CNN's Richard Quest: Seychelles has strictest COVID-19 measures of all countries visited

On his second visit to Seychelles, Quest said that the island nation has the strictest COVID-19 measures of all countries he has visited. (Seychelles Tourism Board)

(Seychelles News Agency) - CNN's energetic international correspondent Richard Quest is back in Seychelles to film a new segment for his show "Quest's World of Wonder".  

On his second visit to Seychelles, Quest said that the island nation has the strictest COVID-19 measures of all countries he has visited.

"Here, every shop, every restaurant, every office you go in you write down your details, you do a temperature check, you sanitise your hands. This is much stricter than anywhere else I've seen," Quest said in an interview to Seychelles Broadcasting Corporation (SBC) TV.

The journalist added: "There is a strong reason for why a small island nation needs to have such precautions because I know that there has been no community to community spread here but if there were the potential for disaster and calamity is huge." 

Quest said that the health authority must get the utmost support from the government with the pandemic.  

Quest playing the traditional Seychellois moutya drum. (Ingride Laurencine) Photo license: All Rights Reserved

Quest, who arrived on the islands more than a week ago, had to spend five days in isolation in his hotel as per the protocol of the Public Health Authority. He and his crew first came to the islands in February this year. The second ten-day visit is to reshoot sequences reflecting the current situation on the islands for his show.

Through his TV programme, Quest travels to landmark locations around the world, explores popular tourist spots and meets influential locals who provide an insight into the region's heritage and culture.

The CNN team is visiting the islands of Mahe and Praslin – the two most populated of the 115 islands of Seychelles in the western Indian Ocean – for filming and interviews. On Praslin, Quest visited the Vallee de Mai, a World Heritage Site where the endemic coco de mer grows in its natural state.

Quest visited Seychelles' World Heritage site, the Vallee de Mai, where the endemic coco de mer grows in its natural state. (Terrestrial Restoration Action Society of Seychelles/Facebook) Photo license: All Rights Reserved

Last week, Quest interviewed the new president-elect of the Seychelles -Wavel Ramkalawan, who took office on October 26. The interview is expected to be aired on CNN in a couple of weeks.

The CNN press trip to the island nation has been facilitated by the Seychelles Tourism Board (STB). Speaking on this second visit by Quest this year, Sherin Francis – chief executive of STB – stated "the country must remain visible at all times to stay top of visitors minds and more so during these challenging times for the industry. We are delighted to receive Mr. Quest in Seychelles again."

According to Francis, this visit comes at an opportune time. "Where publicity is of the utmost importance and is a definite advantage for our destination proving to the world that Seychelles is indeed the safe destination our STB team is promoting and we are looking forward to seeing Seychelles on the CNN network."

"The appearance of Seychelles in the CNN TV programme will be the pinnacle of visibility for the destination across all continents on the CNN network and social media," added Francis. The programme is the first of a series of exposure Seychelles is expected to receive on the network leading to 2021.