Business tourism: Côte d'Ivoire, third African destination behind Nigeria and Morocco

BY ABOUBACAR YACOUBA BARMA

The Ivorian tourism industry is booming, especially for the promising niche of business tourism. This is what the country edition of Jumia Travel Hospitality Report 2018, which was presented on 27 September in Abidjan, notes. The country is now ranked third in Africa for business tourism with promising prospects. The country now aims to go upmarket.

In the match between Abidjan and Dakar for the palm of the most privileged destination in West Africa for business tourism, the Ivorian metropolis has taken a big step ahead. While the subject raises, and for years controversial on the attractiveness of the largest cities in the UEMOA space that is positioned the most on this niche, the Ivorian edition of the report " Hospitalty Report 2018 ", presented on Thursday September 27 in Abidjan, confirmed the momentum of the economic capital of Côte d'Ivoire.

According to figures for 2018, the country is now ranked third in Africa for business tourism, just behind Nigeria and Morocco. It is mainly Abidjan, which hosts more and more world-wide events but also international organizations that choose the city as headquarters, which explains this dynamic, also supported by quality infrastructures that have been flourishing since the end of the century. the security and political crisis of the years 2000 to 2010.

A growing sector

According to the figures of the report, the third of its kind for the country, the number of tourists in Côte d'Ivoire rose from 3.083 million in 2016 to 3.475 million in 2017, an increase of 12.7%.

" With a tourist flow estimated at 3,475,263 in 2017 against 3,083,246 the previous year, Côte d'Ivoire recorded a 12.7% increase in the number of visitors to the country, " said Cyrille Nomel, director Jumia Travel Ivory Coast, who pointed out that these figures, in addition to people arriving from abroad, also take into account travelers in-house.

Commenting on the new statistics at the presentation ceremony of the report, which was coupled this year with the celebration of the 39th World Tourism Day on the theme " Tourism and Digital Transformation ", the Ivorian Minister for Tourism and Leisure, Siandou Fofana , welcomed this dynamic before adding that the tourism sector participates to 5.86% of GDP with 21 000 jobs created for the year 2017.

" We encourage you to improve your efforts alongside Ivorian start-ups. We are growing significantly, and we are benefiting from the effects of economic growth, "said the Ivorian Minister to the operator Jumia Travel, which is increasingly positioned as a major player in the growth of the sector, with regard to the place now occupied by new technologies in the development of the tourism industry.

"The prospects of Ivorian tourism are great. The "Sublime Côte d'Ivoire" strategy initiated by the authorities aims to make tourism the 3rd pole of economic development of Côte d'Ivoire by 2025. It is also a question for the country to position itself as a co-leader of African business tourism by reaching the bar of 1.5 million visitors. Hence the launch of "Sublime Ivory Coast" estimated at 3200 billion CFA francs, "said Siandou Fofana, Minister of Tourism and Recreation.

Ambitions and perspectives

The government has committed to mobilize more than $ 600 million for the development of the airport perimeter of Abidjan, one of the lungs of the Ivorian tourism boom. In 2017, Félix Houphouët-Boigny International Airport in Abidjan passed the milestone of 2 million passengers, while the land borders, recorded the passage of more than one million tourists.

For the same year, investments made in the sector amounted to 159.261 billion CFA Francs, and the country which now has a national flag, Air Côte d'Ivoire, has also increased its capacity.From 2041 hotels in 2016, they are 2531 registered in 2017 with an average occupancy rate of 54.55%.

The Ivorian edition of the report " Hospitalitay Report " is produced by Jumia Travel, leader in the field of online booking, with the support of the Ivorian Ministry of Tourism, is intended to give greater readability, on the Internet. current state of the tourism sector in Côte d'Ivoire, as well as prospects. The statistics are based on bookings of hotel rooms, airline tickets and all other activities of the tourism industry, a sector that is increasingly positioned as a niche for growth for the continent

