1. Les Assises du Tourisme 2 June 2017
Ministry of Tourism

2. Sub-committees set up on:
Attractiveness
Sub-committees set up on:
Product Development                     (Mrs. L. Sanspeur, Principal Tourism Planner, Ministry of Tourism)
Human Resource Development     (Mr. V. Kowlessur, Principal Tourism Planner, Ministry of Tourism)
Ground Transportation                 (Mr. R. Moolye, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Tourism)
Safety and Security                         (Mrs. K. Maudarbocus-Boodoo, Director , Tourism Authority)
Cleanliness and Stray Dogs             (Mrs. K. Maudarbocus-Boodoo, Director , Tourism Authority)
Business Facilitation                        (Mrs. K. Maudarbocus-Boodoo, Director , Tourism Authority)

3. TOURISM PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

4. Core Tourism Product
3S namely Sea, Sand and Sun as core tourism product though we have made inroads into other niche products such as Golf, Wellness, Shopping, Medical and Sports tourism amongst others.
Scan of the marketplace calls for PRODUCT DIFFERENTIATION and DIVERSIFICATION.

5. Scan of the Market Place
The product has reached MATURITY and needs REJUVENATION
We are in a buyer’s market. The tourism product has to be market responsive and demand driven
Demand Fragmentation: New products being offered by existing and emerging destinations
Technology driven market place – a game changer
Demand trends are more of a qualitative nature rather than quantitative
Environment conscious tourists with greater awareness on preservation of the environment
Higher expectations from tourists, especially “millenials” looking for more participative and active tourism. Demand for an experience rather than a stay.

6. Findings of the Sub-Committee on Product Development
Existing products need to go through the process of continual renewal and development to maintain our competitive edge.
Improvement and enhancement of the tourism product doesn't mean doing away with the existing core product which on the contrary has to be maintained and consolidated. Coastal degradation, coral bleaching, beach erosion and loss of beach cover and area are being addressed, but there is a need to consult with regional and international experts on avant-garde technologies and techniques.
Underuse of existing historical buildings and products which are not being put to optimal use (Citadelle, Batelage, le Val Nature Park, Ferme des Rhums ,etc)

7. Findings of the Sub-Committee on Product Development
Many cultural activities (festivals, open days, concerts, art exhibitions) are being organised in Mauritius. However, organising agencies are operating in silo. Missed opportunities as a result of lack of communication and coordination.
Not enough information being disseminated on historical heritage sites and cultural events
Need to develop innovative products which are unique to Mauritius and which will help to differentiate from other destinations.

8. Findings of the Sub-Committee on Product Development
Environment is the nucleus of our tourism product. The sustainability of tourism is intrinsically linked with the preservation of the environment.
To ensure sustainability of the industry concentration and pressure on our coastal resources need to be relieved
Diversification strategy of market sources calls for a shift in the product mix specially with regards to the expectations from the Chinese market.
Lack of nightlife and night entertainment
Loss in the “rural” flavour of the destination
All inclusive package may be an impediment to product diversification as the critical mass may not be reached for business profitability.

9. RECOMMENDATIONS ON TOURISM PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

10. Major strategic thrusts
Key recommendations / developments
Coastal rehabilitation and re-engineering
We should have recourse to avant-garde technologies in combating erosion and tap into international and regional funding to better address the situation.
Elaboration of Integrated beach management plans with the guiding principle of keeping the beaches in their natural state with minimum footprint . Beaches should not be urbanised at any cost.
Revitalization of heritage sites, historical buildings, amenities , tangible and intangible assets.
Sites such as Citadelle, Port Louis Market, Le Batelage (Souillac), Belle Mare Tourist Village, Ferme des Rhums, Le Val Nature Park to be restored and put to more optimal use.
Thematic approach in transforming heritage sites. These would be places for interaction between tourists and locals.
Promotion of street food, street art and street music to be considered. (Port Louis voted as one of the 10 best for street food by The Telegraph. )

11. Mechanisms to be put in place for funding of restoration projects.
Major Strategic thrusts
Key recommendations / developments
Mechanisms to be put in place for funding of restoration projects.
To revitalize and fund heritage projects, it is proposed:
either to set up an independent Trust which will be responsible for the acquisition and maintenance of buildings of historical and cultural value and their conversion into tourism business opportunities or
government maintains the ownership of those sites and the Trust is entrusted with the maintenance and management of the heritage buildings. Seed money to be put in by government to encourage private sector financial participation.
More coordinated and aggressive promotion of historical, heritage sites, events and existing trails.
To prepare pocket sized brochures pertaining to each specific area of interest such as eco-tourism, heritage or cultural tourism which will be made available to visitors at the airport and hotels with a view to promoting inland attractions.
To develop a digital application comprising maps and information on the historical and cultural heritage of Mauritius (cuisine, music, clothing, regattas, open days in buildings, etc.)
To include relevant information in a travel industry portal which will showcase Mauritius as a cultural destination

