Tourism Seychelles and Emirates Airline have reaffirmed their strategic partnership following high-level discussions on tourism recovery and market resilience. Both parties pledged continued collaboration through enhanced connectivity, joint marketing initiatives, and promotional campaigns to support visitor growth after recent geopolitical disruptions impacted international travel demand.
vICTORIA, Seychelles — Tourism Seychelles and Emirates Airline have reaffirmed their long-standing partnership following high-level discussions between Seychelles tourism officials and senior Emirates executives aimed at supporting the destination’s tourism recovery and future growth.
The Minister for Tourism and Culture, Amanda Bernstein, met with Emirates representatives on June 12 during a courtesy visit that underscored the importance of the airline’s role in connecting Seychelles to key international markets. Accompanying the minister was Principal Secretary for Tourism, Sherin Francis.
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The Emirates delegation was led by Majid Al Mualla, Divisional Senior Vice President for International Affairs, and included Essa Sulaiman Ahmad, Senior Vice President for Commercial Operations – West Asia & Indian Ocean, the Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Holidays, and other senior airline executives.
During the meeting, both parties reviewed the performance of Seychelles’ tourism sector over the past quarter and examined the effects of recent geopolitical tensions in the Middle East on global travel patterns.
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Although Seychelles experienced encouraging visitor growth at the start of 2026, the regional crisis significantly disrupted travel demand in March. According to tourism officials, visitor arrivals fell approximately 37 percent below projected levels during the period.
Participants agreed that the decline reflected temporary market challenges rather than any loss of confidence in Seychelles as a premier international tourism destination.
The discussions focused on strategies to accelerate recovery, stimulate demand, and strengthen cooperation in key source markets. Emirates reiterated its commitment to supporting Seychelles through sustained air connectivity, joint marketing campaigns, and enhanced promotional activities.
“Emirates has been a valued and reliable partner for Seychelles for many years,” Minister Bernstein said. “The discussions held today demonstrate our shared commitment to overcoming current challenges and ensuring the continued growth and resilience of our tourism industry.”
The meeting concluded with both organizations reaffirming their commitment to work closely together in the coming months. By combining Emirates’ extensive global network with Tourism Seychelles’ destination marketing efforts, the partners aim to accelerate the recovery of visitor arrivals and strengthen Seychelles’ position in the international tourism marketplace.
Emirates remains one of Seychelles’ most important airline partners, providing year-round connections through its Dubai hub and contributing significantly to visitor arrivals from major international markets.
The renewed commitment comes at a critical time for Seychelles as the island nation works to rebuild momentum following recent market disruptions and maintain its competitiveness in the global tourism sector.