The founder, Mrs Hely RAKOTOMANANTSOA, has made her way step by step into the tourism business, beginning from the lowest rung to becoming one of the leading Madagascar DMC’s.
After a Master degree in English Literature at the University of Antananarivo, she started as a tourist guide for large groups, exploring the whole country, getting in-depth field experience and learning the needs and expectations of tourists, this was 22 years ago, when tourism in Madagascar was in its infancy. Good organisation, listening and giving the best to customers were qualities she developped as her trade-mark. The rewards of her hard work opened “the door” to Europe where she enrolled in a 3 year course of “tourism – management” at the CERIA Institute in Brussels
Not only did she acquire a more formal and in-depth knowledge of the tourism business from her study, but her stay in Europe has also broadened her views : by visiting different European Tourism fairs, by meeting many Tours Operators during trade fairs in Belgium, Netherland, France, Spain, Germany, UK, Ireland, Scandinavian countries, she understood what European Tourism Professional are expecting from a DMC.
After graduating, she spent a few months in Mauritius to experience the Mauritian Incoming Tourism business and then spent a few months working in first, a Travel agency, and then a Tour Operator in Brussels to understand and experience the business of outbound tourism operator, how to get a client, how to turn it into a sale and how to keep this client for another destination. Then in November 1998, with her diploma and various insights into international tourism, she went back to Madagascar and founded Island Continent Tours, named thus because Madagascar has most characteristics of a Continent
From small beginnings with hard work, having the trust of many European Professional in Tourism, the company grew, acquiring cars, 4wd and busses in order to insure a seamless service. To further insure the comfort of customers, in 2005, an office and the Island Continent Hotel were built close to Ivato airport in Antananarivo, the gateway to Madagascar.
In 2008, Franz, her Belgian partner, joined the company, assisting Hely in management and marketing, developing new products. Franz comes from a very different background, aviation, as pilot and aircraft engineer. He travelled for 25 years and has worked in 35 countries on 4 continents. In 2007 during one of his flying missions, he spent a few months in Madagascar and fell in love with the country. In the beginning of 2008, he decided to settle in Madagascar and join ICTours.