12. Development of “Only in Mauritius” Products
Major strategic thrusts
Key recommendations / developments
Development of “Only in Mauritius” Products
To design a National Excursion Tour which will comprise main landmarks of historical value that will retrace the history of the island as well as showcase the multi-ethnicity of our population. The one day National Excursion Tour will consist of highlights of our rich historical heritage.
Government will, in consultation with stakeholders and industry partners, design the National Excursion Tour and MTPA will be responsible for its promotion.
To set up a cultural village which will showcase the typical local activities such as Sega Tipik, Geet-Gawai, sari draping, local costumes, tasting and preparation of local food, folkloric dances amongst others.
To organise a national architectural competition for the selection of a national landmark statue.
To transform the Granary Building into a landmark by rehabilitating the existing structure.
Creation of more pedestrian zones in Port Louis and safeguard our paved stoned streets which are being tarred.

13. To look into the organisation of night safari
Major strategic thrusts
Key recommendations / developments
Promotion of Mauritius as a festive and vibrant destination with emphasis on entertainment and experience
To develop regional thematic entertainment centres in tourist zones to provide for more nightlife entertainment.
The regional entertainment centres would be vibrant hotspots comprising signature restaurants, pubs, casinos, street food, street art, street music, restaurants and live performance of local folkloric dance and music, amongst others.
Hotels to review their policies on entertainment with a view to providing more opportunities after 23:00 hrs. Consideration should be given to soundproof facilities .
Hotels to showcase local artists and permanent shows instead of having recourse to in-house hotel staff for entertainment.
To look into the organisation of night safari

14. It is proposed that the MTPA acts as the lead agency.
Major strategic thrusts
Key recommendations / developments
Enhancing coordination and communication on existing cultural, musical and historical events already taking place.
For a better dissemination of relevant information, it is proposed that a lead agency be identified to ensure coordination with all relevant organisations. The agency will regularly scan all existing and new activities, products and attractions in Mauritius and promote them as part and parcel of the tourism product.
It is proposed that the MTPA acts as the lead agency.
Mainstreaming biodiversity, both marine and terrestrial, into tourism product development to promote ecotourism and to enable islet hopping.
Development of islets with a recreational and tourism potential for the promotion of ecotourism should have at its centrepiece the preservation of both the terrestrial and marine biodiversity.
Development plans should comprise zonings of the islets for preservation, access and recreational amenities to be put up.
Mauritius should aim at becoming the destination that protects and preserves endangered species. To that effect, it is proposed that a sea turtle sanctuary and a Giant Aldabra tortoise park be created on Flat Island.
To replicate the model at Ile aux Aigrettes for the sustainable development of islets into tourist attractions. Other islets, especially those categorised as nature reserves could be leased to NGOs having conservation as vocation.

15. To revive the “Fleurir Maurice Campaign”
Major Strategic thrusts
Key recommendations / developments
Enhance the rural flavour of the destination through greening.
To create green belts, areas/parks in cities
To revive the “Fleurir Maurice Campaign”
To embellish and landscape road sides, motorways, round-abouts and other public places.
Promote Mauritius as a Tourism Hub in the Indian Ocean
. Reinforce regional cooperation through the Vanilla Islands concept.
Mauritius should continue to leverage on tourism resources beyond its borders and tap into the region’s attractiveness.
Mauritius should through the Vanilla Islands initiative strengthen its position as a gateway to regional tourism and enhance its role as a tourism hub.

16. Review of Legislation/Policies
Findings
Key recommendations / developments
Review of Legislation/Policies
To consider amendment of the Shooting and Fishing Leases Act to promote ecotourism – duration of lease for ecotourism to be extended to more than 14 years to encourage promoters to invest;
To consider amendment of regulations under the Maritime Zone Act to include innovative projects such as marina.
To review the Environment Protection Act to encourage investment in environment protection works, e.g. amount invested could be deducted from the contribution to the Environment Protection Fee by private stakeholders or allow hoteliers to manage part of their contribution towards environment/sustainability projects in their immediate and neighbouring locations, under the control of the competent authorities
To facilitate private sector initiatives in environmental preservation projects such as coral farming for rehabilitation of reefs, etc.
To adapt existing labour legislation to requirements of the industry. Job titles under the Catering and Tourist Industries Remuneration Order 2014 to be finetuned with industry partners for a more conducive operating environment.
To review the Beach Authority (Use of Public Beach) Regulations 2004 regarding payment of daily fees for kite surfing activities .

