Solar Business

While Abidjan can once again claim its place as West Africa's business tourism hub, it was to promote the entire country's treasures that the ‘Sublime Côte d'Ivoire’ project was launched in 2018, with investments of 3,200 billion CFA francs and the ambition of becoming Africa's fifth most popular tourist destination. The programme ultimately aims to attract between 4.2 and 5 million visitors and create 650,000 skilled jobs. The idea is to draw tourists with a host of appealing features. And since the huge success of last year's African Cup of Nations, the country is firmly on track. Grand-Bassam, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, offers a journey into the past, while Yamoussoukro is home to the world's largest basilica.

Assinie, Sassandra and Grand-Béréby boast idyllic beaches for leisure and lounging, while vine bridges and waterfalls in the western mountains appeal to ecotourism enthusiasts. The government is developing essential infrastructure, and private players like the Dalia Hospitality fund plan to create more than 1,000 jobs. The hotel offering has already improved significantly, especially in the capital, with new high-end brands catering to both business and leisure travellers. And the recent opening of a Vatel hotel school confirms this ambition to professionalise the sector, which will definitely boost the value of the country's sunshine stock.