Emirates expands global retail footprint with 10th ‘Emirates World’ store in Abidjan
Dubai airline targets 48 outlets worldwide by year-end
DUBAI – Emirates has marked a significant milestone in its global retail strategy with the opening of its 10th flagship ‘Emirates World’ store in Abidjan.
The launch brings the airline’s dedicated Emirates World store count to 10, alongside nine additional travel retail outlets operating across its international network.
The expansion forms part of a wider investment drive that has seen Emirates commit Dh174 million, equivalent to $47.4 million, to strengthen its travel retail presence. Building on this momentum, the airline plans to introduce 29 additional travel retail concepts in 2026, taking the total number of outlets to 48 by the end of the year.
Retail expansion
Since 2024, Emirates’ travel retail concept stores have attracted more than 1.4 million walk-in customers, highlighting their growing role in the travel planning journey. Designed to blend personalisation, expert consultation and immersive brand experiences, the stores aim to meet customers in dynamic, welcoming environments across key cities.
The Emirates World concept first debuted in November 2022 with a 3,000-square-foot flagship store in Jumeirah, one of Dubai’s most vibrant neighbourhoods. The space was designed to showcase the airline’s signature onboard products alongside experiential technologies that allow visitors to visualise their journeys before departure.
The Dubai flagship has since served as the blueprint for further expansion. Emirates has opened global flagship stores in London, Nairobi, Casablanca, Manila, Cairo, Singapore, Bangkok and Riyadh.
In parallel, the airline has introduced mid-sized travel retail concepts in Paris, Karachi, Hong Kong, Accra, Geneva, Mauritius and Jakarta. Further rollouts are planned this year in Athens, Rome, Madrid, Istanbul, Amman, New Delhi, Mumbai, Shenzhen, Tokyo and Cape Town.
Immersive experience
No two Emirates World stores are identical. Each location is tailored to reflect local market preferences, guided by strategic site assessments, footfall analysis and emerging consumer trends.
Dubai’s store includes a dedicated hub for industry networking and engagement. Meanwhile, Singapore, Riyadh, Cairo and London feature a First Class cabin seat display, allowing customers to experience the airline’s premium product first-hand. Casablanca, Hong Kong and London showcase the Premium Economy seat, offering visitors a close look at one of Emirates’ latest cabin offerings.
Cairo and London also house a recreation of the iconic A380 onboard lounge, bringing one of the airline’s most recognisable features to the ground. The newly opened Abidjan store continues this immersive approach, featuring an A380 onboard lounge and a Business Class seat display, reinforcing Emirates’ premium positioning in the West African market.
Digital integration
Technology plays a central role in the retail concept. Self-service kiosks enable customers to manage bookings and enrol in Emirates Skywards, the airline’s loyalty programme, directly in store. Interactive digital touchpoints streamline transactions and enhance customer engagement.
Among the experiential features is a selfie mirror that allows visitors to capture photographs against destination-inspired backdrops, merging travel inspiration with shareable moments.
Each store also carries curated, destination-specific Emirates-branded collections and premium travel accessories. The London location, for example, offers merchandise linked to Emirates’ in-market sponsorships, including Wimbledon, the Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team and Arsenal.