JEDDAH: Mauritius hopes to double the number of visitors from Saudi Arabia and elsewhere in the Middle East this year. “One of the measures we are considering is to grant visas on arrival to the maids who accompany their Saudi sponsors in the island state,” Mauritius Vice-Prime Minister Xavier-Luc Duval told Arab news in an interview here yesterday.
Mauritius, a mountainous island in the Indian Ocean east of Madagascar, is an “excellent product that meets all Arab requirements including a luxurious tourist infrastructure, safety and security, halal meat and Arabic speaking people,” Duval, said. Emirates has been operating a daily flight between the island and Dubai for about a year. This signifies how strong the destination is for the Arab world, he said, adding that plans are under way to consider expanding the frequency.
New York Times last year substantiated the tourist attractions of Mauritius by naming it one of the top four among 53 destinations worldwide, he said, adding that the island, which is six hours away by air from Dubai, has some of the best hotels in the world.
The country, a stable and peaceful democracy, boasts six game reserves. Its other attractions include untouched mountains, pristine beaches, lagoons, trekking, deep-sea fishing, finest golf courses, world-class hotels and, above all, a great environment.
“The prosperous Middle East is considered geographically close to the Mauritian destination, where a special terminal at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport is dedicated to private jets,” Duval said. “I am optimistic about the Saudi and Middle East market, which has great potential and our objective is to exploit it further by offering the best product and service,” he said.
Some 5,600 tourists from the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) toured the island last year, 1,200 of them from the Kingdom. “Saudis have been investing in Mauritius’ hospitality sector, he said. “We are an open and a business-friendly country and would like to see more investments coming from Saudis,” he said.
Tourism is a small part of the Mauritian economy. Some 950,000 tourists visit the island from all over the world annually, 60 percent of them from Europe. The island with a population of over 1.2 million, 20 percent of them Muslim, earns 1 billion euros from tourism and constitutes nine percent of its GDP. Textiles, sugar and seafood are among its other sectors that contribute to its GDP. “Our per capita income stands at $6,000,” he said.
The delegation Duval headed, included Dr. Karl Mootoosamy, director of the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA), and a number of representatives from hotels and tour operators, who all participated in a road show. Emirates Jeddah-based Regional Manager Badr Abbas and Dina Al-Herais, vice president, commercial operations, Emirates Holidays, also attended the event.
Later, speaking to the media, Abbas said: “By organizing such road shows, Emirates has taken one more significant step in its endeavor to promote Mauritius as a luxurious destination.”
“Emirates is a strong advocate for Mauritius and throughout the years we have worked in association with the MTPA to help raise awareness of the incredible facilities the destination has to offer. Campaigns have taken the form of road shows,” he added.
The Middle East road show is part of a long-term campaign to promote the republic as an “exciting and unique” holiday destination. Kicking off in Kuwait on Sunday, the road show next traveled to Riyadh before arriving in Jeddah yesterday. It makes its final stop in Dubai today.
