DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Emirates has reached a key milestone in its travel retail expansion strategy with the opening of its 10th flagship “Emirates World” store in Abidjan, as the airline accelerates investment in physical retail concepts aimed at reshaping the customer journey.
The Dubai-based carrier said it has invested AED 174 million (US$47.4 million) to grow its global travel retail footprint. With the addition of the Abidjan location, Emirates now operates 10 Emirates World Stores and nine other travel retail outlets worldwide. The airline plans to introduce 29 additional travel retail concepts in 2026, bringing its total store count to 48 by year-end.
The expansion underscores Emirates’ broader strategy to complement its digital channels with immersive, in-person retail experiences in major cities across its network. Since 2024, the airline’s travel retail concept stores have drawn more than 1.4 million walk-in customers, reflecting growing consumer appetite for face-to-face engagement and experiential travel planning.
Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer reflects: “As we accelerate the global rollout of our Emirates World Stores concept, we are cultivating opportunities for travellers and our travel partners to engage with our brand, immerse themselves in our iconic products and experiment with cutting-edge tech to imagine what their journeys could look like, as they effortlessly orchestrate their journeys with our expert consultants. With more travel retail concept stores coming online in cities around the world this year, we’re proud to welcome customers to these beautiful spaces designed for discovery, provide exceptional service and help everyone get the most out of Emirates’ latest products and services so they can truly ‘fly better’.”
The first Emirates World Store opened in November 2022 in Dubai’s Jumeirah district. The 3,000-square-foot flagship location serves as a prototype for the airline’s global rollout, combining signature onboard products with immersive technologies in a contemporary retail setting.
Since then, Emirates has launched flagship Emirates World stores in London, Nairobi, Casablanca, Manila, Cairo, Singapore, Bangkok and Riyadh. In parallel, it has introduced mid-sized concept travel stores in Paris, Karachi, Hong Kong, Accra, Geneva, Mauritius and Jakarta.
The airline plans to extend its retail presence further this year with new locations slated for Athens, Rome, Madrid, Istanbul, Amman, New Delhi, Mumbai, Shenzhen, Tokyo and Cape Town, reinforcing its push into key global travel markets across Europe, Africa and Asia.
While the brand identity remains consistent, Emirates emphasizes that no two stores are identical. Each location is localized to reflect customer preferences and market dynamics, with site selection informed by foot traffic patterns, emerging consumer trends and strategic positioning.
In Dubai, for example, the store includes a dedicated hub for industry networking and engagement. In Singapore, Riyadh, Cairo and London, visitors can explore a First Class cabin seat display. Casablanca, Hong Kong and London feature a Premium Economy seat display, offering customers a closer look at the airline’s upgraded cabin products.
Select stores in Cairo and London also showcase the airline’s signature A380 onboard lounge, recreating the upper-deck social space typically experienced in flight. The newest store in Abidjan incorporates both an A380 onboard lounge and a Business Class seat display, reinforcing Emirates’ premium positioning in the West African market.
Beyond cabin mock-ups, the stores integrate digital self-service kiosks and interactive touchpoints designed to streamline transactions and enhance engagement. Features such as selfie mirrors allow visitors to capture images against destination-themed backdrops, blending retail with experiential marketing.
Each location also carries curated, destination-specific Emirates-branded merchandise and premium travel accessories. The London store, for instance, features products tied to local sponsorships, including Wimbledon, the Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team and Arsenal.
Customers can also enrol in Emirates Skywards, the airline’s loyalty program, through in-store kiosks, further linking retail engagement with customer retention strategies.
For Emirates, the investment signals confidence in brick-and-mortar retail as a complement to online booking platforms, particularly in markets where personalized service and experiential discovery play a significant role in travel planning.
As the airline moves toward its target of 48 retail outlets by the end of 2026, the expansion of Emirates World stores appears central to its strategy of deepening brand engagement and reinforcing its premium positioning in an increasingly competitive global aviation market.