Lessons from Seychelles
Managing Tourism and Environmental
Protection for Sustainable Development in
Small Island Developing States
18 April 2014
Busan, Republic of Korea
Republic of Seychelles
• The Republic of Seychelles is comprised of 155 Islands situated in the
Western Indian Ocean with a population of 87,400 (the smallest in
Africa and 12th smallest in the world)
• The total land area is 451 km2 (with an EEZ of 1.3 million km2)
• Seychelles has amongst the highest percentage of protected area in the
world with close to 60% of its land territory under legal protection
• The tourism industry, represents 30% of GDP (60% of foreign earnings),
with 208,034 arrivals in 2012
• 90% of all tourism accommodation establishments are owned and
operated by Seychellois
Seychelles Sustainability Tourism
Label
• The SSTL label was
developed as a minimum
standard for hotels to
subscribe to sustainable
practices
• 8 hotels that have
received the certification
and is aimed to promote
hotel that have green
practices
• The project aims to have
20 hotels certified by the
end of 2014
http://www.seychelles.travel/sstl/index.php
Partnerships
•
•
•
•
Four Seasons Hotel Seychelles and Sustainability for
Seychelles for improved coastal zone and biodiversity
management
Le Matelot de Praslin and Wildlife Club for Seychelles for
forest restoration and development of tourism trails at
Anse la Blague
Denis Island Resort and the Ministry of Environment and
Energy for improved biodiversity management
Cerf Island Resort and Marine Conservation Society
Seychelles for improved management and capacity
building of hotel and government staff working in the
protection of the St Anne Marine National Park
Legislation and Policy
• EIA regulations being revised to be more comprehensive in
the scope of development it covers and a number of
carrying capacity studies are underway to determine the
potential and limitations for future tourism developments
on each of our major islands
• The consolidated national Land Use Plan for the inner
islands allocates 60% of the land area as no-development
zone, leaving scope for considerable expansion of nature
tourism such as hiking trails.
Questions?
Simon Springett
United Nations Resident Coordinator
UNDP Resident Representative
UNFPA Representative
Seychelles and Mauritius
simon.springett@one.un.org