Seychelles: Sherin Francis honored with the Women’s Tabloid Award 2025 for Excellence in Tourism Leadership
Seychelles tourism, one of the key economic pillars of the island nation in the Indian Ocean, has received new international recognition through an award given to one of the sector’s most visible figures. Sherin Francis, the Principal Secretary responsible for tourism in the Republic of Seychelles, received the Women’s Tabloid Award 2025 for Excellence in Tourism Leadership, a distinction granted to women leaders for impact, results, and leadership with an emphasis on sustainability and social responsibility.
The award to Sherin Francis comes at a time when tourist destinations worldwide are seeking a balance between visitor growth and the protection of local communities, the environment, and a place’s identity. In this context, Seychelles is often referenced in discussions on how small island states, which depend heavily on tourism, can build development without losing what makes them unique.
What the award represents and the context in which it was presented
The Women’s Tabloid Awards program in 2025 concluded with a gala ceremony held on January 22, 2026, in Dubai, bringing together winners from a range of countries and sectors. Within that program, the award for excellence in tourism leadership highlights executives who, according to the organizers, combine travel-industry performance with a long-term approach to development and the strengthening of trust through credible destination representation.
In the case of Seychelles and Sherin Francis, the rationale for the recognition is linked to an approach that puts sustainable tourism, inclusiveness, and “authentic storytelling” about the destination at the forefront. That element, although it may sound like a marketing catchphrase, is increasingly associated in practice with efforts to replace mass tourism with models that encourage longer stays, greater local impact, and more careful management of pressures on space.
For visitors planning a trip, it is especially important that a destination is not reduced to a postcard image, but offers clear information about local rules, nature conservation, and the roles of communities. It is precisely on such topics that, in more recent appearances, Seychelles tourism institutions increasingly emphasize responsibility and “respectful visiting” as part of tourism culture.
accommodation offers in SeychellesThe role of Sherin Francis in the Seychelles tourism system
Today, Sherin Francis is the Principal Secretary for tourism within a state structure that coordinates strategic decisions, the destination’s presence on international markets, and cooperation with the industry. According to publicly available releases by Seychelles institutions, within this framework she also deals with topics that go beyond classic promotion: from engagement with international organizations and partners, to issues of standards, events, and the country’s long-term positioning in competition with other island destinations.
Over the past year, Seychelles authorities have repeatedly emphasized the importance of a “data-driven” approach—relying on data in tourism management—so that decisions are made based on real indicators rather than exclusively on market trends or short-term goals. Such a direction is important for islands where the carrying capacity of space is limited and climate and environmental risks are increasingly pronounced.
In official releases by Seychelles bodies, Sherin Francis is also cited as the person who, on behalf of the sector, thanks the industry and partners for awards and international recognitions and emphasizes the joint work of local operators, guides, hoteliers, and other stakeholders. In practice, this means that destination success is presented as the result of a broader ecosystem, rather than an individual campaign or a single institution.
accommodation near the most famous beaches in SeychellesSustainable tourism on islands: why “balance” has become a key word
For destinations like Seychelles, the concept of sustainability is not abstract. It concerns real constraints: water availability, waste management, protection of marine ecosystems, pressure on coastal zones and transport capacities, as well as social issues such as housing prices, employment structure, and the relationship between local life and the tourism economy.
In global debates, sustainable tourism is increasingly defined through measurable goals and clear rules: from managing visitation to sensitive areas to limiting activities that disrupt habitats. For island states, this approach is especially important because negative effects are seen faster, and “repairing” the environment is often long and expensive.
In this context, the award to Sherin Francis can also be read as a signal that international actors in tourism increasingly value administrative and strategic leadership, not only promotional impact. In other words, a destination leader’s role is not just to attract visitors, but to set a framework in which tourism does not “consume” what made the destination attractive in the first place.
Inclusiveness and local benefit: what “inclusive leadership” means in practice
When award rationales mention inclusive leadership, they most often mean a more even distribution of benefits and opportunities. In tourism, this includes opening space for small entrepreneurs, family-run offerings, guides, cultural projects, and local producers. In practice, destinations that manage to retain authenticity often have clear programs supporting local business and active linking of tourism with agriculture, fisheries, arts, and education.
Through various public appearances and participation at international fairs, Seychelles has emphasized the breadth of its offer: from luxury resorts and yachting to cultural experiences and content that enables visitors to “travel more slowly.” Such a framework can also be a response to seasonality pressure, as the destination seeks models that are not exclusively tied to the peak tourist season.
accommodation for Seychelles visitorsThe international image of Seychelles: awards, recognitions, and the market race
In recent years, Seychelles has often appeared in international selections and awards of the tourism industry, which is used in government releases as confirmation of the quality of the offer and the sector’s work. Such recognitions, while not in themselves a guarantee of successful management, have clear marketing value: they facilitate negotiations with partners, raise media visibility, and can help position the destination toward traveler segments with higher spending.
