(Seychelles News Agency) - Candidates of Miss Réunion 2019 are in Seychelles to discover the island nation and carry out photo and video shoots which will be aired during the grand finale of the beauty pageant.

Upon their arrival at the Seychelles International Airport at Pointe Larue on Friday, the 12 contestants were welcomed by the staff of the Seychelles Tourism Board (STB). A cultural performance was done by local performers from a group called ‘Lansiv’ for the young women aged between 18 and 24.

Aziz Patel, the president of the Miss Réunion Committee, said that each year the candidates of Miss Reunion go on a trip to another country to prepare the contestants for the finale.

“We take the candidates to the destination for them to discover the country as well as for them to get to know each other better. This year we have chosen Seychelles, with the partnership of the Seychelles Tourism Board and Air Austral,” said Patel.

A cultural performance was done by local performers from a group called ‘Lansiv’ for the young women aged between 18 and 24. (Vanessa Lucas, Seychelles Tourism Board) Photo License: CC-BY

The 12 beauty queens will be visiting the three main islands of the 115-island archipelago – Mahe, Praslin and La Digue - during their three-day stay. On Friday, the girls visited the Botanical Gardens and artisanal kiosks in Victoria, the capital.

On Saturday, Miss Réunion 2019 contestants will visit Praslin and La Digue where they will visit iconic beaches and landmarks. Photos and videos captured during their stay will be aired on Antenne Réunion, a TV station of the overseas French Department.

“We know that in Reunion, the girls are followed very closely by a lot of people and having them here, together with Antenne Réunion, is a very good opportunity for us to showcase our islands to Reunionnais. That will be a good promotion for Seychelles in Reunion,” said Sherin Francis, STB’s chief executive.

Commenting on visitors’ arrivals from Reunion, Francis said that before the reintroduction of the Air Austral flight to Seychelles, the numbers were half of what they are today.

The Reunion delegation with CEO of STB, Sherin Francis. (Vanessa Lucas, Seychelles Tourism Board) Photo License: CC-BY

“A market does not grow overnight. It takes time and activities like this will help build the momentum and visibility and hopefully for us to get more Reunionnais to visit Seychelles,” said Francis.

Miss Réunion candidates are also accompanied by the director of the pageant, Amida Hussein, Miss Réunion 2018 -- Morgane Soucramanien -- and Antenne Réunion Television crew, as well as photographers, make-up artists, designer of the pageant.

The candidates were officially presented to the public on May 24 in a live special show called “Miss Reunion, the 12 candidates” on Antenne Réunion.

The final of Miss Reunion 2019 will take place on August 24 under the theme “Miss Réunion fait son cinema”. The crown bearer will get to participate in Miss France, which is expected to be held on December 24 in Marseille, France.