17. Glamping (Glamour camping)
Major strategic thrusts
Key recommendations / developments
New inroads into accommodation sector
To consider the development of one islet into an exclusive luxury hideaway for the jet set that would help in the repositioning of the destination as an exclusive one.
To develop a casino hotel to meet the requirements of the Asian Market.
Convention and Exhibition Centre including accommodation to host high profile business and professional events to position Mauritius as a world class meeting (MICE) venue.
Glamping (Glamour camping)
Promotion of community-based tourism
. Development of Mahebourg as a village touristique.
Mahebourg could be packaged as an attraction with a sense of place through the uplifting of historical relics and vestiges, amenities, development of walking tours, information kiosks, interactive maps, a dedicated logo and website, amongst others with community involvement.
. Enhance the existing Dombeya Festival which is already taking place in Mahebourg

18. Major strategic thrusts
Key recommendations / developments
Boosting investment in innovative tourism products
To set up a Tourism Development Support Scheme to act as a catalyst to transform unused historical buildings and to attract investment (both local and foreign) in innovative projects. The Board of Investment to work out the Schemes.
Revisit the shopping experience
Need to reformulate shopping in Mauritius with a stronger emphasis on the experience where the tourist is engaged emotionally
More interactive retailing as in Rodrigues
Flea markets with locally made produce.
Staging mega events of international standard
To consider the organisation of a Second edition of “Festival de la Mer” or a similar international event during the off peak season to address the seasonality pattern.
To organise international sport events so as to benefit from free international media coverage.

19. Findings
Key recommendations / developments
Need to build up on existing signage to improve visibility and accessibility with a view to facilitating visitorship to tourist attractions
To feed Google with more information on tourist attractions, tourist sites, tourist establishments, etc. which will facilitate movement of visitors around the island.
Installation of new information panels with QR codes at entry of towns/villages and strategic areas of the island. The QR codes will be linked to an official website where information, in different languages, will be available on the small tourist enterprises/places of interest available in the region.
To develop applications incorporating all the heritage sites and places of interest.
Installation of follow up/reminder and additional directional panels wherever required to facilitate visitorship.
Only information panels to be translated in Chinese language as translation of directional signs might give the perception that one particular market is being favoured.

20. HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

21. Findings
Recommendations
Shortage of skills exacerbated by competition from other sectors such as BPO and cruise liners. Capacity constraints in Hotel School and existing training institutions. Based on projections, it is estimated that large establishments in the tourism industry will require an additional intake of some 8600 employees by year 2021.
Mainstream tourism and hospitality in the school curriculum as early as primary level leading to vocational certificates such as BEP and CAP
. The 9 year schooling represents an opportunity to foster vocational training and meet shortages being encountered at operational level specially with regard to cooks, waiters and housekeeping staff.
. Ecole Hoteliere Sir Gaetan Duval to operate under the aegis of the Ministry of Tourism and to formulate cutting-edge strategies to meet the quantity and quality of the training needs of the industry.
. Create pathways for degree holders in other fields to join the sector by bridging the knowledge gap and providing the necessary skills training.

22. Findings
Recommendations
Shortage of skills exacerbated by competition from other sectors such as BPO and cruise liners. Capacity constraints in Hotel School and existing training institutions. Based on projections, it is estimated that large establishments in the tourism industry will require an additional intake of some 8600 employees by year 2021.
Training institutions to design certification programmes for employees operating at middle management level who lack the academic qualifications but who have over the years acquired the necessary skills, experience and have the right attitude to excel in service.
. Tailor-made training programmes to be devised by training institutions to meet the specific requirements of: IRS, RES, specialized cuisines and small operators in the non-hotel sector.

23. Findings
Recommendations
Jobs in the hotel and tourism sector no longer attractive and appealing to the youth. The perception currently prevailing amongst school leavers requires a turnaround.
. The hotel and tourism industry will have to meet the challenge of rekindling the interest in the sector, attracting and retaining its employees and will have to chart a career path, revisit terms and conditions of service, promote employee shareholder schemes and other profit sharing schemes and offer attractive packages for staff retention and recognition.
. Counselling is recommended to create better awareness of the job prospects in the industry and to provide proper career guidance to school leavers. Counselling should start as early as Form IV.
. Opportunities be provided to local recruits to perform at top management level. Presently this glass ceiling is acting as a deterrent for graduates to join the sector.
Missing link for training at middle management level
The Polytechnic at Montagne Blanche will provide that pool of middle management professionals to bridge that missing link. Institution to be affiliated with WINTEC (New Zealand) and HTMI (Switzerland) for international recognition.