In that sense, the award to Sherin Francis further strengthens the narrative of Seychelles as a destination that wants to be recognized not only for natural beauty, but also for governance. Governance is one of the key issues in tourism today: from regulating short-term rentals, through protecting natural parks, to standards in hospitality and quality control of services.
For visitors from Europe, including Croatia, Seychelles is still perceived as a distant “once in a lifetime” destination. But tourism is changing: there are more and more travelers who plan trips according to criteria of sustainability, experiences, and a sense that their stay contributes to the local community. In such a context, destination communication becomes just as important as infrastructure.
Connectivity, events, and expanding the offer
One of the constant challenges of island destinations is transport connectivity, especially air connectivity, because accessibility directly affects arrivals, seasonality, and market structure. In professional discussions about Seychelles tourism in recent months, topics such as the development of the MICE segment (business events, conferences, and incentive travel), the expansion of experiences, and strengthening offer diversity have also been mentioned so that the destination relies less on one type of guest or one source market base.
In public conversations and media formats in which Seychelles tourism representatives participate, the need for “experience development” is often emphasized—that is, for content that goes beyond a classic resort holiday. This includes nature trails, cultural programs, gastronomic and educational tours, and content that enables visitors to gain better insight into the local way of life, while respecting rules for protecting the area.
where to stay in SeychellesWhat this award can mean for the destination and the wider sector
Awards in tourism often have a dual function: outwardly, they strengthen the image, and inwardly, they can serve as motivation and an argument in public policies. When leadership that highlights sustainability and inclusiveness is recognized, it can be an incentive for such goals to be implemented more easily through regulations and plans, because they gain additional international legitimacy.
In the case of Seychelles, this is especially important because tourism is at the center of the economy, and debates about its development always touch on issues of prices, labor, investment, nature protection, and quality of life. When institutions talk about “long-term impact,” it usually means an attempt to avoid a scenario in which a destination becomes a victim of its own popularity.
Authentic storytelling: marketing or a paradigm shift?
The term “authentic storytelling” in tourism is sometimes perceived as just another marketing formula, but in practice it can have concrete consequences. If a destination communicates clear expectations, for example about behavior on beaches, in protected areas, or in relation to local culture, some potential conflicts can be prevented. Also, an emphasis on local stories and content can redirect spending from imported and “closed” offerings toward local actors.
For travelers, that means a clearer choice: instead of a standardized package that looks the same in multiple countries, there is growing interest in travel where the destination is experienced through people, customs, nature, and real stories. If such an approach is implemented consistently, it can also strengthen tourism resilience in crises, because the destination is not tied to one trend or one market niche.
Practical traveler interest: Seychelles and planning a stay
Although the news about the award is primarily institutional, it also has a practical dimension: it confirms that the destination wants to build a reputation that is more than “sun and sea.” For travelers planning a visit, that can mean more information, clearer standards, and a greater emphasis on experiences that respect nature and the local community.
In planning a trip, some visitors will look for content outside the main flows: smaller beaches, nature trails, cultural events, local cuisine, and authentic encounters. Others will choose a more classic holiday, but even then questions are increasingly raised about the accommodation’s ecological practices, plastic use, waste management, and the relationship to the community.
accommodation offers for different budgets in SeychellesA broader signal to the industry: who is awarded and why
The award to Sherin Francis fits into a broader trend in tourism: recognitions increasingly emphasize governance, strategic leadership, sustainability, and social impact. This is also a response to changed traveler expectations, as well as pressure from regulators and international organizations that view tourism as part of public policy, not only as a market activity.
For Seychelles, such recognition can be an additional tool in international discussions on positioning the destination, attracting quality investments, and strengthening partnerships. At the same time, the key fact remains that the value of such awards will be measured in the long run through results on the ground: preserved nature, satisfied communities, quality service, and an economic effect that is not short-lived.
Sources:- Women’s Tabloid – post about the conclusion of the Women’s Tabloid Awards 2025 and the gala ceremony on January 22, 2026, in Dubai (link)- Tourism Department, Government of Seychelles (tourism.gov.sc) – official releases with statements by Sherin Francis in the context of international recognitions and sector activities (link)- Tourism Department, Government of Seychelles (tourism.gov.sc) – official releases on international appearances and tourism policy priorities, including delegations and cooperation with international institutions (link)- eTurboNews – report on Sherin Francis receiving the Women’s Tabloid Award 2025 and the rationale for the recognition (link)
Find accommodation nearby
Creation time: 2 hours ago