Managing Tourism and Environmental Protection for Sustainable Development in

Small Island Developing States

18 April 2014Busan, Republic of Korea

Lessons from Seychelles

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 SpringettUnited Nations Resident Coordinator

UNDP Resident RepresentativeUNFPA Representative

Seychelles and Mauritius

simon.springett@one.un.org