2023 January February Marina World

TALKING SHOP
Peter Alvis
Opening the APS
Seychelles agency
Asia Pacific Superyachts (APS) announced the formation of the new APS
Seychelles agency in 2022. General manager, Peter Alvis, talks shop
Q: What brought you to the industry and
specifically the Seychelles?
A: My career over the past 11 years
has been in the luxury hospitality sector
for internationally world-renowned
and Forbes-listed hotels. I was first
introduced to the superyacht industry
when I did the pre-opening of a five star
rated marina hotel in the Seychelles as
their operations manager. We liaised
a lot with the crew and owners of
superyachts to ensure their stay in the
Seychelles was a fond and memorable
experience. We worked closely with the
agents of the superyachts to deliver an
unparalleled level of service. Not long
after, I was approached for my current
role – working alongside directors who
have over 45 years in the shipping,
superyacht and fishing industries
and were the first port agents in the
Seychelles.
Q: What were your tasks when you
started working in the industry?
Describe how your responsibilities have
grown over the past decade and your
position and responsibilities now.
A: When I first took on the role I was
adamant about learning the ropes from
scratch to understand the entire guest
process from arrival to departure. In
this profession, knowledge really is
power so understanding all the laws,
regulations and processes is of vital
importance when undertaking tasks
in the most efficient of fashions. My
dealings with high-end hotel clientele
allowed me to best prepare for the
quick thinking nature of the role as well
as having multiple plans in place should
clients choose to change their minds at
any point during their stay. As I always
say “failing to prepare, is preparing to
fail”, so myself and the team do all the
groundwork in terms of logistics and
execution.
The large array of business activities
in our portfolio has exposed me to
many specialists, such as customs
clearance experts, marina experts,
shipping logistic experts as well as
captains of catamarans, sailing yachts
and superyachts. Having such large
resources at our disposal allows us to
best facilitate all captains, crew and
owners whilst delivering a hospitality
flare in the midst.
Q: What changes in the Seychelles
have had the biggest impact on the
marina scene and visiting yachts?
A: The Seychelles saw a 71.6%
increase in the arrival of yachts in
2021 compared to 2020, when the
island nation was greatly affected by
the COVID-19 pandemic. For the first
and second quarter of 2022, 59 yachts
arrived with a projected 80 by the end
of the year. On average, 20 yachts
each year are superyachts, each with a
unique set of requirements, plans and
itineraries.
Seamless entry, with the typical
arrival process itself taking as little
as half an hour for a vessel to be
cleared in (provided all documents
are in order) and no visas required to
enter the Seychelles showcases our
country’s efforts to welcome all visitors
with open arms. You can then cruise
the full 1,100km [680mi] from Mahé to
the Aldabra Atoll (a UNESCO World
Heritage Site), whilst popping up in the
other 114 islands without having to go
through another immigration check.
Good moorings and easy sailing
distances between the main islands
facilitate the discovery of a wide
selection of islands and secluded
bays. The pristine atolls and virgin
The undeniable natural beauty of the
Seychelles is reflected in its pristine
beaches. Photos: Lester Prea
42
www.marinaworld.com – January/February 2023