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COME & ENJOY THE WONDERFUL NATURE OF SEYCHELLES

Located 1,600 kilometers east of Mombasa, Kenya, Seychelles is known as the last paradise of the Indian Ocean due to its abundance of rare plant and animal species, making the islands a popular destination among international tourists. Dr. Nirmal Jivan Shah, Chief Executive of Nature Seychelles and an environmental specialist, recently visited here to learn about Korea and to make Seychelles better known to people in Korea. The Nature Seychelles organization focuses its efforts on assuring the preservation of its island paradise through such activities as protecting endangered species of the Indian Ocean, conducting educational programs on environmental protection, and implementing environment-friendly tourism projects.

1. It seems that not many people in Korea are familiar with Seychelles, at this time.
Our country of Seychelles is probably better known to people in Europe than those in Asia. To Europeans, Seychelles is a “country they want to visit, at least once in their life, and one of the most attractive holiday destinations.” As in other countries around the world, our 5-star hotels and resorts are magnificent.
However, the essence of Seychelles is found in its 100 percent clean and pure natural environment. Environment-friendly tourism, which allows you to feel and be a part of the wonders of nature, provides a truly memorable experience that visitors highly value. For example, birds will perch on your shoulder and walk around at your feet, enjoying your company.

2.What are your impressions of Korea, and how well is Korea known to the people of Seychelles?
Korea is widely known among the people of Seychelles, for its cars and electronic products. In fact, I have a Korean car. Korean automobiles and electronic products are very popular in Seychelles. But that’s about it, I think. Actually, we know little about what kind of country Korea is and what its culture is like.
Personally, I find the fact that Korea is so racially homogenous very interesting, since Seychelles has such a multinational society. I also find Korea’s dynamic economic activities very impressive. I have an impression that Koreans are more openminded unlike the Japanese and very curious.

3.Seychelles publicizes its natural environment in order to attract foreign tourists. However, it must be difficult to maintain a proper balance between these competing interests.
It is true that development comes to your mind whenever you think about tourism. But from a comprehensive perspective, the concept of development in Seychelles is all about retaining our natural conditions. This means not having anything artificial. Our development policy is to retain nature “as it is,” as much as possible, for everyone’s enjoyment. The revenue from tourism is entirely invested into the protection of our environment, plants, and animal life.
We operate three programs to maintain a clean and pure nature: “ecological rehabilitation” to help restore rare species of the islands, “conservation and research” for the study of rare species, and “wildlife clubs” to help students and the public to appreciate the importance of our natural environment.
As a result of these efforts, the number of magpie-robin, an endangered species which had dwindled to only about 70 on one island, now stands at about 200. And they can be found on six islands. This kind of wonderful outcome can only be possible by continuously reinvesting the earnings from tourism into environmental protection programs.

4.People all over the world, including in Korea, have been increasingly clamoring for increased efforts to promote environmental protection. So, did you share your experiences in Seychelles with relevant officials in Korea?
I met with many people during my visits to the Korean Federation for Environmental Movement, the Eco Center in Busan, Korea Birds, various cultural and historic sites on Jeju Island, and other places. Many people were surprised at the work of our organization and expressed their interest in launching cooperative projects. And the same was true for me.
I was aware that Jeju Island had applied to host the upcoming conference of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. During my visit to Jeju Island, I found that it would be an attractive setting for hosting this conference event. So, I intend to express my support for Jeju Island at a regional gathering in Africa after I return home.
After visiting a migratory bird habitat along the Nakdonggang River in Busan it seemed to me that this resource was not adequately developed for visitors. It is a marvelous site, but the area is not well publicized for general visitors. In comparison, we have a popular destination for bird watching known as Cousin Island, where much effort and time have been invested in its preservation and promotion. The island is like an open-air museum, with a staff that provides guided tours, including boat rides around the area, which is all natural with no enclosures or fencing. There might be activities that can be considered for utilization in Korea.

5.It seems that you had a fruitful visit. After returning home, what efforts do you plan to pursue?
I think I am probably the first guest to visit Korea from the islands of the Indian Ocean. And I am really grateful for this kind invitation. In particular, I believe that Korean specialists in the environmental area should visit Seychelles in order to understand what we are doing. I also hope to maintain close relations with relevant organizations in Korea and to make Seychelles more widely known to the Korean people. The people of Seychelles really like to travel as well, so we can look forward to more visitor exchanges in the future.

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