24. Findings
Recommendations
Availability and sharing of data on employment in the tourism sector to be further improved.
. Ministry of Labour, Industrial Relations, Employment and Training to set up a database on job seekers who have gathered experience overseas and on cruise liners and who come back after expiry of their contract. Hotels and other service providers to have access to that database for potential recruitment.
Statistics Mauritius to compile data on establishments employing less that 10 staff.
More collaboration / synergy is required between training institutions, the industry and relevant Ministries.
. A steering committee to be set up under the aegis of the Ministry of Tourism to look into training, recruitment and other issues related to the sector.

25. Findings
Recommendations
Inadequate training programmes in language and soft /cultural skills.
. To train front liners in foreign languages particularly Chinese, Arabic and soft/cultural skills.
. Introduction of foreign languages such as German, Russian, Spanish and Mandarin in school curriculum at secondary level .
No formal training undertaken by most of the tour guides
. The Tourism Authority in collaboration with the Ecole Hoteliere Sir Gaetan Duval to mount a crash course for the training of all existing guides not holders of “National Certificate in Tour Guiding - Level 3”
. The National Certificate in Tour Guiding - Level 3 or equivalent shall be a pre-requisite for the issue of a TEL for tour guides by the Tourism Authority.
. Ecole Hoteliere Sir Gaetan Duval to review and upgrade the training programme for tour guides to cater for the Chinese and Indian markets.

26. GROUND TRANSPORTATION

27. Duplication of procedures
Findings
Recommendations
Duplication of procedures
Tourism Authority issuing Tourism Enterprise License for tour operator services.
NTA issuing Public Service Vehicle License (contract) for vehicles attached to the tour operators
Streamlining of procedures - Only one licensing body to regulate the activities attached to tour operators.
Only one (1) body to control operators offering transport services to tourists.
Roles and functions of a Tour Operator, Destination Management Company (DMC) and taxi attached to hotels NOT clearly defined.
A legal framework is required to clearly establish the role and functions of Tour Operator, Destination Management Company (DMC) and taxis based at hotels
Appropriate legislation to clearly define and demarcate the activities of contract cars, contract buses, mini buses, etc.
Transport services to be outsourced to taxis based at hotels by Tour Operators.

28. Tour Operators should work closely with Taxis based at Hotels
Findings
Recommendations
No proper forum currently exists to address the concerns and problems of taxis based at hotels.
A Coordination Committee comprising MPI, Ministry of Tourism, Tourism Authority, NTA, AHRIM, AIOM, Taxi Associations/Unions to be set to look into the issues affecting the taxis based at hotels
Tour Operators should work closely with Taxis based at Hotels
Lack of enforcement
Police, NTA and TA officers to strictly enforce the law.
  Sensitization of all operators for strict abidance with the provisions of the Tourism Authority Act and Road Traffic Act
  Proper monitoring should be carried out by the Authorities to control illegal canvassing for transport services. in hotels and on the beaches.

29. Many tourist sites are not accessible;
Findings
Recommendations
Many tourist sites are not accessible;
E.g. Access to Pont Naturel, Rochester Falls, etc. are impracticable
The road leading to tourist sites such as Pont Naturel, Rochester Falls and La Laura Malenga viewpoint, amongst others to be upgraded, improved and maintained.
No Training provided to Taxi Operators
All taxi operators should be provided training in customer care, grooming and foreign languages by the Tourism Authority and the Ecole Hoteliere Sir Gaetan Duval.
No instant sharing of information between authorities resulting in lengthy procedures for operators/stakeholders
. Creation of an online computerized platform (Sharing/linking of information) wherein all Authorities (TA and NTA) would get real time information on an operator.

30. Taxi based at hotels to be redeployed to other hotels.
Findings
Recommendations
Illegal activities via website: Many DMCs providing Taxi services through websites
Tourism Authority to control false and misleading advertisement on websites
In case of closure of a hotel and/or renovation of a hotel, taxi operators attached to the hotel are out of employment
Taxi based at hotels to be redeployed to other hotels.
Taxi Operators attached to hotels still operating in their traditional mode
Tourism Authority to develop an online booking system for taxi based at hotels.

31. Lack of information on taxi services available on the hotel premises
Findings
Recommendations
Lack of information on taxi services available on the hotel premises
Notifications on information boards in the reception area and leaflets to be provided in rooms for better visibility of taxi services and rates.