For the second consecutive year, Dubai-based Emirates has signed on as the official airline sponsor of the annual Seychelles carnival. The event is very important to the Seychelles tourism industry because it's an opportunity to bring in new visitors from a wide variety of countries. And since the focus of the carnival is to bring different cultures together in a joint celebration, it provides the opportunity for many of the participants to visit Seychelles for the first time.

Alain St. Ainge, CEO of the Seychelles Tourism Board, congratulated Emirates on their commitment and thanked them for their willingness to get involved. Emirates promoted the event last year in many of the other countries where they have a presence including Spain, Russia, Korea, Brazil, and parts of Asia and the Middle East. That effort will be ongoing in 2012. Emirates are also responsible for encouraging different cultural groups to come together for the carnival which will be highlighted in a grand carnival parade.

The annual Seychelles carnival is a great opportunity to enjoy luxury package holidays in one of the premier Indian Ocean destinations. Couples have historically flocked to Seychelles because it is the perfect setting for romantic beach weddings and honeymooners. The nation's natural makeup of hundreds of little islands makes it perfect for private resorts that know how to cater to couples. Families also love Seychelles because of the vast opportunities for activity.

Water sports dominate the region including diving, fishing, surfing, sailing, and more. For those who prefer a more cultural adventure, island hopping is one of the favourite pastimes of Seychelles. Many of the resorts organize island hopping tours taking passengers from one island to the next to enjoy unique cultural experiences and varied cuisine. And of course, for those who prefer to merely relax on the beach, Seychelles offers miles and miles of white sand underneath a bright blue sky and plenty of sunshine.

In past years the Seychelles carnival has proven to be very valuable to that country's tourism industry. In 2012 it may prove even more so as Seychelles is in the midst of an aggressive marketing campaign - both on an individual basis and in conjunction with the rest of the Vanilla Islands. The Tourism Board has spent the better part of this year sending officials all over the globe to promote Seychelles as the place to go in the Indian Ocean region. By the same token, the Vanilla Islands have been working together in joint promotional efforts to try to regionalize Indian Ocean travel. The carnival should go a long way towards those regional efforts.

The peak travel season for Seychelles is just around the corner, so it's a good idea to contact your operator as soon as possible if you're thinking of a January or February holiday. You can also make plans now for carnival 2012 which will run March 2-4.

For luxury package holidays in Seychelles contact Airworld Tours , the luxury holiday company based in the UK.