[HD video below] Routes Africa, now in its 7th year, is the
annual gathering of air service decision makers for the African
region and the 2012 event will take place on 8-10 July hosted by
the Seychelles Tourism Board in partnership with the Seychelles
Civil Aviation Authority supported by the Airlines Association of
Southern Africa (AASA), AFRAA (African Airlines Association) and
ACI Africa.
The event will take place in the Seychelles
capital Victoria and is expected to attract up to 150 delegates.
This will be the first time that the event has
been held in the Indian Ocean region and will raise awareness of
the need to increase connectivity between Africa, the Middle East
and the Indian Ocean region. It will also provide an ideal
opportunity for the Seychelles to showcase the destination and
celebrate the airport's 40th anniversary.
Routes Africa attracts key decision makers from
a wide variety of airlines with a growing presence from charter
carriers and airlines based outside of the region wishing to learn
more about the existing opportunities. Early registrations have
already been received from, amongst others, Arik Air, Etihad
Airways, Air Seychelles, Emirates, Turkish Airlines, Mega Maldives
and South African Airways who are the largest airline in the
African region.
The event will open with the Routes Africa
Strategy Forum which will take place on the afternoon of Sunday
8th July and the morning of Monday 9th July. Minister of Tourism
for the Seychelles, Alain St Ange will open the Forum followed by
a keynote address from Mr Cramer Ball, CEO of Air Seychelles. A
panel of leading industry experts will then take part in moderator
led discussions addressing aviation and route development issues
across the region including: Unlocking the Market – Liberalisation vs.
Competition Safety, Security & Standards The Road to Recovery –
Rebuilding & Looking to the Future.
"Air service development to, from and within
Africa is vital for the tourism and economic development of the
African continent," said International Tourism Director for
Routes, Ged Brown. "This is especially true of the
many and varied islands off the coast of Africa whose economies
rely heavily on sustainable air services. For these reasons, The
Seychelles provides the perfect backdrop to this 7th Routes Africa
event."
Ten international carriers from a number of
international hubs in Africa, Europe and the Middle East provide
connections to Seychelles International Airport (SEZ). Continuous
growth over the last few years, consistent with the increase in
air services, has resulted in almost 250,000 passengers using the
airport in 2011. The airport is also a hub for inter-island travel
and provides quick and convenient domestic flights, operated by
Air Seychelles, throughout the day to Praslin Island.
SEZ is currently celebrating 40 years since the
first commercial aircraft landed, which also marks the beginning
of aviation and tourism development in the Seychelles, and moving
forward it plans to develop and grow to become a hub in the Indian
Ocean.
HD video interview with
Elsia Grandcourt, Deputy CEO Seychelles Tourism Board, at ITB Asia
2011 in Singapore
