Tourism Ministers From Israel And Seychelles Meet At The Knesset In Jerusalem

Minister Yariv Levin, the Minister of Tourism of Israel officially met with Minister Alain St.Ange, the Seychelles Minister responsible for Tourism and Culture at the Knesset in Jerusalem on Wednesday the 29th July.

The Israeli Minister welcomed his Seychelles counterpart at the Knesset during in important day of their Parliamentary Session. For this bilateral meeting Minister Levin was accompanied from the Israeli side by Amir Halevi, the Director General of the Israel Ministry of Tourism and Hagit Ringet their Director for International Relations. On his part Minister St.Ange of the Seychelles was being accompanied by Rosemarie Hoareau, the Director of Marketing at the Seychelles Tourism Board and Arie Goldstein, the Honorary Consul of the Seychelles in Israel.

The two tourism ministers discussed closer cooperation between their respective ministries. Minister St.Ange said as he thanked Minister Levin for the meeting that they had more work to do through the UNWTO in order to consolidate tourism as a vector of stability. "Tourism is the only industry that has the ability to put money directly in the pockets of people of the world. But for a consolidated tourism industry we need peace and for this we have to continue to be Ambassadors for Peace at the United Nations World Tourism Organisation" said the Seychelles Minister who is heading a public / private sector delegation to position Seychelles as a tourism destination in Israel.

First African Country Begins Visa-Free Travel With UAE

Seychelles President James Michel has commended the excellent relationship between the Seychelles and the United Arab Emirates, as a visa waiver agreement between the two countries comes into force this week.

“The coming into force of this the visa waiver agreement will herald a new period in travel with ease for the Seychellois people and also enhance greater people-to-people contact, trade, and tourism between our two countries. It bears testimony to the unique friendship between Seychelles and the UAE. We have very special ties based on mutual respect, understanding, and support, and these will be further strengthened by the development of our tourism and trade exchanges,” said President Michel.

The agreement was signed in Abu Dhabi in November last year, in the presence of President Michel during a working visit to the UAE.

Now that the internal procedures of the UAE and the Seychelles have been completed, the agreement will be effective as of July 16, 2015.

Henceforth, Seychellois nationals will be allowed to enter exit or transit through the United Arab Emirates without a visa and fees for a stay of up to 90 days.

It is important to note that Seychelles citizens will not be entitled to work or practice any professional or study thereof, without observing applicable laws corresponding to these activities in the United Arab Emirates.

Seychelles is the first African country to sign an agreement of this kind with the UAE.

Seychelles is a founding member of the International Coalition of Tourism Partners (ICTP) .

Source: Seychelles Ministry of Tourism and Culture