By Juliet ETEFE ([email protected])
Emirates Airlines has opened its first-ever West Africa travel store in Accra, Ghana, in line with its commitment to enhance customer service, travel planning experiences and retail expansion across the continent.
The state-of-the-art Emirates Travel Store offers customers a one-of-a-kind experience that goes beyond ticketing.
It provides an immersive and interactive space where travelers can explore Emirates’ services, preview aircraft interiors, and get expert travel advice from Emirates staff.
“This is not just an office; it is a whole experience. Customers can walk in and get a feel of what it is like to fly with Emirates – from seat previews to our A380 lounge concept. It is part of our commitment to enrich the customer journey while showcasing our brand and hospitality in a dynamic way,” Adil Al Ghaith, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations – Centre, said at the official opening.
The Accra outlet becomes the fourth of its kind in Africa, after similar stores in Nairobi, Casablanca, and Cairo.
Mr. Al Ghaith explained that this expansion was born out of increased demand for reliable and informative airline services, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic when passengers preferred direct and trustworthy travel information.
“We realised during COVID that customers trusted the airline’s own channels more. That insight led us to redesign our retail strategy and create these experience-based stores. We have more stores in the pipeline, with Abidjan expected to open next,” he said.
Speaking on Emirates’ local commitment, Country Manager for Ghana, Saood Al Aqili highlighted that the travel store reflects Emirates’ growing investment in the Ghanaian market, where it has operated for over two decades.
“Emirates has been flying to Ghana since 2004 and currently operates daily flights from Accra. Opening this Travel Store reaffirms our dedication to the market. It is designed to enhance customer experience by allowing them to not only book flights but also get an immersive feel of our products,” Mr. Al Aqili stated.
He noted that Ghanaian travelers will particularly benefit from the personalised travel planning, interactive displays, and relaxing ambiance offered by the store, adding that even children and families are welcome to explore the space without necessarily making a purchase.
“Ghana is a key market for Emirates. We have seen tremendous growth in recent years, and we are confident that with innovations like this Travel Store, we will continue to grow and provide unmatched experiences for our customers,” Mr. Al Aqili added.
On future possibilities, Mr. Al Ghaith hinted that Emirates may explore increasing its flight capacity from Accra if passenger demand continues to rise.
“We monitor each route carefully. Once seat factors hit 90 percent consistently, we consider increasing frequencies or deploying larger aircraft. Though aircraft availability is currently a challenge, we’re optimistic,” he said.
The opening was attended by the Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Minister for Transport, hand other industry stakeholders.
Minister for Transport, Joseph Bukari Nikpe, noted that the opening signals growing collaboration in the sector and aligns with the country’s vision to become a major aviation hub in West Africa.
He added that the government is taking strategic steps to enhance this ambition, including the formation of a taskforce to establish a national airline and upgrade critical infrastructure at Kotoka International Airport, particularly Terminals 2 and 3.
He emphasised that air travel is central to facilitating trade, tourism, and economic integration, and called for increased public-private partnerships to strengthen the sector.
“At this point as a country, we are looking at partnership, we are looking at collaboration,” he said, adding that that country is open to investors willing to work with government to unlock the aviation industry’s full potential.
Mr. Nikpe reiterated that Ghana’s stable political environment and infrastructural investments make it an attractive destination for aviation growth.
Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, commended Emirates for upgrading its services to Ghana and the broader West African region, noting that connectivity remains one of the continent’s major transportation challenges.
She urged Ghanaians and the aviation industry at large to learn from Emirates’ service and experience.
While the country may not yet have its own national airline yet, she noted that it can still distinguish itself through world-class service and human-centered interactions that make visitors feel welcome.
