(Seychelles News Agency) - Seychelles has made the list of coolest destinations for National Geographic Traveller magazine.

The UK edition of the travel magazine published by the National Geographic Society in the United States has listed Seychelles as number 14 on the ‘Cool List.’ The magazine also highlighted the upcoming launch of British Airways’ direct flights to the island nation in March of 2018.

The chief executive of the Seychelles Tourism Board, Sherin Francis, said, “British Airways’ direct flight as of March 2018 has indeed created quite a buzz in the UK.”

Francis added that the listing is yet another testament that “Seychelles is not only seen as this aspiring faraway and must-see destination, but it will soon be only one stop away from this market, which will certainly redefine how British holidaymakers view Seychelles as a destination.”

The National Geographic Traveller describes the 18 destinations as “the coolest haunts, the hippest hangouts, the bucket list breaks and the enthralling escapes.”

According to the magazine, the 18 destinations which are set to make it big in 2018 range from the cities of Bristol in the United Kingdom and Buenos Aires in Argentina to countries like Sri Lanka and Singapore.

The destinations have been carefully selected by the National Geographic Traveller’s team of editors and writers.

“It’s a tempting route — a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, flying twice weekly, with a 10-hour flight and four-hour time difference prompting tour operator Scott Dunn to talk of long weekends in the Indian Ocean,” wrote the National Geographic Traveller, which is recommending a longer stay to its readers.

It also highlighted Seychelles’ warm clear azure waters, dreamy white sandy beaches like Anse Source d’Argent recently named one of the World’s 50 Best Beaches, lush tropical vegetation, otherworldly rock formations and excursion ranging from jungle zip lines to an up-close encounter giant land tortoises.

The Seychelles Tourism Board office in the UK said that although it is unlikely that many people will choose Seychelles for long weekend trips, the direct flights from the UK and the buzz it has created will undoubtedly encourage more British visitors to consider the island destination when planning their 2018 holidays.

According to the figures of the National Bureau of Statistics, the UK & Northern Ireland market has sent 20,634 visitors to the archipelago in the western Indian Ocean up to December 3 this year. Around 17,649 visited Seychelles for the same period in 2016.

The ‘Cool List 2018’ is also featured in the January/February 2018 issue of the travel magazine, which went on sale on Thursday, December 7, 2017.

National Geographic Traveller was launched in the UK in December 2010. It is now well established as a major player in consumer travel publications, emerging as the winner of the Best Consumer Holiday Magazine category, at the British Travel Awards, for two consecutive years -- 2014 and 2015.