14-Jan-2018

Ethiopian Airlines to commence Abidjan-US service in May-2018

Côte d’Ivoire‘s Ministry of Transport, via its official website and Facebook account, announced (12-Jan-2018) it signed an agreement with Ethiopian Airlines on 10-Jan-2018

to commence direct service between Abidjan and the US in May-2018. The airline intends to operate four times weekly Abidjan-US service with Boeing 787 equipment and

may operate to New York, Washington or a third city (Agence Ivoirienne de Presse, 10-Jan-2018). [more – original PR – French]

TRANSPORT AERIEN : la Côte d’Ivoire et les Etats-Unis maintenant en vol direct

12-Jan-2018 Le premier vol direct Côte d’Ivoire Etats-Unis est prévu au mois de mai. C’est ce qui ressort de l’accord signé le mercredi 10 janvier 2018 à la Primature, entre l’Etat

de Côte d’Ivoire représenté par le Ministre des Transports Amadou KONE et la Compagnie Ethiopian Airlines représentée par son Directeur Général, Towolde GEBREMARIAM.

Cet accord va permettre d’accroitre les relations d’amitié et de coopération d’une part entre ces deux Etats et d’autre part, d’intensifier les échanges commerciaux, culturels et intellectuels.

Selon le Ministre Amadou KONE, c’est un pas important que vient de franchir la Côte d’Ivoire. « Ce jour marque pour nous la réalisation d’un projet qui date d’une vingtaine d’année »,

a-t-il souligné. C’est pourquoi, il s’est réjoui de savoir que l’Etat ivoirien vient de franchir un grand pas dans l’espace aérien. Non seulement cela va réduire le coût du transport vers

l’Amérique mais plus, ce sont les passagers qui bénéficieront de moins de tracasserie. Cet accord qui intervient en ce début d’année est l’expression d’une volonté du chef de l’Etat

Alassane OUATTARA et du Premier Ministre Amadou Gon COULIBALY de concrétiser au plus vite tous les projets en souffrance pour le bonheur des populations.

Pour le Directeur Général de Ethiopian Airlines, c’est un grand plaisir pour sa compagnie d’accompagner la Côte d’Ivoire dans son développement. Au nom de la délégation qu’il conduisait,

il dit pouvoir tenir les engagements qui en son sens vont favoriser une bonne coopération entre la Côte d’Ivoire et son pays.

COTE D'IVOIRE : EXPO ART 2015/ROGER KACOU (MINISTRE DU TOURISME )- L'ARTISANAT D'ART EST L'UNE DES RICHESSES DE LA COTE D'IVOIRE

Par Jean-Antoine Doudou

Encore une occasion inouïe ! Du 02 au 04 décembre, les férus d'objets d'art ou du tourisme culturel ont l'opportunité de s'offrir, soit un pagne, des boucles d'oreilles, des tableaux d'art, etc.

Cela, dans le cadre de la troisième édition d'Expo Art, un espace de promotion et de valorisation de l'artisanat d'art initié par Côte d'Ivoire tourisme et qui se déroule sur le parking de l'ancien "Immeuble Eeci" à quelques encablures de "la Place de la République" au Plateau. Placé sous le thème : "l'art de tisser... le pagne" avec pour pays invité le Sénégal, l'exposition a été ouverte mercredi, dans la soirée, par le ministre du Tourisme, Roger Kacou, en présence de plusieurs représentants d'ambassades accréditées en Côte d'Ivoire. « La culture, c'est la matière première du tourisme. Le pays a la chance d'avoir de brillants artisans d'art qui nous permettent de vendre la destination Côte d'Ivoire.

L'une des niches sur lesquelles nous travaillons, c'est le tourisme culturel et l'artisanat d'art qui constituent la richesse culturelle de notre pays », a-t-il indiqué. Poursuivant, le premier responsable du tourisme en Côte d'Ivoire reconnait le mérite des artisans d'art pour avoir tenu le coup surtout pendant les années de crise pour donner satisfaction aux acquéreurs- locaux et ceux venant de l'extérieur- d'objets d'art. Face à l'ampleur et l'aura que prend, au fil des ans, Expo Art, l'initiateur principal, Jean-Marie Somet, directeur général de Côte d'Ivoire Tourisme, ne pouvait que dire toute sa satisfaction de l'image de qualité de la Côte d'Ivoire auquel contribue l'artisanat d'art. « Le plus beau métier, c'est de faire la promotion de son pays.

