Over 1 million visitors and counting: How Emirates drives tourism demand for Mauritius
Joint promotions strengthen island’s reach across 60 countries
DUBAI/PORT LOUIS – For more than two decades, Emirates has been central to Mauritius’ global tourism ambitions, connecting the Indian Ocean island to key markets across Europe, Asia, the Americas and the Gulf. Since 2022, the airline has carried more than one million visitors to Mauritius, accounting for over 20 percent of total tourist arrivals recorded between 2022 and 2025. The figures underline the scale of Emirates’ contribution at a time when the island has been striving not only to recover but to expand its tourism footprint.
The impact has been felt across the tourism value chain, from hotels and restaurants to tour operators and ground services, supporting thousands of jobs and reinforcing the local economy. Drawing on its network of more than 150 destinations and an extended reach of over 1,700 offline points through airline partners, Emirates has played a pivotal role in unlocking new source markets for Mauritius and sustaining visitor growth.
Official figures show that Mauritius welcomed a record 1,436,250 visitors in 2025, a 3.9 per cent increase over 2024. Emirates mirrored this upward trend, delivering a 5.7 percent rise in tourists flown to the island in 2025 compared with the previous year.
Emirates in Mauritius
Last year alone, Emirates transported close to 309,000 tourists to Mauritius from major European markets including the United Kingdom, Germany, Russia, France, Italy, Belgium, Poland, the Netherlands and Switzerland. The airline has also worked closely with travel partners to stimulate demand from other significant leisure markets such as the United States, China, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Tourist flows have broadened further due to collaborative partnerships. Travellers from around 60 countries have been carried into Mauritius via Emirates’ network, including passengers originating from Kazakhstan, Slovakia and Romania, many travelling through codeshare arrangements with flydubai.
The airline’s momentum reflects a longer-term trajectory. In 2022, Emirates carried 207,000 tourists to Mauritius. By 2025, that number had climbed to 309,000, marking a 50 percent increase over three years.
When Mauritius reopened its borders in 2021 following pandemic-related restrictions, Emirates was among the carriers that helped re-establish critical connectivity. By 2025, visitor arrivals to the island had surpassed pre-pandemic levels, underscoring the scale of the rebound.
Strategic partnerships
A significant element of Emirates’ approach has been close collaboration with the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA). The partnership, which began in 2012, aligns with a shared objective to position Mauritius as a leading global leisure destination.
Since December 2025, Emirates has operated three daily services to Mauritius: two flights using the A380 aircraft and a third operated by a Boeing 777. Together, these services provide approximately 10,500 seats into Mauritius each week.
Joint promotional efforts have included familiarisation trips for more than 30 top travel agents from Europe and GCC markets since 2022. These trips have allowed agents to experience Mauritius first-hand and promote tailored packages to clients across varying budgets and travel preferences.
Travel industry engagement has also extended to hospitality roadshows, workshops and collaborative campaigns with hotels. Incentives and value-added benefits have been offered to travel agents to strengthen destination sales. Emirates has additionally arranged experiential trips for influencers and international media to amplify Mauritius’ appeal to global audiences.
Seasonal campaigns over the past year have featured Mauritian holiday packages prominently. Customers were incentivised through a double Emirates Skywards promotion for stays at Marriott Hotels, while collaborations with RIU Resorts included dedicated familiarisation initiatives. High-performing travel agents across the Emirates network have been rewarded with trips to Mauritius, supported by in-house training, webinars and destination-focused sales events.
Dinesh Burrenchobay, Chairman of the MTPA, acknowledged the airline’s contribution to the island’s tourism performance, noting that Emirates has connected Mauritius to the world through its Dubai hub since 2002 and introduced the A380 as a daily feature at SSR International Airport.
Emirates has also maintained close coordination with the national carrier, Air Mauritius, whose services complement the route’s overall connectivity and capacity.
Emirates Holidays
The airline’s tour operating arm, Emirates Holidays, has positioned Mauritius as a flagship destination across its global platforms. The island is prominently featured on digital channels, social media and the company’s website, with dedicated pages showcasing curated packages and tailored experiences for couples, families and honeymooners.
Key markets for Emirates Holidays include the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Germany, Denmark, Saudi Arabia and Sweden. Demand for package holidays to Mauritius has grown steadily, with travellers often combining beach stays with excursions, gastronomy and cultural experiences.
Destination experts within Emirates Holidays provide personalised recommendations to customers, reinforcing Mauritius’ positioning as a premium, experience-rich location within the airline’s portfolio.
Rising demand
Consumer interest has strengthened in tandem with expanded capacity. According to Emirates’ 2025 summer travel trends report, searches for flights to Mauritius rose by 41 percent last summer. The island ranked as the second most sought-after destination across the airline’s global network, behind Vietnam.
To meet peak-season demand, Emirates introduced a third daily service, increasing seat capacity between Dubai and Mauritius by 30 per cent. The enhanced schedule provides travellers with greater flexibility and improved onward connectivity via Dubai.
In 2025, Emirates also launched a new experiential Travel Store in Port Louis, offering customers a dedicated space to plan travel, explore inflight products and receive personalised booking assistance. The store represents another investment in the airline’s long-standing relationship with the Mauritian market.
Emirates remains the only airline operating the A380 to Mauritius, deploying the world’s largest passenger aircraft on the route. It is also the only carrier offering First Class seats on services between Dubai and the island. From 29 March, the airline will introduce a retrofitted Boeing 777 featuring Premium Economy cabins on daily flights EK709 and EK710, adding further product enhancements to the Mauritius-Dubai corridor.
The partnership between Emirates and Mauritius dates back to 2002. Over the years, hundreds of Mauritians have joined the airline’s workforce in roles spanning flight operations, cabin crew, engineering, customer service and corporate functions.