Luxury Indian Ocean LUXURY INDIAN OCEAN #9 EDITION 2019 - 2020 | Page 72

INDIAN OCEAN
A unifying concept
Patches of unspoilt nature, bright-feathered
birds singing their heart out from the tops
of tropical trees, white-powdered beaches as
far as the eye can see, mighty mountains and
growling volcanoes… Indian Ocean islands
stand as paragons thereof. The Comoros,
a piece of heaven in the Mozambique
Channel; Madagascar, home to one of the
richest faunae in the world; Mauritius, a
tropical paradise; Reunion, the accessible
magic; Seychelles, an archipelago of 115
islands. And let's not forget Mayotte,
Rodrigues, Nosy Be and Sainte Marie.
The concept of Vanilla Islands was launched
in 2010 by representatives of the Tourist
Offices and tourist authorities of the region,
to allow visitors to experience the beauty of
the Indian Ocean's flagship islands and feel
their pulse under the twist of the tides and
the south-east trade winds. Created to bring
both the common assets and the inherent
specificities of each island to the fore, this
joint partnership aims at dealing with the
growing influx of tourists and meeting the
expectations of new customers (BRICS).
Vanilla has been aptly chosen as the emblem
for the islands' natural, gastronomic and
touristic wealth and for the launch of the
regional brand under a common banner.
Ecotourism: the future of the
Vanilla Islands
Often cited in the tales of seamen travelling
to India, Indian Ocean islands have fuelled
many colourful stories about edenic far
lands, where the islanders’ hedonist lifestyle
and vibrant accents sounded like an ode to
pleasure and diversity… Today, the fantastic
tales have been shaded by another story: that
of a fragile biodiversity in the face of global
warming. Since ecotourism has become a
fast-growing trend over the world, market
operators, who have come together under the
“Vanilla Islands” brand, can now build up on
a green approach to boost their attractiveness.
What started as a marketing concept for the
development of inter-island tourism is now
a well-established mechanism that pools
the resources and expertise of each island
nation, while supporting the integration of
sustainable development strategies. With
the combination of destinations, visiting
several islands on a single trip is encouraged,
as it unmistakably contributes to reduce
the environmental impact. As the Indian
Ocean Commission emphasized, “Tourism
remains one of the most important pillars of
our islands' economy.” Therefore, with the
support of partners such as the European
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Union and the French Development
Agency, we are setting up programs for
the conservation and valorisation of local
biodiversity and coastal ecosystems. The
environment and culture of Indianoceania lie
at the heart of the regional tourism offer.
In order to provide visitors with close access
to fascinating landscapes while raising
their awareness on the preservation of such
vulnerable ecosystems, Vanilla islands foster
integration to local life. This is indeed the
best way to discover the endemic wildlife,
the intangible heritage and the mixed local
population, which compose a unique palette.
Such heritage could no longer be shared, had
the degradation or total depletion of natural
resources and treasures taken its course.
This has certainly led to the commitment
to cultivate such assets, but in a sustainable
and pleasurable way: through the enjoyment
of nature's generous gifts, the choice to
avoid pollution and the desire to mingle
with the local population. With one accord,
the Vanilla islands offer holiday packages
for all tastes, be it a nature trip including
accommodation in ecolodges or country
lodges for the most adventurous, an all-
inclusive family getaway including scenic
excursions, or a honeymoon in a luxury beach
resort coupled with a sensational cruise.
Every traveller will find his dream vacation
with the possibility to combine at least two
island destinations.
There are also a great variety of ecotourism
activities. Marine turtle sighting, where
visitors can observe the egg laying and
the migration of baby turtles to the sea,
or mangrove restoration with a local
organisation in Morondava (Madagascar)
as a form of solidarity tourism are some
examples. In a similar vein, events are
organised under the Vanilla Islands brand,
bringing forward each country's cultural
capital with a touch of conviviality: the
International Tourism Fair (ITM) in
Madagascar, the Kreol festival in Mauritius,
the Seychelles Carnival, the Liberté Métisse
Festival in Reunion, the Heritage and
Culture festival in the Comoros and the
Mayotte Lagoon Festival.
A popular song by Reunionese songstress
Jacqueline Farreyrol spontaneously comes
to our minds: “Ça sent la banane, la vanille
et le cumin, le sucre de canne, la mangue et le
tamarin * …” That's how life on our islands
feels like, whether on land or at sea, and it
definitely has the taste of vanilla.
*Lit. “Smells like banana, vanilla and cumin,
cane sugar, mango and tamarind.”