Air Seychelles builds on French connection at Top Resa travel fair

• Air Seychelles brings together more than 100 key tourism partners at the cocktail reception ahead of Top Resa
• Seychelles flag carrier in participation at Top Resa which expects to attract 30,000 travel professionals this week

Air Seychelles is this week building on its market presence in France as the largest travel show in the world, Top Resa, kicks off in Paris.

Taking place at the Porte de Versailles exhibition centre, Top Resa is expected to draw in 30,000 travel professionals by the time it closes on 29 September. This year Air Seychelles will once again be showcasing its travel offering alongside the Seychelles Tourism Board at a special island-inspired stand located in Hall 1 of the Fair.

Yesterday, to gear up for Top Resa, Air Seychelles hosted a cocktail reception which gathered more than 100 key trade partners and media at Conference facilities of the Hotel California, enabling key tourism and airline representatives to network and establish business connections.

Ambassador Maurice Loustau-Lalanne, Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine in Seychelles, said: “For decades, France has been a leading tourism market for our islands, supported by strong people-to-people ties and a friendly relationship between our governments. I am delighted that our national airline has established a strong position in the French capital, which is essential not only for strengthening the connection between Seychelles and France, but in tapping the wider tourism potential of Europe. With a collaborative, partnership-driven strategy, I am confident that more travellers will discover our idyllic Indian Ocean islands.”

Roy Kinnear, Chief Executive Officer of Air Seychelles, said: “Participating in Top Resa, the largest business-to-business travel fair in the world, is the perfect opportunity for us to strengthen trade and media partnerships, which are essential for future growth. By working together with travel trade, we can offer travellers tailor-made packages that combine air transfers and accommodation in Seychelles, ensuring a smooth experience. Air Seychelles has been serving Paris with a non-stop, three-per-week service since July 2015, welcoming tens of thousands of passengers, and we look forward to introducing more guests to our unique creole warmth as we deepen our presence in this part of the world.”

Sherin Francis, Chief Executive Officer of STB, said: “As one of the top sources of inbound travel into Seychelles, France remains a key market for the Seychelles tourism industry. More than 28,600 French travellers have already visited Seychelles this year to discover our postcard-perfect beaches, marine life and natural beauty, and we will continue to work closely with Air Seychelles to build on this momentum and attract more business travellers and holidaymakers to our islands.”

Seychelles-inspired service from start to finish

For those seeking a getaway to Seychelles, Air Seychelles offers a perfect start to any holiday with a service that reflects the hospitality and joie-de-vivre of the Seychellois culture. From the moment they board the 254-seat Airbus A330 at Paris Charles de Gaulle, painted in a vibrant livery reminiscent of the Seychelles, guests are warmly greeted by an all-Seychellois team of cabin crew, proclaimed “Indian Ocean’s Leading Cabin Crew” at the 2017 World Travel Awards, with on-board décor and welcoming music inspired by Seychelles.

On their journey to Mahé, the largest island in Seychelles, guests in Business Class can enjoy a premium Dine Anytime à la carte menu, while Economy Class guests have a selection of three dishes, with menu options inspired by creole cuisine. The meals are rounded off with a wide range of beverages that includes the famous Takamaka Bay rum produced on the islands. On the entertainment side, Air Seychelles provides inflight entertainment system at every seat with a wide-catalogue of films, TV shows and music in English and French, including content on Seychelles, allowing guests to get into the island vibe before they touch down on Mahé.

Once arriving in Mahé, guests can connect quickly to domestic services operated by Air Seychelles to Praslin, a popular island located a short 15-minute flight away from Seychelles International Airport, as well as charter flights the private islands of Bird Island, Denis and D’Arros. In addition, Air Seychelles has recently launched a new 45-minute scenic flight that offers travellers an unmatched bird’s eye view of North and South Mahé, taking passengers over key beaches, hidden coves and key sights and attractions.

Travellers who wish to explore the Indian Ocean region can also choose to take advantage of the carrier’s extensive network in the Indian Ocean to combine their holiday in Seychelles with a safari on the islands of Mauritius and Antananarivo. Guests can reach these destinations with a short stopover of under three hours in Seychelles.

Seamless air connections to 15 cities in Europe

Travellers located outside of the French capital and further across Europe can also take advantage of codeshare travel options provided by Air Seychelles and partner airlines to connect seamlessly onto flights departing and arriving at Paris Charles de Gaulle.

In France, business and leisure travellers can fly with Air France from Bordeaux, Toulouse, Montpellier, Marseilles, Nice and Lyon to Paris, where they are able to connect to an Air Seychelles service to Seychelles, using one single ticket for the entire journey and checking their baggage through all the way to the final airport. In addition, Air Seychelles and Air France provide codeshare services between Paris and key destinations in Europe including Vienna, London, Geneva, Zurich, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Munich, Berlin and Rome.

Through other codeshare agreements, travellers can reach Berlin with Air Berlin, Rome with Alitalia, and Belgrade with Air Serbia, ensuring a smooth travel experience between Seychelles and major cities in Europe. In total, Air Seychelles offers codeshare services to 15 cities in Europe outside of Paris.

Between today and 29 September, visitors to the airline’s Top Resa stand in hall 1 will have the opportunity to learn more about the carrier’s travel offering and the unique attractions of the Seychelles, a destination unique by a thousand miles.

Flight schedule between Paris and Seychelles from 29 October, 2017: