Regional Integration: Experts Discuss the Strategy of the Airline

For the Secretary General of the IOC, regional air connectivity is essential for economic integration and Indianocéanique. However, he noted, many companies have been compelled to revise their strategic plans and the frequency of some flights and abandon certain destinations. "One of the reasons most often advanced is the upward trend in the prices of petroleum products. For small companies in the region, the effects of the crisis are disastrous. The small markets, distance from main tourist-sending households and export markets do not facilitate their tasks. The fragmentation of the regional supply between national carriers, regional as well as international competitiveness of companies complicate things. "

It is in order to try to find answers to these problems that the IOC has decided to bring all the parties to the conference next week. The findings will be presented to the leaders of countries in the region.

conference will be inaugurated by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Arvin Boolell. Ambassador Alessandro Mariani, Head of Delegation of the European Mauritius Union sponsoring the conference, will also speak.

conference will include six roundtables to get around the issue of air services in the region. It will start with an overview on air transport. This session will be moderated by Vijay Poonoosamy, Vice President of International and Public affairs Etihad Airways.

Representatives of the Organization of World Aviation and the World Tourism Organization will also participate. Anver Versi, editor of African Business Magazine, will lead a session on the perspective of the region and Africa Indianocéanie on air transport. Paul Moore, a consultant will discuss studies conducted by the IOC. A representative of the World Bank will also make a presentation. Raj Makoond, Director of the Joint Economic Council (JEC), will lead a session on the prospects and strategies of member countries of the IOC on air transport. It is expected that representatives of the Member States involved. Georges Chung Tick Kan, an economist, who had unsuccessfully proposed in the Mauritian authorities to create an airline past, for its part, will host a work session on the constraints of the users of air transport and private sector perspectives. Operators involved in various tourism activities will also participate, as well as representatives of the MEXA, the Association of importers and exporters, the Export Club Meeting.

Sithanen, former finance minister who was also a strategist for Air Mauritius will host a session on "What strategy for air transport? Prerequisites, approaches / steps, obstacles and challenges. " Several questions and proposals will be discussed at that time. These proposals include the creation of a regional airline, maintaining national airlines to serve the region and support a common scale strategic partner, the creation of a regional airline by the member countries IOC, the creation of a regional company in addition to national companies, the creation by the members or by an operator of the Indianocéanie or outside of a low cost airline whose scope is restricted to the service area. Following this workshop recommendations will be made.

"It might be called somewhat general state of regional civil aviation comes at all by a combination of circumstances an international conference on same subject in the world this time will also be held in May in Canada, "said De L'Estrac. Discussions will focus on how to ensure that all the air connectivity at an affordable price, safely, to many destinations at reasonable rates. All companies in the region (Air Austral, Air Madagascar, Air Mauritius and Air Seychelles) after the disappearance of the fifth, Air Comores, are deficient. "We were able to measure in each of our members the consequences of this situation, which forced companies to abandon certain routes, which could help redress their finances but asked at the same time problems in other areas including tourism and export industries, "said Mr. From Estrac.

Secretary General of the IOC considers issue of aviation strategy is a major challenge for the country and not limited to interest issue a national airline. "For our country, this issue directly affects its development model. The same is true for the region ... "

The secretary general of the IOC considers our region, it is only good sense to question the relevance of the fragmentation of our air supply while our markets are small, far from homes issuers tourists. "On the world map, we do not weigh much, attracting only 2 million of the half-billion tourists traveling by air in the world. In fact, the operation of our companies costs are exorbitant. And these costs are directly charged to the citizens who pay the overpriced plane tickets and also when states draw on public funds to subsidize the loss-national companies, "says Mr. De l'Estrac.

What all the world and all airlines know is that the status quo is not an option.