Many Reunion residents were surprised by the serious tone of the austerity announcements made by the flight attendants as the long-haul planes prepared to land at Roland-Garros airport.. List of risks (sharks, mosquito-borne diseases, volcanic eruptions) and prohibitions (plant imports, coral collection…) somewhat killed the charm of an arrival in the Tropic of Capricorn !
At the request of the prefecture, these messages have been replaced by a much less stressful video, recalling the same instructions, but wrapped in much more positive content, designed in partnership by communities, Roland-Garros airport, long-haul companies and Reunion Island Tourism. Entitled “Our recommendations for a successful stay in Reunion Island, the three minute film, bilingual French-English, praises the beauty of the lagoon, encourages you to swim or surf in supervised areas and observe whales while preserving their peace and quiet. The ban on the import of plants or export of certain local products is justified by an educational message on the risks of biological invasions, all enhanced with reassuring tourist images.
