'The island that won over the Beckhams and Britain's Prince William': Seychelles courts Korean travelers

Seychelles Tourism Board holds Seoul workshop to rebuild Korean visitor numbers

Post-pandemic arrivals have fallen sharply, from over 1,000 to around 400 a year

Emirates, Etihad and Ethiopian Airlines among carriers serving the archipelago

Mahé, Praslin and La Digue each offer a distinct landscape

Accommodation ranges from ultra-luxury resorts to budget-friendly options

A beach on La Digue island, Seychelles [Seychelles Tourism Board]

"Seychelles is a perfect holiday destination for golfers, honeymooners, those who want to experience unspoiled nature in retirement, and families alike."

The Seychelles Tourism Board is making a fresh push into the Korean market. Amia Jovanovic-Desir, the board's regional director for Asia, made the pitch at a Seychelles tourism workshop held Tuesday at the Plaza Hotel in Seoul.

The event brought together local media, travel industry representatives, content creators and business figures to raise awareness of Seychelles and draw more Korean tourists to the archipelago.

Participants pose for a group photo at the Seychelles tourism workshop held Tuesday in Seoul. [Seychelles Tourism Board]

Seychelles was once a top honeymoon destination for Korean couples. After the board opened a Korea office in 2007, visitor numbers grew consistently, topping 1,000 Korean arrivals a year before the COVID-19 pandemic. That figure has since fallen to around 400 a year.

An aerial view of Mahé, the main island and capital of Seychelles [Seychelles Tourism Board]

Seychelles is an island nation in the western Indian Ocean, east of the African continent, comprising 115 islands. Their combined land area is roughly the size of Geoje island in South Korea, yet the distance from the main island to the farthest outlying island spans 1,000 kilometers, giving the country a maritime territory 14 times the size of South Korea's total land area. Situated near the equator, the archipelago is outside the typhoon belt and enjoys stable weather year-round. Its population stands at around 100,000, drawn from a diverse mix of ethnic backgrounds.

Amia Jovanovic-Desir, regional director for Asia at the Seychelles Tourism Board [Seychelles Tourism Board]

The board also moved to address concerns about flight connections amid tensions in the Middle East. "You may wonder how you can get to Seychelles given the Middle East crisis," Jovanovic-Desir said, "but the very fact that we are here is proof that we traveled safely."

An Air Seychelles aircraft [Seychelles Tourism Board]

Travelers from Korea can reach Seychelles via Ethiopian Airlines, Emirates, Etihad Airways and the national carrier Air Seychelles, with Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Addis Ababa and Colombo among the main transit points. Emirates and Ethiopian Airlines operate daily flights, while Etihad and Air Seychelles fly two to four times a week. Emirates is reportedly considering doubling its service to two flights a day from December. Total travel time is comparable to other popular honeymoon island destinations such as the Maldives and Mauritius.

Anse Source d'Argent beach on La Digue [Seychelles Tourism Board]

One of Seychelles' key draws is the distinct character of each island. Mahé, home to the capital Victoria, Praslin and La Digue all offer their own appeal. Standout attractions include a trekking route up the 905-meter Morne Seychellois, the granite-boulder-framed Anse Source d'Argent beach on La Digue, and Anse Lazio on Praslin, which CNN has ranked among the world's best beaches.

The archipelago is also a natural treasure trove. The UNESCO World Heritage-listed Vallée de Mai Nature Reserve is home to the coco de mer palm, which produces the heaviest seed of any plant on Earth. The islands also shelter around 150,000 Aldabra giant tortoises — more than the entire human population of Seychelles.

North Island, Seychelles, visited by David Beckham and his wife as well as Britain's Prince William and his wife [Seychelles Tourism Board]

Activities are equally varied — surfing, parasailing and diving sit alongside an 18-hole championship golf course and fishing. Safety was also highlighted as a strength: the small population and tight-knit communities make the islands a low-crime destination.

Accommodation runs from ultra-luxury resorts to more affordable options. North Island is particularly well known as the retreat where David Beckham and his wife spent their honeymoon, and where Britain's Prince William and his wife celebrated a wedding anniversary.

From left: Saida Moussard, marketing manager at the Seychelles Tourism Board; Kim Bit-nam, CEO of Glowworks; and Amia Jovanovic-Desir, regional director for Asia at the Seychelles Tourism Board [Seychelles Tourism Board]

Kim Bit-nam, CEO of Glowworks and a former head of the Seychelles Tourism Board's Korea office, said the archipelago offers a style of travel that sets it apart from single-island destinations. "Unlike trips to the Maldives or Mauritius where you stay on one island, Seychelles lets you island-hop and visit at least three islands in a single trip," she said. "You can stay on the main island or seek seclusion at a remote resort — the options are wide." She added that accommodation ranges from ultra-luxury resorts with asking prices exceeding 10 million won (about $6,470) per night to more reasonably priced stays, giving travelers of all budgets a reason to consider the destination.

Tourists in Seychelles [Seychelles Tourism Board]

The Seychelles Tourism Board currently has no promotional office in Korea but suggested that could change depending on how the market develops.

Saida Moussard, the board's marketing manager, said a certain threshold of visitor numbers is required before an office can be established. "Arrivals from Korea have dropped significantly since the pandemic," she said, "but if tourist numbers recover, we will consider reopening an office here."

terry@heraldcorp.com