The Ministry for Agriculture, Climate Change and Environment is pleased to announce that voluntary donations from travelers to Seychelles to the Environment Trust Fund (ETF) have now surpassed 600,000 Euros.
The Environmental Trust Fund is managed by the Ministry for Agriculture, Climate Change and Environment, with funds used to support national conservation efforts.
All visitors to the Seychelles are able to contribute to the protection of Seychelles’ flora and fauna via the Seychelles Islands Travel Authorization platform, powered by Travizory Border Security.
44,602 individual donations, totaling over €600,000 (approx. 10 million SCR) have been recorded since September 2020 – when the Travel Authorization system was first introduced.
Data captured via the Seychelles Islands Travel Authorization platform shows that German visitors have made the most donations (7467), followed by Russian (6151) and French (5940), and finally Swiss (2514) and British (2142) travelers. More than 372 Seychelles passport holders have also made contributions to the Fund.
Donation options range from 10€ to 500€, allowing travelers to donate whatever their budget. To date, 7 travelers have donated 500€ to the fund, including 2 Americans; 1 German; 1 traveler from Liechtenstein; 1 Sri Lankan; 1 Saudi national; and 1 Slovakian.
Since 31st March, Seychellois are no longer required to pay for their Travel Authorization application.
“I would like to thank all the visitors who contributed voluntarily through Travizory. The fund will help finance sustainable environment projects and support projects to build resilience against the impact of climate change.”
Flavien Joubert, Minister for Agriculture, Climate Change and Environment,
“The voluntary commitment by Travizory is a good initiative to inspire visitors to contribute to the protection of the environment. It shows they are environmentally conscious and their commitment to offset their carbon footprint.”
Principal Secretary for the Department of Environment
“The Seychelles islands are some of the most pristine in the world, making it a hugely desirable destination for people around the world. It is wonderful to see so many generous visitors, and citizens, contributing to initiatives that protect the natural environment and ensure Seychelles’ natural beauty can be enjoyed for generations to come. I am particularly proud that Travizory has been able to support local initiatives, and invest in the Seychelles community. We are committed to promoting sustainable travel to Seychelles, and globally, and will continue to support initiatives like the Environment Trust Fund for the duration of our time in Seychelles.”
Tom Marten, MD for Middle East and Indian Ocean at Travizory
The Government of Seychelles remains committed to working with Travizory to strengthen its borders, facilitate passenger arrivals and explore new ways to support national initiatives such as the ETF.
Notes to Eds:
- Donations made between 1st Sept 2020 and 12th May 2022.
- SCR amount calculated using the official monthly exchange rate at time of transfer.
