Emirates has reached a major milestone in its global retail strategy with the opening of its 10th flagship ‘Emirates World’ store in Abidjan, reinforcing its commitment to redefining the travel retail experience. The launch brings the airline’s global footprint to 10 Emirates World Stores and nine additional travel retail outlets, as part of a broader investment of AED 174 million (USD 47.4 million) to expand its physical retail presence worldwide.
Building on this momentum, the airline plans to introduce 29 more travel retail concepts in 2026, taking the total number of stores to 48 by the end of the year. Since 2024, Emirates’ retail concept stores have attracted more than 1.4 million walk-in visitors, highlighting their growing role in the travel planning journey and the strong demand for immersive, in-person engagement with the brand.
The Emirates World concept blends personalised service with experiential technology and iconic onboard products in modern, welcoming spaces across key cities in the airline’s network. Customers can explore cabin interiors, test premium seating, engage with interactive displays and consult travel experts to design their journeys.
Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer, said the global rollout of Emirates World Stores is creating new opportunities for travellers and travel partners to engage more deeply with the airline’s products and services. He noted that the concept allows customers to immerse themselves in Emirates’ signature offerings while benefiting from expert consultation and cutting-edge technology designed to enhance the booking experience.
The first Emirates World Store opened in November 2022 in Dubai’s Jumeirah district, setting the blueprint for the airline’s retail expansion. Since then, flagship locations have opened in London, Nairobi, Casablanca, Manila, Cairo, Singapore, Bangkok and Riyadh. Complementing these are mid-sized concept stores in Paris, Karachi, Hong Kong, Accra, Geneva, Mauritius and Jakarta, with additional openings planned in Athens, Rome, Madrid, Istanbul, Amman, New Delhi, Mumbai, Shenzhen, Tokyo and Cape Town.
Each store is tailored to its local market, reflecting customer preferences and consumer trends while maintaining Emirates’ premium brand identity. Some locations showcase First Class cabin seat displays, including Singapore, Riyadh, Cairo and London, while Casablanca, Hong Kong and London feature Premium Economy seating. The London and Cairo stores also highlight the airline’s iconic A380 onboard lounge. The newly opened Abidjan store features an A380 onboard lounge and a Business Class seat, offering visitors a tangible preview of the onboard experience.
In addition to cabin displays, the stores incorporate digital self-service kiosks, interactive touchpoints and immersive features such as selfie mirrors with destination backdrops. Visitors can also browse curated Emirates-branded merchandise and travel accessories inspired by local partnerships and sponsorships, while enrolling in the airline’s award-winning loyalty programme, Emirates Skywards, directly in-store.
Through continued investment in experiential retail and customer engagement, Emirates is positioning its physical stores as an integral extension of its brand, bridging the gap between digital booking channels and personalised travel consultancy as it expands across global markets.
