NaughtyMinx - 11/07/2008 11:41
I have also posted this on the Lonely Planet website forum to make as many people aware as possible.
I've just come back from Mahé and near Anse Soleil on Mahé there is another beach called Petit Anse. Although mentioned in the LP Guide we found, much to our dismay, that we were unable to get to the beach due to the full scale building works for the new Four Seasons hotel that has taken it over and in the process of building various apartments etc. and cutting down much of the rainforest growth. There is also another Qatari project inland and what appears to be a vast area of rainforest also looks set to be cut down and is fenced off. While I appreciate that this provides much needed job for the locals it annoyed me to think that most of the profits were likely to leave the country and the more senior jobs of running these resorts would be outsiders brought in specially with the locals taking on the more menial jobs. We spoke to one local lady who said it would cost her 2 months wages to stay on night in another expensive resort of Maia. My own feeling is this is not the kind of experience I want when visiting what is obviously a wonderful place. There seems to be too much exclusivity and the Four Seasons I personally feel they represent a Disneyland-type experience for the rich without contributing significantly to the local economy or the people in the long-term.
Having looked at the Four Seaons website I found no mention of their responsbility to the environment and sustainable development and in the process of contacting them as I am curious as to what their response will be.
It should be said that Mahé is not the only island within the Seychelles under development. Does the world need this yet more very expensive and exclusive hotels out of reach for the general traveller? I would be interested if anyone, particularly from Mahé, had any opinions or thoughts on this.
