Alain St.Ange, the CEO of the Seychelles Tourism Board said that this is good news for the Seychelles.<\/p>\n

\u201cAbu Dhabi is an important hub in its own right and the UAE is a potential market for Seychelles and this direct air link will only help to consolidate the Seychelles position as an accessible tourism destination\u201d said Alain St.<\/p>\n

Ange.<\/p>\n

Etihad Airways on their part issued the following statement:<\/p>\n

\u201cEtihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has announced it will commence operations to Mah\u00e9 in the Republic of Seychelles on November 1, subject to government approval. Etihad will operate four return services per week from its home base in Abu Dhabi to Seychelles International Airport in Mah\u00e9. The service will be operated by an Airbus A320 aircraft, configured in Pearl Business and Coral Economy class, offering 1,088 seats each week. <\/p>\n

James Hogan, Etihad Airways\u2019 Chief Executive Officer, said: \u201cThe Seychelles has strong and growing appeal as a premium leisure destination, with increasing numbers of UAE residents and European travellers holidaying there. With the recent honeymoon of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the Seychelles is likely to gain new interest as a destination of choice. <\/p>\n

\u201cOur increased frequencies from mid-2011 on some of our primary routes from Europe make the approaching Northern Winter period an ideal time to launch these new services.<\/p>\n

We expect this will be a hugely popular destination, in particular for holidaymakers from the Gulf Cooperation Council and European markets, due to the ease of connecting services through Abu Dhabi and convenient scheduling.<\/p>\n

\u201d <\/p>\n

The Seychelles comprises 115 islands in the western Indian Ocean, located off of the east coast of Africa. The 41 inner islands constitute the oldest mid-oceanic granite islands on earth, with another 74 islands forming the low-lying coral atolls and reef islands of the outer islands. The inner islands cluster mainly around the principal islands of Mah\u00e9, Praslin and La Digue, forming the cultural and economic hub of Seychelles, as well as the centre of its tourism industry.<\/p>\n

Seychelles Tourism Board, www.seychelles.travel<\/a><\/p>\n