Seychelles, with its idyllic white sand beaches and luxury resorts, has recorded only 149 cases of Covid-19, however, the global crisis caused by the pandemic has devastated its major tourism industry.
The island nation of the Indian Ocean, known as a honeymoon destination, took swift action to oppose the virus in March, banning cruise ships and flights and implementing a blockade.
But even though the archipelago reopened to tourists on 1 August, the global decline and devastation caused by the virus in major tourist supplier countries in Europe and elsewhere have shown little improvement.
“Since the reopening of the airport, we have tried to reopen our establishment, but it is a disaster, we go with losses because there is no one,” said Sybil Cardon, who had to go down by 10%. from your to your hotel on Praslin, the largest island of the moment.
In Labeau Vallon, the top tourist on the main island of Mahé, the Equinox dive center once made 3 or 4 tours per day, leading tourists to see abundant fish and marine life around granite cliffs and coral reefs.
Now, in what is the high season to see the largest fish in the world, the whale shark, there are “only a few tourists a day,” said Manuela Alcañiz, who runs the center.
He kept his six state workers on board and some of his own money.
– Loss of employment and recycling –
Tourism contributes about 25 cents to Seychelles GDP, according to official statistics, and in combination with the tuna fishing industry, it is the main source of foreign exchange.
In 2019, the archipelago received more than 330,000 tourists, two-thirds of them from Europe, representing more than 3 times that of the islands.
During the first 3 quarters of the year, the country recorded the arrival of 75,000 tourists.
According to the national statistics agency, the time and third quarter saw an 83% minimisation for 2019.
And government figures show that more than 700 people have lost their jobs in hotels and tourism, bringing unemployment from 4. 8% to 6. 3%.
Since July 1, the government has implemented the Seychelles Employee Transition Program (Sets) for staff by paying their wages in exchange for an education course.
“Currently, if I didn’t have that help, I don’t know what scenario I’d be on to pay off my loans and take care of my kids,” said Sheila Marie, who worked as a hotel accountant and is now charging payroll. control course.
“This gives me enough qualifications to look for another job” if tourism doesn’t resume until December 31, when the program ends.
The government said if the program would expand.
Authorities expect tourists to return in December in high season, but those in the domain are pessimistic.
“The arriving airlines have only 50 people on board, I’m afraid they will keep coming,” said Cardon, who is also president of the Seychelles Tourism and Hospitality Association.
Most tourists arriving in Seychelles, a high-level destination, come from Europe, facing a wave of viruses, new curfews, closures and movement restrictions.
Only travelers from a list of decided countries can enter, with a Covid-19 certificate of less than 72 hours.
However, from 1 October, travellers from hard-hit countries such as France, the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates will now have to pass a check of less than 46 hours and will have to spend five days with movement restrictions in a government. – Approved hotel.
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