L'art ivoirien est au cœur de notre développement. C'est pourquoi, de 25 exposants à la première édition, nous en sommes aujourd'hui à 100. L'artisanat d'art est une science et vous trouverez dans les stands des femmes et des hommes aguerris pour satisfaire à vos besoins... » La première journée, outre la cérémonie officielle d'ouverture, a vu la prestation du célèbre groupe artistique Sothéca qui a fait voyager le public à travers les rythmes musicaux de la Côte d'Ivoire. Un défilé du personnel de Côte d'Ivoire tourisme arborant des costumes du terroir ivoirien a également été l'une des attractions.

La deuxième journée d'hier, quant à elle, a été dédiée au peuple sénégalais. Pays à l'honneur cette année, l'occasion a été donnée à la diaspora du pays de la Teranga de pré- senter des troupes traditionnelles ; des mets etc. Aussi, faut-il noter, les participants ont suivi la conférence portant sur « l'œuvre d'art au service du tourisme : le cas du pagne traditionnel ». La dernière journée, aujourd'hui, dédiée au peuple Lobi marquera le clou d'Expo art 2015.

COTE D'IVOIRE AND SEYCHELLES MINISTERS CONSOLIDATE WORKING PARTNERSHIP

May 17, 2015

Minister Roger Kacou of Cote D'Ivoire & Minister Alain St.Ange of Seychelles

Roger Kacou, the Cote D'Ivoire Minister responsible for Tourism, and Alain St.Ange, the Seychelles Minister responsible for Tourism and Culture, used the working visit by Minister Kacou of Cote D'Ivoire to the Seychelles on the occasion of the 2015 edition of the Seychelles Carnaval International de Victoria for them to meet and discuss closer cooperation.

Minister Kacou of Cote D'Ivoire is a very respected Tourism Minister of Africa, having come to government from the private sector serving as a director of an international hotel chain for many years, and very much like his Seychelles counterpart, both work tirelessly for Africa to claim a bigger share of the world tourism business. The 2015 edition of the carnival in the Seychelles was for the first time graced by the presence of a cultural delegation coming from West Africa. Cote D'Ivoire was the first West Africa country to fly its flag and to use the “carnival of carnivals” to showcase its culture to the world.

Minister Roger Kacou of Cote D'Ivoire and Minister Alain St.Ange of the Seychelles, accompanied by Sherin Naiken, the CEO of the Seychelles Tourism Board, held a working breakfast meeting at the Kempinski Resort of the Seychelles which was followed by a working lunch for ministers attending the carnival. It was at the breakfast meeting that both tourism ministers representing the Cote D'Ivoire and the Seychelles agreed to continue to find ways and means to consolidate the growth of tourism in Africa as the unique selling points of the whole of Africa is analyzed and showcased as part of Brand Africa.

"I thanked Minister Roger Kacou for making time to come to Seychelles for this year's carnival. Like me, Minister Roger Kacou has the continued development of tourism at heart. He is a respected minister at UNWTO meetings and conferences and is admired by his colleagues" said Minister Alain St.Ange as he said thank you to the Cote D'Ivoire minister to fly his country's flag at the carnival on Seychelles.

"One's culture showcases one's people, and both Minister Roger Kacou and myself attended the UNWTO and UNESCO Tourism through Culture conference in Cambodia. We both appreciated that it is through culture that one's tourism industry can be consolidated for the long term, because through culture one was bringing in the people of the country to be at the center of the tourism development of the country," said Minister St.Ange.

The Seychelles Minister has been commended by press and politicians in the four corners of the world for staging a cultural event that brings the world together without politics, religion, and color of the skin and to open the doors for participating countries to capture the attention of the large bank of international press to make their respective country gain visibility and in so doing become more relevant in the world of tourism.

Seychelles is a founding member of the International Coalition of Tourism Partners (ICTP) .

Source: Seychelles Ministry of Tourism and Culture

IVORY COAST LAUNCHES ECOTOURISM TO SAVE CHIMPANZEES FROM EXTINCTION

Marc-Andre Boisvert, The Associated Press

Published Saturday, May 3, 2014

TAI NATIONAL PARK -- Before dawn in the thick rainforest of western Ivory Coast, the air was filled with the sounds of male chimpanzees screaming, hooting and banging on trees.

