Seychelles Tourism Faces Big Rising Costs as Island Logistics Shape Travel Demand

Written By: Abhirup Gan

Abhirup Gan

I'm Abhirup Gan, a Mass Communication graduate and digital marketing professional. Driven by a passion for storytelling, I create insightful, research-led content that explores tourism trends, destination stories, and hospitality developments with depth and clarity. Through my writing, I hope to inspire readers to discover not only where to travel, but the stories, cultures, and experiences that make every journey meaningful.

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September 4, 2026 1:22 PM

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Seychelles’ tourism still focuses on the trio of islands, namely Mahé, Praslin, and La Digue. However, higher operational costs and higher costs of transferring between islands continue to be a key consideration in the country’s tourism economy. The geography of the island nation necessitates that hotels, resorts, the supply chain and visitors rely on sea and domestic air transportation for the transfer of people and goods. The tourism sector operates in a market characterised by prices charged for accommodation and services being quite high. Import costs, utility costs and costs of transportation play a role in the cost structure of the tourism enterprises in the country. For the visitors, the cost extends beyond just the cost of accommodation. When visiting the various islands in the country, visitors have to consider ferry or domestic air travel.

Mahé Remains the Main Tourism Gateway

Mahé is the principal island for international tourism and serves as the country’s main gateway. The island is home to Victoria, the national capital, as well as the largest concentration of accommodation, restaurants, transport services and visitor facilities.

Travellers arriving in Seychelles typically begin their journey on Mahé before deciding whether to remain on the island or continue to Praslin and La Digue. Mahé offers a combination of beaches, mountain landscapes, nature areas and cultural attractions, supporting both short visits and longer stays.

The island’s role as the primary tourism and transportation hub also makes it central to the movement of visitors throughout the archipelago.

Praslin Strengthens Multi-Island Tourism

Praslin is one of the most important destinations outside Mahé and is frequently included in Seychelles holiday itineraries. Travellers can reach the island from Mahé using fast ferry services or domestic flights.

The island provides access to beaches, nature attractions and marine activities. Vallée de Mai is among its major visitor attractions, while surrounding waters support excursions and other tourism experiences.

Visitors staying on both Mahé and Praslin need to incorporate inter-island transportation into their travel schedules and overall holiday budgets. The additional transfer creates another cost component compared with a single-island itinerary.

La Digue Adds Another Travel Connection

La Digue is another established destination within the Seychelles tourism network. The island is known for its beaches, cycling routes and compact tourism environment and is commonly included in multi-island holidays.

Travel to La Digue generally involves a connection through Praslin after arriving from Mahé. This makes ferry coordination an important part of itinerary planning for visitors combining all three major tourism islands.

The additional journey also means travellers need to consider transfer times, ferry availability and seasonal transportation costs when arranging accommodation and activities.

Ferry Services Support Visitor Mobility

Fast-cat ferry services operated by Cat Cocos provide important connections between Mahé, Praslin and La Digue. These services enable tourists to move between the principal islands without relying entirely on domestic aviation.

Air Seychelles provides another connection through domestic flights, including services using Twin Otter aircraft. Air travel can provide an alternative for travellers moving between Mahé and Praslin, particularly when scheduling and journey times are important considerations.

Fuel costs can influence the operating expenses associated with both maritime and air transportation. Seasonal fuel surcharges can consequently affect the total expense of multi-island itineraries.

Operating Costs Affect Tourism Services

Seychelles’ island geography creates additional requirements for businesses supplying the tourism industry. Hotels, resorts, restaurants and other tourism operators depend on the movement of food products, equipment, construction materials and other supplies.

A significant dependence on imported goods adds another layer to the tourism supply chain. Imported products must be transported into the country and subsequently distributed to businesses operating across different islands.

Utility expenses also form part of the operational structure for resorts and other tourism establishments. Combined with supply-chain and transportation requirements, these expenses contribute to the pricing of accommodation and visitor services.

Travel Planning Becomes More Important

The tourists from other countries will have to pay for travel expenses which will be made up of the costs incurred for air flights, accommodation, food, attraction, and transport. People who will come to visit the islands will have to find means of transporting themselves from Mahé either by ferry or airplane to Praslin and La Digue. This is because it is important to note that geographical features of the islands influence not only the duration but also the cost of visiting the islands. The tourists will have to plan their accommodation taking into consideration the available mode of transport; whether ferries or air transport. In this respect, the geographical features of the islands are important for planning tourism in the country. Mahé is the most popular island while Praslin and La Digue are popular for travel to other islands.