Côte d'Ivoire has signed a memorandum of understanding with Emirates, a major international airline based in Dubai, to boost the country's presence in global tourism and improve air connectivity. The agreement was made during the Arabian Travel Market 2026 in Dubai, involving Côte d'Ivoire’s Ministry of Tourism and Leisure, the Ministry of Transport and Maritime Affairs, and Emirates. The partnership seeks to increase awareness of Côte d'Ivoire in regions already served by Emirates, including the Middle East, Asia, and Australia. The collaboration includes plans for joint marketing campaigns, promotional activities, special offers for travel agencies and tour operators, and familiarization trips for tourism professionals. The goal is to showcase Côte d'Ivoire’s natural beauty, cultural heritage, and hospitality. According to Adil Al Ghaith, senior vice president of commercial operations at Emirates, Côte d'Ivoire is a promising and well-preserved tourist destination. Emirates has been flying to Abidjan, the capital of Côte d'Ivoire, for nearly 20 years, connecting it with Accra in Ghana. In the past year, the airline transported a significant number of passengers from East Asia and the Middle East, including cities like Guangzhou, Beijing, Manila, Istanbul, Mumbai, Jeddah, and Beirut. For Côte d'Ivoire’s government, the agreement aims to strengthen Abidjan’s international connectivity and the competitiveness of the Félix Houphouët-Boigny International Airport. Amadou Koné, minister of Transport and Maritime Affairs, said the partnership supports the vision of making Abidjan a key regional entry point. The Félix Houphouët-Boigny Airport (ABJ) welcomed 2.55 million passengers in 2025, slightly more than the 2.54 million in 2024. Its passenger numbers grew by 171% between 2020 and 2024 after the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. The airport now connects to 41 international destinations, including Dubai and Istanbul. Côte d'Ivoire launched the "Sublime Côte d'Ivoire" strategy in 2018 to boost tourism as a driver for economic growth, investment, and job creation. In 2025, the country reported 6.7 million registered visitors, surpassing initial targets. Siandou Fofana, minister of Tourism and Leisure, noted that the tourism sector generated over 1,100 billion CFA francs in revenue, equivalent to about 1.9 billion U.S. dollars, and accounted for 8.7% of the country’s GDP. The national development plan for 2026–2030 aims to increase tourism’s contribution to 11% of GDP by 2030 and position Côte d'Ivoire as the fifth most visited destination in Africa. The government plans to expand its international appeal, promote ecotourism, enhance digital marketing, and highlight Ivorian cultural heritage. Abidjan is the main entry point for air travel in Côte d'Ivoire and a key business travel hub in West Africa. Authorities hope to convert some of the traffic into longer leisure stays, connecting flights, and travel by the diaspora. Emirates’ strong network through its Dubai hub provides access to India, China, Southeast Asia, Australia, and Gulf countries. The memorandum of understanding does not establish a new direct flight or increase the number of flights between Dubai and Abidjan. Instead, it creates a framework for cooperation in tourism promotion, distribution, and traffic development. The success of the agreement will depend on Côte d'Ivoire’s ability to turn increased visibility into well-structured tourist experiences, proper infrastructure, and easier access for international visitors. Abidjan is the only Ivorian destination served directly from Paris without a stopover. Three airlines currently offer non-stop flights: Air France, Air Côte d'Ivoire, and Corsair. Other airlines provide routes with stopovers, including Turkish Airlines via Istanbul, Royal Air Maroc via Casablanca, Brussels Airlines via Brussels, Ethiopian Airlines via Addis-Abeba, Kenya Airways via Nairobi, and Emirates via Dubai and Accra.