The second Tourism Employee of the Year award ceremony was held last Friday where, compared to the first edition where 14 employees were rewarded, this time 22 employees were honoured from 22 tourism establishments.

This award aims to give recognition to employees in the hotel industry who are doing their utmost to deliver an excellent service. This award ceremony was launched in 2018 by the Ministry of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine where 14 employees from 14 establishments were recognised in the presence of the Minister for Employment and the Minister for Tourism. This year, 22 establishments – both small and large, forming part of our inner and outer islands – took part in this event.

The Minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine, Didier Dogley and the principal secretary Anne Lafortune together with the general managers and staff of the different hotels attended this event.

During the event, Minister Dogley talked about the 6% increase in visitor arrivals in 2019 compared to 2018 and noted that the “vulnerability of Seychelles to external forces such as the outbreak of diseases like the coronavirus, decisions taken at international level such as Brexit, the impact of climate change and sea-level rise have powerful impacts on our tourism industry”.

He further highlighted the importance of the human resource as an asset to the successful development of the tourism industry.

“We need to continue to invest in the quality training of the locals who wish to take up a career in the tourism industry. Nevertheless, the teaching and refinement of skills alone is inadequate to mould a desirable workforce for the tourism industry. This should be driven by a national agenda aimed at inculcating a sense of patriotism in our people and a deep-rooted appreciation for our tourism industry.”

Minister Dogley commended the campaigns launched by the Seychelles Hospitality and Tourism Association and the launching of tourism clubs in the schools.

He also urged all the hotel managers and human resources to set the bar high in terms of employing, training and nurturing their workforce.

“The government is working to ensure that tourism remains the pillar of the economy and that all Seychellois may reap the benefits of this industry,” concluded the minister.

Addressing the winners, PS Lafortune noted that “today you serve as a good role model for other service staff to emulate and to uphold the standard of the hotel industry. Your continuous strive for service excellence is all the more important as the Seychelles hospitality industry continues to boom.

Rica Bonne, best employee from Hilton Labriz Resort and Spa, said that without her colleagues and her general manager she would have never made it.

“I am so proud of myself and my family is so proud of me. With Hilton I am really growing. It’s been only one and a half years that I joined Hilton and was also chosen as female leader of the year 2019. This month I will be attending a conference in South Africa on ‘Women in leadership’ sponsored by the hotel. I started as a trainee cook under the scheme of the Ministry of Employment then moved to an accountant clerk, then moved to an HR clerk on Ste Anne Resort Beachcomber and then promoted as HR assistant and once Ste Anne Resort went under renovation I moved to Hilton. I would advise the youth that if you have determination and willingness you will succeed in the hotel industry. Seize your chance.”

The winners are as follows:

Vidya Gappy