Good tourism information: Seychelles sees 6-fold rise in customer arrivals in 2nd quarter

The increase in visitors from Russia is due to the absence of Aeroflot with twice-weekly flights in April that have increased to three times a week. (Seychelles Tourism Board)

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(Seychelles news agency) – The Seychelles saw six times visitor numbers from Q1 through Q2, an increase a senior government official said was encouraging.

According to figures released this week by the National Bureau of Statistics, 43,659 visitors arrived in Seychelles in the second quarter of 2021, compared to 6,785 in the first quarter.

From May to June, Russia topped the list of visitors to the Seychelles with 11,328, or 26 percent of the total. In second place was the United Arab Emirates with 6,359 or 15 percent of the total, followed by Israel with 5,746 visitors.

The increase in visitors from Russia is due to the absence of Aeroflot with twice-weekly flights in April that have increased to three times a week. Emirates, the first airline to return to Seychelles after the airport reopened, has increased arrivals from the UAE while accelerating connectivity to its expanding network.

Sherin Francis, chief secretary for tourism, told SNA on Friday that the tourism industry has come a long way.

The Seychelles opened their border to visitors in March to revitalize their tourism sector, which has been hard hit by the decline in travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Our industry went through difficult times in 2020 when the airport was closed. From zero visitors to around 500 per day, the steady growth in arrivals is encouraging for tourism partners, ”said Francis.

Traditionally, the Seychelles’ main visitor markets have come from Europe, with Germany, France, Great Britain and Northern Ireland drawing the most tourists in the past five years. Many visitors also came from the United Arab Emirates and India.

“We are confident that the numbers will continue to rise, as we are working with our partners in all markets persistently to keep our goal visible and attractive. We are also grateful to our airline partners who have remained true to our goal, ”said Francis.

She added that with “Edelweiss’ return in July, the increase in frequencies for Qatar Airways, the arrival of Air France and Condor expected in October and the numerous charters, we are helping to keep the Seychelles accessible to travelers.”