With almost half the luxury homes sold to date at the Eden Island marina development in the Seychelles purchased by South Africans, the inclusion of Cape Town on Air Seychelles' route is welcome news, said Chris Immelman, MD of the Pam Golding Property group's National & International Division.
The company has sold 287 luxury maisons and apartments at Eden Island at a total value of over USD220 million - of which close to 50 percent have been purchased by South Africans. With a further five sales currently under negotiation, Pam Golding Properties is marketing a new release of 19 apartments and 12 maisons priced from USD355 000.
Air Seychelles, which has been operating in South Africa since 1993, already has direct weekly flights - on Fridays - between Johannesburg and Mahè, Seychelles. From 21 March, the new Cape Town service operates on Sundays, in addition to the existing flights.
Flights now also depart from Mahè at 8.10am, Seychelles time, on Sundays, arriving in Johannesburg at 11.25am (South Africa time) before proceeding to Cape Town at 12.40pm and landing at 2.50pm. The return flight to Seychelles is on the same day, departing from Cape Town at 8.30pm, stopping in Johannesburg at 10.40pm before leaving for Seychelles at 11.55pm and landing at Mahè airport at 6.50am, Seychelles time, the next morning (Monday). Seychelles is two hours ahead of South African time.
Immelman noted: "With some residents at Eden Island commuting regularly to Cape Town on business, even on a weekly basis, the addition of Cape Town to Air Seychelles' route is of major benefit to South African buyers on the island, particularly as approximately 30 percent of these are from Cape Town. This makes Seychelles, and indeed Eden Island, even more accessible to purchasers, especially those residing there for holidays or part of the year, or those living there permanently and commuting for business purposes as and when required. These flights are conveniently timed and the newly introduced service to Cape Town provides an added benefit for home buyers - as well as family and friends visiting this exotic destination."
Cape Town is the tenth destination on Air Seychelles' schedule, which includes London, Paris, Rome, Milan, Frankfurt, Zurich, Singapore, Mauritius and Johannesburg.
