Plantations were the main industry of the Seychelles until 1971, when the international airport opened.
Overnight, tourism became a serious industry, basically dividing the economy into plantations and tourism.
The tourism sector paid better, and the plantation economy could only expand so far.

The plantation sector of the economy declined in prominence, and tourism and fishing became the primary industries of Seychelles.
In the 1960s, about 33% of the working population worked at plantations, but by 2006 it was less than 3%.

While the tourism and industrial fishing industries were on a roll in the late 1990s, the traditional plantation economy atrophied.
Cinnamon barks and copra—traditional export crops—dwindled to negligible amounts by 1991.
There were no exports of copra in 1996; 318 tons of cinnamon bark was exported in 1996, reflecting a decrease of 35% in cinnamon bark exports from 1995.

The US military Indian Ocean Tracking Station on Mahé operated from 1963 until 1996.
Plantations were the main industry of the Seychelles until 1971, when the international airport opened. Overnight, tourism became a serious industry, basically dividing the economy into plantations and tourism. The tourism sector paid better, and the plantation economy could only expand so far.
The plantation sector of the economy declined in prominence, and tourism and fishing became the primary industries of Seychelles. In the 1960s, about 33% of the working population worked at plantations, but by 2006 it was less than 3%.
While the tourism and industrial fishing industries were on a roll in the late 1990s, the traditional plantation economy atrophied. Cinnamon barks and copra—traditional export crops—dwindled to negligible amounts by 1991. There were no exports of copra in 1996; 318 tons of cinnamon bark was exported in 1996, reflecting a decrease of 35% in cinnamon bark exports from 1995.
The US military Indian Ocean Tracking Station on Mahé operated from 1963 until 1996.
Economy of Seychelles