<B> How do you feel about being appointed as head of the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA)?</B>

Of course, I was very happy to hear the news. I know that many people in the country think that these appointments are just political. So, I will just have to prove that this is not the case and that I have the skills and competence to deal with the tasks ahead. I have no specific expertise in the tourism sector but I am a ?manager? and as such, I am analysing the strengths and weaknesses of the MTPA and I will work according to this analysis.

<B>What will your priorities be from now on?</B>

Well, I took up my job only yesterday. I have already met the director and the staff. I have been able to assess their determination and I have the good fortune to be working with a director who has experience in the field and who knows what he is talking about. However, it would be difficult for me to state the priorities before discussing with all the stakeholders. I am meeting most of them in the coming days and will then be in a position to comment on priorities. What I can say is that there is a need to be creative, which is the approach we are recommending.

<B>What is the main mission of the MTPA?</B>

We need to increase the number of tourist arrivals by 10% next year and we will take all necessary steps to reach this goal. I believe the advertising and marketing campaigns abroad are important but this is not the only way to attract more tourists. I also believe tourists should be given more information on arrival. We will have to rapidly adopt all modern techniques to make tourists feel more comfortable when they arrive. This can start on the MTPA website but it can also mean more effective road signs and all the different methods of helping tourists to find their way around and organise their holidays better.