A baby chimpanzee named Dali slowly stretched out his brown, furry arms and clumsily scrambled from a branch 20 metres high for a breakfast of nuts and insects provided by game rangers. In the next few minutes he would be joined by 15 others who soon clambered off into the depths of Tai National Park.

Chimpanzees normally resent humans, but scientists in the park have spent decades "habituating" them so they could be studied. Two years ago, a Disney film got up close for the Tim Allen-narrated "Chimpanzee," which was set in Tai park.

Now, conservationists and the Ivorian government hope to take advantage of the fact that chimps in Tai park are relatively comfortable around humans by launching eco-tourism projects designed to stem the chimpanzee population's precipitous decline.

"Through ecotourism, local people gain something. They see the value of the forest ... and they will preserve it," said Christophe Boesch, director of West Africa's Wild Chimpanzee Foundation who has spent 35 years studying Ivory Coast's chimps.

"The more tourists we have, the more likely we will be able to win the battle," he said.

Once a thriving population, chimpanzees in Ivory Coast have experienced a 90 per cent decline in the last two decades, according to the World Wide Fund for Nature, which estimates the global chimpanzee population is between 150,000 and 200,000.

The last in-depth study, conducted by Boesch's organization in 2008, said Ivory Coast's chimpanzee population now is between 8,000 and 12,000. Though no new studies have since been conducted and chimpanzees are difficult to track, Boesch said he was convinced the drop has continued.

One of the biggest factors hurting chimpanzees in Ivory Coast has been environmental degradation -- a problem that was exacerbated when the country's 2010-11 postelection violence which killed more than 3,000 people. Tai National Park is located in the western region, which saw some of the conflict's worst fighting. Boesch said six habituated chimpanzees were killed, probably by poachers.

Long before the violence, however, humans were encroaching on the chimps' home. Boesch said that when he first approached the park on a drive in 1979 he encountered 100 kilometres of uninterrupted greenery. "We saw elephants and chimpanzees crossing," he said.

Now, cocoa fields have replaced the dense vegetation at the edge of the park, showing how migrants from Ivory Coast and other West African countries have reduced the environment where the country's wildlife can roam, he said.

The small, mud-brick village of Gouleako is one of the many near the park's edge that houses families from throughout the country and neighbouring Burkina Faso. Residents make their living largely from cocoa farming. As land pressure increases, they have taken to burning away sections of forest to make room for more fields.

Victor Tere, the village chief, said this has had a clear effect on the environment.

"Before, when I was young, chimpanzees came very close to the village. They would sometimes even come in. Now we don't see them," he said.

Chimpanzees are also hunted illegally by Ivorians who consider their meat a delicacy, according to a study by two American researchers published in the March issue of Tropical Conservation Science.

Despite these trends, conservationists see new hope in two government-run ecotourism projects that have begun to attract visitors, however slowly. A typical tour lasts three days and involves long forest hikes, climbing the 554-foot Mount Nienokoue and sleeping in tents. The tourist activity creates employment and the tourists spend money among local communities.

"It is important that people see they can profit from conservation," said Boesch, who said he has been inspired by wildlife-viewing programs in Rwanda and Congo that have turned gorillas into tourist attractions which have benefited the local people.

Since January, about 100 tourists have visited Tai National Park, according to the national forest agency -- not bad considering most embassies still discourage visits to Tai because of the history of instability in western Ivory Coast.

As it waits for tourism numbers to rise, the Wild Chimpanzee Foundation has organized "nature clubs" where volunteers teach schoolchildren about the forest and what it contains. It has also launched a snail farm to provide an alternative to bush meat, and organized volunteer observation squads so local residents can play a direct role in monitoring deforestation.

Boesch said he is realistic about the potential effect of the projects, however, and realizes there can be no silver bullet when it comes to saving Ivory Coast's chimpanzees.

"We are trying by all means to make a future for the forest and its animals, and the battle is not won," he said. "It will never end. What has been gained can be lost in a very short time."