VICTORIA, Seychelles — The five winners of the 2017 Lospitalite Lafyerte Sesel Service Excellence Programme are to fly to the Maldives to take up a special two-week internship at Universal Resorts. The five — Chantal Cedras, Mercia Samson, Audrey Pouponeau, Christine Camille and Stephanie Pool — received their tickets at a ceremony hosted by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism, Sylvestre Radegonde, alongside Air Seychelles chief executive Sandy Benoiton, Maldives honorary consul Lambert Bonne and Universal Resorts director Ahmed Mahir.
Each winner has been assigned to a different Maldivian property. Ms Cedras, executive housekeeper at Constance Lemuria, will be at Huvafen Fushi Resort; Ms Samson, guest experience coordinator at Carana Beach Hotel, will be at Baros Resort; Ms Pouponeau, rooms division manager at La Cigale Estate, will be based at Milaidhoo Resort; Ms Camille, general manager at Royale Suites by Arc Royale Luxury Apartments, will be at Velassaru Resort; and Ms Pool, restaurant manager at Café des Arts, will be at Kurumba Resort. The programme is designed to offer them a unique opportunity to enhance their industry knowledge.
Mr Radegonde said he was fully in support of empowering Seychellois and would take all opportunities possible to help them move forward, with his department providing all necessary support. Local airline Air Seychelles is also a partner in the initiative, providing free tickets for the winners up to Colombo, Sri Lanka, with the Colombo to Male leg covered by the Tourism department. The five interns are expected back in Seychelles on March 30.
