Seychelles Sustainable Tourism Label re-certifies the first establishments for 2022
The Tourism Department recertifies the first 3 establishments for 2022, with the Seychelles Sustainable Tourism Label (SSTL). These are Anantara Maia, Fisherman's Cove Resort and Acajou Beach Resort.
In a ceremony held at the Tourism Department Headquarters on Monday April 4 2022, the Principal Secretary for Tourism, Mrs. Sherin Francis handed over the certificates to Mr. Johannes Steyn, the General Manager of Fisherman's Cove Resort and Mr. Mathieu Hellec the Resident Manager of Anantara Maia, also present were Mr. Rasheed Olalekan, the Chief Engineer of Anantara Maia, Mr. Paul Lebon, the Director General for Destination Planning and Development and Mrs. Sinha Lekovic also from the Division.
Speaking about the re- certification of the Fisherman's Cove Resort, Mr. Johannes Steyn, General Manager said, "Sustainability is a continuous process, as a hotel we are proud of this achievement, because every renewal application we have to improve, so I would say it is work in process."
On his part the resident manager for Anantara Maia Seychelles, Mr. Mathieu Hellec commented that the merit of the certification goes to the team that works tirelessly to make sure that the resort is not only kept to standard but that it is done sustainably. Mr. Hellec and his colleague Mr. Rasheed Olalekan, proudly explained to the PS for Tourism and her team the system put in place at the Anantara Maia Seychelles to monitor the usage of resources, including electrical energy, water, and fuel. The system provides real time information and helps to manage consumption and ensure leakages are minimised.
The PS for Tourism expressed her satisfaction to see the persistent commitment of partners and encouraged the GMs and their team to keep up their excellent work.
"Sustainability is not just a philosophy for us, it is a way of life. I am quite impressed to see the amount of effort that is put into our SSTL certification from partners. I would encourage all our partners in the industry to learn more about SSTL and contact our team for more information," said Mrs. Francis.
Launched in 2012, the voluntary programme is internationally recognized by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) and applicable to tourism enterprises of all sizes. Designed to inspire more efficient and sustainable ways of running a business, the certification is valid for two years and the establishment will have to renew by showcasing its sustainable efforts once more.
As part of the Tourism Department's efforts to continuously promote the programme, the team has been selecting random establishments to conduct one on one meetings with, to encourage participation, offering any assistance to tourism businesses interested in the initiative. Seychelles Sustainable Tourism Label certifies the first establishments for 2022.