Most luxury, upmarket and some upper mid-range hotels cater extremely well for business guests. Business and conference centres provide all the facilities you may need, including secretarial services and assistance with local contacts. Such hotels regularly host conferences and incentive groups. For business accommodation in Port Louis, the Labourdonnais Waterfront Hotel and Le Suffren Hotel & Marina both near the Caudan Waterfront Complex, are popular.
BUSINESS VISA As with tourist visas, business visitors from certain countries do not require a visa. For stays longer than 90 days per calendar year, a work permit is required. Applications are made through the Board of Investment.
WORKING HOURS For the public sector, working hours are 09.00–16.00 Monday–Friday and 09.00–12.00 Saturday. The number of staff is reduced on Saturdays, so for the sake of your sanity it is advisable to carry out administrative formalities on weekdays.
Private enterprises are usually open 08.30–16.15 Monday–Friday and 09.00–12.00 Saturday.
CULTURAL ETIQUETTE
Reproduced here (translated from the French by the MTPA) is the Code of Ethics for Tourists, since it shows how great is the concern of Mauritians for the right approach to visitors to their country:
You are already most welcome in Mauritius. You’ll be even more so if you will readily appreciate that our island …
• considers its most important asset is its people. They are well worth meeting and enjoying a friendly chat with;
• possesses a rich capital of cultures, needs and values which it cherishes more than anything else;
• is ready to give you value for money, but is not prepared to sell its soul for it;
• has wealth of its own, which deserves to be preserved;
• treats all its visitors like VIPs, but does not take kindly to those who overact the part;
• is not all lagoon and languor, and boasts a host of many-splendoured sights;
• considers, without being prudish, that nude when flaunted can be provocative and offensive;
• is not a faraway paradise of unlimited licence;
• takes pride in serving you with a smile and would be grateful for a smile in return;
• and will bare its soul willingly if you will handle it with care.
Beachwear is acceptable in tourist resorts but is less so in local towns and villages. Tourists should dress appropriately when visiting religious buildings (no shorts, miniskirts, etc). It is a good idea for women to carry a light cardigan or shirt and sarong for this purpose. Shoes should be removed when entering temples and mosques, and you may also be asked to remove leather items at some Hindu temples. At mosques you may be required to cover your head. Nudism is not allowed anywhere on the island. Although some female tourists sunbathe topless, it is not encouraged.
Mauritians are generally traditional and conservative – public displays of affection are best avoided, particularly away from the resorts. Pointing at people is considered to be impolite – a general wave in the right direction is more appropriate. When Mauritians walk into a shop or restaurant they greet those present and they appreciate it when visitors do likewise. As you explore Mauritius, be prepared for lots of questions. Mauritians are curious and their motivation is usually simply a desire to learn about your country and practise their language skills.
In recent years there has been an increase in the number of people begging, including children, particularly around the main commercial centres, markets and tourist attractions. Beggars are not usually aggressive and a gentle refusal to a demand for money, accompanied by a smile, is normally accepted immediately.
Although it should not affect travellers, many Mauritian women are the victims of sexual abuse and domestic violence. There is a hotline for reporting incidents of domestic violence (% 211 0725).
TRAVELLING POSITIVELY
I am sure that you will thoroughly enjoy visiting Mauritius and Rodrigues. You may feel that you wish to repay the hospitality you experience by helping the local community in some way. Below is a selection of particularly worthwhile projects and details of how you can lend support.
CARE-Co (Rodrigues) CARE-Co (Rodrigues), formerly known as Craft Aid Rodrigues, is a wonderful project, giving people with disabilities a vastly improved life and a place in society. I am fortunate enough to have visited the CARE-Co workshop in Rodrigues several times and can assure you that donations are put to excellent use, including hearing aids, family support, educational tools, and equipment for the Gonzague Pierre-Louis Special Learning Centre. For further information, see box CARE-Co, page 230.
How you can help
• Buy CARE-Co products. You can also buy the jewellery online at beaucoco.co.uk. For UK partners, write to: CARE-Co, Camp du Roi, Rodrigues, Mauritius.
• For coconut jewellery (bijoux coco), you can order a full-colour catalogue. The catalogue costs £3 to produce so any contributions are very welcome. The cost of the catalogue will be reimbursed on your first order.
• Cheques or donations can be sent in any major currency. Donate to CARE-Co (Rodrigues), Mauritius Commercial Bank, Port Mathurin; account number 360000940.
• Those who donate any amount exceeding £15 receive direct reports from the Gonzague Pierre-Louis Special Learning Centre.
100% Privacy Guaranteed
