Seychelles Turns to Diving Holidays as It Looks Beyond Europe for New Visitors

In order to look for new guests outside of Europe, Seychelles decides to focus on diving vacations. The country aims to attract more diverse tourists as it recovers from the 2026 crisis in an uneven way. Up until 18 October, arrivals dropped by 6.8% compared to the same period of 2025. Nevertheless, the authorities advertise marine activities and target divers from Singapore. They also utilize their connection with Colombo in order to connect with the Asian cities. Still, the promotional activities alone will not show if the reservations increased. The next step will be to check whether the new interest results in more tourists.

Why is Seychelles looking beyond its traditional markets?

For many years, European travellers have formed the largest share of visitors to Seychelles. That remains true in 2026. In a tourism recovery update published on 11 September, the Seychelles Tourism Board said Europe accounted for 69% of arrivals up to 30 August. Asia represented 18%, while Africa made up 8%. The same update said the country had welcomed 232,342 visitors by 30 August, about 8% fewer than by the same point in 2025.

These figures explain why Seychelles is trying to reach more travellers in Asia. When a destination depends heavily on a small group of regions, trouble in one market can affect hotels, airlines, tour companies and local businesses. Wider demand may help soften that risk over time. It can also give Seychelles more ways to attract visitors with different interests and travel habits.

The strategy does not mean Asian travellers have already replaced European visitors. Europe remains the largest reported region. The available figures also do not provide a comparable 2026 total for Southeast Asian arrivals. The evidence supports a story about market development and opportunity, rather than a claim that Southeast Asia is driving a record surge.

What makes Singapore a promising market?

Seychelles has taken a clear step towards a specific group of Singaporean travellers: people interested in diving and marine life. On 15 April 2026, Tourism Seychelles announced that it had held a destination workshop in Singapore with The Wander Clan. It brought together 30 selected participants, most of them potential visitors interested in diving who had not yet travelled to Seychelles. Specialist dive agents and their clients also attended.

The workshop presented Seychelles as a place for ocean exploration and nature-based holidays. Participants heard about the islands’ granite landscapes, marine parks, reefs and underwater wildlife. The event also gave travel businesses a chance to meet potential customers and explain what a trip could include.

The number of participants is small beside the thousands of visitors who arrive in Seychelles each week. Its value is different. It shows that the destination is trying to build interest among travellers who may choose a holiday for a particular activity, rather than simply for a beach stay. That offers a useful angle: how Seychelles is trying to turn specialist interest into future bookings.

Can diving set Seychelles apart from other island holidays?

Seychelles offers more than beaches. Its islands also draw attention for coral reefs, marine parks and wildlife. These features create a strong base for diving, snorkelling and other ocean experiences. Tourism Seychelles used its Singapore workshop to present these activities to people already interested in marine travel.

A specialist focus could help the destination reach travellers looking for more than a standard resort break. A diving holiday may include guided trips, boat transfers, equipment hire, park visits and stays across more than one island. That can involve a wider range of local services than a visit centred on a single hotel.

However, the campaign announcement does not prove that Singaporean visitors book longer trips or spend more than other guests. It does not report how many workshop participants went on to make a reservation. Diving should be presented as a market strategy and a possible way to broaden the visitor experience. The campaign has not yet been shown to lift arrivals or earnings.

Is Seychelles building trade relationships in Singapore?

The 2026 event follows an earlier effort to introduce Seychelles to Singapore’s travel trade. In October 2025, Tourism Seychelles held another destination workshop in Singapore. It attracted 28 travel professionals and media representatives. The tourism department reported that 97% of those attendees had not visited Seychelles before.

That figure describes the people at the workshop. It does not represent Singapore’s wider travel industry. Still, it highlights a practical challenge: agents cannot easily sell a destination they do not know. They need to understand the islands, the range of accommodation, the activities available and how visitors move between locations.

The 2025 workshop introduced travel partners to Seychelles’ tourism offer and sustainability initiatives. A familiarisation trip was planned for selected agents and media the following month. The 2026 diving event built on the same broad idea: give potential visitors and travel sellers more direct knowledge of the destination.

A follow-up report could examine how these small trade events fit into the destination’s wider effort to attract new markets. They are signs of promotion, not proof of sales. Booking data would be needed to measure their impact.

How could Colombo connect Southeast Asia with Seychelles?

Air access is central to any effort to attract long-haul visitors. SriLankan Airlines and Air Seychelles began a codeshare partnership in 2024. The airlines said their arrangement would allow passengers travelling between Colombo and Mahé to connect to destinations that include Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore. The partnership also allows eligible passengers to book the journey on a single ticket and check baggage through to their final destination.

Air Seychelles continues to present Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Bangkok among its Asian destinations through Colombo. This gives the article a useful travel question: how easy is it for a visitor in Southeast Asia to reach Seychelles using a regional connection?

The connection can make travel planning easier, but it is not the same as a direct flight from each city to Mahé. Travellers need to check the current schedule, total journey time, layover length, baggage rules and ticket conditions. These details can change. The codeshare began in 2024, so it should be described as an existing arrangement rather than a new 2026 route launch.

Is Thailand both a partner and a competitor?

