Selected travel agents from the GCC – Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia were given the opportunity to enjoy Seychelles and at the same time dig deep on the destination’s product offerings as the Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) organised a familiarization trip on its shores earlier in May.
The familiarization trip was coordinated by the STB office in Dubai partnership with Emirates Airlines and hosted representatives from the three countries, which is a valuable source markets to the Seychelles.
The familiarization trip, the tourism board’s first this year for the Dubai market, is mentioned as having inspired the agents to further promote the destination and equipped them adequate knowledge about Seychelles as preparation for the long summer and the Eid breaks.
Talking about the activity Ahmed Fathallah, STB representative in Dubai mentioned that the agents enjoyed the activities prepared for them by the STB team.
“The success of the joint FAM Trip between the STB Office in Dubai and Emirates Airlines was a good avenue for these agents to be educated about the destination,” says Ahmed Fathallah-Regional Manager, Seychelles Tourism Office in Dubai.
The STB representative in Dubai mentioned the participants’ immense joy of having a first-hand experience of the destination. He stated that the familiarization trip has enhanced their knowledge to better promote and sell the destination and they can impart their personal experience to their clients, which can help them entice travelers to visit Seychelles.
“Definitely there will be more joined FAM Trips in the future. The affirmative feedback we received from the participants motivates us to execute more FAM Trips as it gives them an edge and added knowledge about the destination. As we aim to strengthen our ties with our trade partners as well as with Emirates Airlines, I believe that the recently concluded FAM trip sealed a good relationship between us,” added Fathallah.
The success of the familiarization trip is with support from Eden Bleu and Banyan Tree Seychelles. The group was gladly welcomed by different hotels such as H Resort, Savoy & Spa Resort, Hilton Northolme Resort, Raffles Seychelles, Six Senses Zil Pasyon, Kempinski Resort Seychelles, and MAIA Luxury Resort where they were able to familiarize themselves to the properties’ product offerings.
