Air Seychelles has enjoyed a turnaround in fortunes thanks to its collaboration with Etihad Airways. It is now embarking on an ambitious plan to build its Mahé home into a regional hub, as Sebastian Schmitz found out.

Ask people to list their dream holiday destinations and there is a good chance the Seychelles will appear at or near the top, and rightly so. The archipelago, and in particular the main island of Mahé, boasts some of the world’s finest sandy beaches, beautiful scenery and Creole culture. It also offers a wide variety of activities: you can go snorkelling, hiking, swimming, sailing, exploring the rainforest, indulging in the delicious local cuisine or simply relaxing, which is, after all, what most people visit the islands to do.