Jonathan Passaportis (Director of Tourism) and Sebastian Stent (Senior Marketing Manager, Sent Helena Government) will promote a six-pillar strategy to grow and diversify St. Helena's tourism offerings.
Jamestown, St. Helena – The St. Helena Tourism Commission has announced the appointment of a major leadership that demonstrates a strong strategic approach to sustainable, experience-driven tourism on one of the world's most extraordinary and remote islands.
Jonathan Passaportis takes on the role of tourism director from resigning incumbent Matt Joshua, with Sebas Chance Tent taking part as Senior Marketing Manager for the Government of St. Helena, bringing complementary expertise in destination marketing and digital innovation, promoting the island's tourism goals, increasing visitor numbers, strengthening local tourism business, presenting the island's history, and showing a rich history.
Zimbabwe-born Passaportis is a skilled tourism entrepreneur with over 18 years of experience in tourism, agriculture and sustainable development in destinations in South Africa and Argentina. He is best known as the founder and managing director of Zimbabwe's Bushman Rock Safari. This helped to grow into one of the country's major destinations for weddings, meetings and safari experiences.
With a background in both journalism (including the digital head of Media24) and filmmaking, Stent combines his major technological experiences at Naspers, Meta and Opera with passion for implementing community-focused technology and sustainable development initiatives.
This dynamic partnership marks a pivotal moment for St. Helena, a subtropical paradise in the South Atlantic.
“It's a great privilege to take the reins from Matt Joshua,” Passaportis says. “I am participating in the St. Helena community during these exciting times. The island has an extraordinary promise as a world-class tourist destination. I look forward to working with local stakeholders and international travel trade to foster a sustainable, inclusive and impactful tourism economy.”
Both Passaportis and Stents are excited to work with niche operators and agents to develop packages and itineraries that appeal to today's travelers. And we'll show you what makes St. Helena unique.
“There is a perception that St. Helena appeals to older generations of travelers. He is a history lover who wants to learn more about Napoleon's final days on the island,” explains Passaportis. “And while this certainly applies to many visitors, the island has a broader appeal to adventure tourists, nature lovers, and those who want authentic cultural immersion in a unique community.”
For this purpose, the stent and passaportis concentrate on six pillars.
History and heritage. Alongside Napoleon's exile in St. Helena, visitors can learn more about the Zulu Uprising over the island and Britain, the Boer War (including the Pow Camps and Boer Cemetery), the abolition of slavery, and the return to the 1700s, over the centuries of colonial and Maritime history, including the Zulu Uprising against the island and Britain. Nature. St. Helena (and its unique cloud forest) supports 502 endemic species (including blushing snails, pointy yellow forests, and wirebirds), which represent one or more than six-sixths of the UK's total endemic biodiversity. It is an extraordinary destination for nature lovers, birders and those fascinated by the volcanic geology that created the island's paradise. culture. St. Helena evolved her unique “saint” identity with a fascinating dialect. It brings a living blend of Creole expression and maritime English and a genuine echo of 17th-century sailor tradition into modern island culture. For travelers looking to immerse themselves in the food, language and history of the place, St. Helena is unforgettable. hiking. The island's compact volcanic landscape creates exceptional hiking suggestions for all ages and fitness levels. From semi-dessert landscapes to scrubs, forests and cloud forests, the diverse ecosystems offer breathtaking views in every corner. Aquatic pursuit. Eight “diveable” shipwrecks, crystal clear water, average sea temperatures between 19°C and 25°C, and abundant marine life (between June and December), whale sharks (March), bottlenorth and pantropical dolphins, manta rays, green and Hawksville fish fish, and snacker snorkels. Adventure. St. Helena Tourism Bureau develops island adventure tourism offerings, including trail running, marathons, climbing and mountain biking alongside walks, hiking and e-bikes.
For destination specialists and tour operators, combined with weekly services of Airlink between Johannesburg and St. Helena Island (adds direct flights from Cape Town between December and March), authentic characters, depth of experience, and adventure, create appetizing options for high-value clients looking for their next destination.
“We target strategic partnerships with operators who want to provide clients with something completely different and understand the appeal of sustainable regenerative tourism,” Stent points out. “Our focus is on extended stay experiences and true cultural immersion. We are developing a great value proposition for identifying travelers, while holding hands with the local community and creating something.” Passaportis said, “We are not about to become our next popular tourist destination. We are building something more valuable. From planting ebony trees saved from the crisis, we learn more about the local whale sharks, each visitor has the opportunity to contribute to the future of St. Helena.”
