by two roadshows in Mumbai and Ahmedabad. Saudi Tourism Authority has also, commenced an official partnership with the popular cricket meet — Indian Premier League.

Event organizers in Abu Dhabi will no longer be required to pay tourism tax. Hosting an event in Abu Dhabi had incurred a 10 percent tax per ticket sold. “For further support to the investment environment in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, it has been decided to exempt event organizers from the tourism fee of 10 percent on tickets sold,” a circular from the Department of Culture and Tourism — Abu Dhabi stated recently. The circular also said it is mandatory for event organizers to obtain event licenses in accordance with the regulations specified for this purpose. Event organizers are also required to declare the revenues generated from these events, submit supporting financial statements, and cooperate with revenue auditors or individuals designated by the department of culture and tourism to validate the accuracy of their declarations.

It’s precisely the relaxed attitude to life that appeals to visitors who come to Seychelles in search of a stress-free environment and natural beauty. If all you want out of your holiday is sun, sea and sand, there are other, cheaper tropical destinations. But if you are prepared to pay extra to enjoy the unique flora and fauna and loll on some of the best beaches in the world, look no further. Here is our pick of the best beaches in Seychelles.