Earlier this month (January 2012) Air Seychelles made the announcement that it was scaling back air service and no longer offering flights to and from Europe. Part of the announcement included the goal of eliminating larger aircraft in favour of smaller planes that would service only Mauritius and Reunion Island. Nonetheless, Air Seychelles officials reassured travellers and tour operators they were working with other airlines to make up for the lost flights. To that end, a team headed by Seychelles Tourism Board CEO Alain St. Ainge met with officials from Italy's Blue Panorama Airline last week.

The meeting was a successful one, ending with an announcement that Blue Panorama would be offering two non-stop flights to Seychelles this year. The first flight begins on February 14, departing first from Milan at 6 PM and then Rome at 8:10 PM. Beginning in July, a second flight will be added on a weekly basis.

According to some sources, Seychelles is currently in negotiations with Air France and another undisclosed Airline to fill in the remainder of the gaps. As yet there is no indication how those talks are going or when they will be completed. Nevertheless, St. Ainge is confident that before too long all the flights vacated by Air Seychelles will be picked up by the other airlines. As it is, he was happy to report that non-stop service will shortly be available from Italy, the largest source of arrivals to Seychelles. He was also quick to point out that the multi-island nation's hotels and resorts are doing their part to meet customer demand.

“The hotels and resorts in Seychelles are today offering rates that reflect an across-the-board range, making Seychelles more accessible than ever before," he said. "The addition by the Blue Panorama Airline, an Italian company, on the Seychelles run, brings a new dimension of accessibility, as they will provide new flight options from Italy to the mid-ocean tropical islands over and above the twelve weekly flights by Emirates, seven by Qatar, and four by Etihad.”

Without a doubt, Seychelles luxury resorts can compete with the best properties in neighbouring Mauritius, despite the fact that the latter destination sees the most arrivals throughout the entire Indian Ocean region. Seychelles offers its own unique tropical experience by way of the fact that it is made up of hundreds of individual islands. These islands offer a private respite from the normal tourist scene while also providing a base for island hopping and other activities.

Seychelles is most commonly regarded as the primary honeymoon spot in the region. No less than the likes of William and Kate have honeymooned there in the past, taking advantage of all the islands have to offer. With its incredible scenery, tranquil locales, and naturally romantic atmosphere, Seychelles is the place to be for beach weddings and romantic couple’s holidays.

Affordable holiday packages at the best Seychelles luxury resorts are available from Airworld Tours , the UK-based luxury holiday company specialising in the Indian Ocean region.