Côte d’Ivoire: Tourism contributes up to 6.25% to GDP

Tourism is currently contributing about 6.25% to Côte d’Ivoire’s GDP thanks to the current tourism infrastructure and investments, Ivorian Minister of Tourism, Siandou Fofana said.

According to the minister, the government is now focusing on the strategy “Sublime Côte d’Ivoire” whose implementation, “will list the country among the Top 5 African tourism destinations by 2025.” The strategy will create 375,000 new jobs, including 230,000 skilled jobs, the minister said.

According to “Hospitality Report Africa 2019”, Côte d’Ivoire is one of the African countries where revival of tourist activity has allowed the continent to earn 5% in international tourist arrivals.

One of the projects is the Abidjan Business City, a scheme to create a central point for holding conventions in the country, where there is currently no major conference hall able to accommodate 5,000 people. “There is, therefore, a need to move quickly in that regard,” the minister said.

Other projects include a leisure park and plans to develop the aviation sector and increase airport passenger flow to three million.

Capital Abidjan, located on the Atlantic coast, is the country’s major urban centre. Its modern landmarks include zigguratlike, concrete La Pyramide and St. Paul’s Cathedral, a swooping structure tethered to a massive cross. North of the central business district, Banco National Park is a rainforest preserve with hiking trails.