Singapore is not an empty market waiting for a new destination. Thailand has a strong presence there and continues to promote its own holidays to Singaporean travellers. At ITB Asia in Singapore on 21 October 2026, the Tourism Authority of Thailand presented a high-value tourism strategy focused on wellness, new experiences and repeat visits.

Thailand reported that 673,114 Singaporean visitors travelled there between 1 January and 19 October 2026. It said repeat visitors made up 86% of that group. The figure shows the strength of Thailand’s connection with the Singapore market. It does not show that Seychelles has lost visitors to Thailand or that the two countries compete for the same travellers in every case.

This gives Seychelles a clear challenge. It must show why a long-haul trip to its islands suits a Singaporean traveller. Diving and marine exploration may appeal to a specific group, while Thailand offers closer access and a broad range of familiar holiday choices. The useful comparison is about competing travel options, not a claim that one country is taking tourists from the other.

Could conservation strengthen the visitor experience?

Seychelles’ marine environment is central to the way it promotes diving and ocean travel. The country’s Marine Spatial Plan became law in March 2025. The government-led plan aims to increase marine protection, address climate change and support a sustainable Blue Economy.

Visitors can see how protection rules shape a trip. The Seychelles Parks and Gardens Authority requires non-residents to hold valid tickets when they enter marine national parks. It also tells visitors to use designated anchoring areas, respect marine life and avoid littering. These measures matter because reefs and wildlife are part of the attraction that draws ocean enthusiasts to the islands.

This creates room for an explanatory report about the link between tourism and conservation. Marine rules may affect excursions and trip costs, but they also help manage how visitors use sensitive places. The available information does not establish how well every rule is enforced or what conservation outcomes have resulted. Those questions would need further reporting.

Does the 2026 levy change make smaller stays more attractive?

Seychelles changed its Tourism Environmental Sustainability Levy at the start of 2026. Small accommodation establishments with one to 24 rooms no longer pay the levy. The former charge for these businesses was SCR25 per person per night. Medium establishments with 25 to 50 rooms continue to charge SCR75 per person per night. Larger properties, yachts and island resorts charge SCR100 per person per night. Children aged 12 and under remain exempt.

For two adults staying seven nights, the levy would total SCR1,050 at a medium property or SCR1,400 at a larger property. A stay at an exempt small establishment would not carry this levy. These amounts cover the levy only; they are not the full cost of a holiday.

The change offers a practical detail for travellers comparing accommodation. It also gives the article a local business angle: Seychelles said removing the charge for small establishments was intended to ease cost pressure on smaller operators. The change does not prove that room rates have fallen or that more travellers now choose small properties.

Why do visitor numbers tell only part of the story?

Arrivals matter, but they do not show how much tourism benefits local businesses. In a September 2026 presentation, Seychelles’ tourism department described other measures it uses to assess value: visitor spending, length of stay, local economic benefits, jobs and pressure on the environment and infrastructure.

The presentation reported that Seychelles welcomed 398,841 visitors in 2025. Tourism earnings reached about US$1.196 billion, with visitors staying an average of 9.3 nights. These are figures for 2025. They provide context for the current strategy, but they do not show how much visitors from Singapore or other Southeast Asian markets spent in 2026.

A stronger follow-up report could ask whether specialist trips support local dive operators, guides, guesthouses and boat services. It could also compare average stay and spending by market if official data becomes available. Until then, the safest conclusion is that Seychelles is trying to build higher-value tourism while widening the range of places from which visitors come.

Could new airline capacity support broader recovery?

Seychelles also expects stronger access through Addis Ababa. Tourism Seychelles announced in July that Ethiopian Airlines planned to begin a second daily flight between Addis Ababa and Seychelles from 1 December 2026. The additional service was expected to add more than 1,000 seats a week.

That expansion may give visitors more flight options through a major hub. It is relevant to the wider story of connectivity and market diversification. But it does not directly prove that more Southeast Asian visitors will use the route. The flights were also due to begin in December, so they should be described as planned capacity when reporting before launch.

For a traveller, the useful question is whether the new schedule creates practical connections from a particular departure city. That depends on timetables, layovers and ticket availability. Any article discussing the route should make clear that the added service was scheduled for the end of the year.

What should travellers know before planning a trip?

Visitors to Seychelles must obtain a Travel Authorisation before travelling, even though a visa is not required under the country’s general entry rules. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says travellers need to provide passport, flight and accommodation details as part of the application.

Travellers planning marine activities should also check whether park entry is included in their tour. The Seychelles Parks and Gardens Authority lists entrance charges for its marine parks and says visitors can buy tickets online. Visitors should follow the rules on anchoring and protecting marine life.

Weather can affect plans too. On 19 October 2026, the tourism ministry issued an advisory after unusual weather conditions, warning operators and guests about areas at risk of landslides, mudflows and falling debris. Travellers should check current official guidance before setting out, since conditions and advice may change.

What is the real story behind Seychelles tourism in 2026?

Tourism in Seychelles has turned to Singapore’s dive tourists as the tourism recovery undergoes a crucial test in 2026. As of 18 October, Seychelles had received 287,939 visitors, which is 6.8 percent lower compared to the previous year. However, the situation is not all doom and gloom for the country’s tourism industry. There are plans being made by the country’s tourism authorities to lure more divers, connect tourists via Colombo and introduce marine experiences to bring new customers. In addition, Europe is still the biggest source market, but Southeast Asia can be an emerging market.

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