In December, the Seychelles North Island will merge into the Marriott International Portfolio of properties and will operate under the name “North Island, A Luxury Collection Resort.” The hotel will be the first launched under ASMALLWORLD Hotel Collection – a portfolio within the Luxury Collection. Bruce Simpson, managing director of North Island, said that the sustainability and eco-tourism promoted by North Island – including their “travel with a purpose” strategy – makes it a perfect fit into the Marriott portfolio. North Island guests can plant trees, take part in educational walks to understand the fauna, flora and general eco-system, and keep track of their carbon emissions while at the hotel. Sherin Francis, the CEO of the Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) said, “One of our goals remains to rebuild the destination’s image as an exclusive experience for our visitors. This affiliation is definitely applauded by the STB, as it is our belief that it will definitely contribute positively toward the destination.”