Reunion: The IRT Wants to Reclaim the Mauritian Market

Dual purpose for the IRT on the transaction: sell the destination Reunion Mauritian professionals to attract more visitors to Mauritius, but also their knowledge of the tourist attractions of the meeting so they can better sell the destination as part of combined "Vanilla Island"

The menu for these five days of discovery that ended Saturday at home Folio Salazie, Saint-Denis, the Cilaos, a picnic with ... Makes The festival is also Sakifo program. Friday was the Citronnelles the restaurant, in the heights of Sainte-Marie, the ten professionals Mauritian part of the trip was interacting with representatives of tourist boards Reunion and ESRD.

"Maurice is a priority target in the context of Vanilla Islands. We must reclaim this market. Today, there is an audience out there who travel and need to really encourage them to visit our region, "said Laurent Lorion, representative of South Meeting Destination (Southern Tourist Board).

Local market

 "In studies we conducted a few months ago, Mauritians looking first mountain products, then the festive food, authenticity and even some shopping ... For ten years, while the islanders always go en masse in Mauritius, Mauritians, they tend to shun the island. 40 000 visitors annually to the early 2000s, we moved to 15 000 tourists in Mauritius, a decrease of over 50% of the workforce, "says Lawrence Lorion.

"This remains an important market in the Indian Ocean area as it is a local market on which we can hope to increase the volumes. We want a minimum return to 20,000 tourists a year. We have a real margin to recover, "said Pascal Viroleau for his part, director of the IRT.

 "This Eductour is as important to the Mauritian professionals refine their knowledge, many still very limited, the Meeting. It is essential that they are linked effectively as part of Vanilla Islands, "he said.

After mopping the South Saturday, Mauritian professionals are left in the evening to Mauritius. But no time to breathe for the IRT: since Friday, is a group of 10 Chinese tour operators who visit the island as part of Vanilla Islands. From Shanghai, they will leave to discover the landscapes Reunion, as well as upscale hotels, accommodation preferred by Chinese customers.