Emirates (www.Emirates.com) is doubling down on its strategy to redefine travel retail, hitting a key expansion milestone with the opening of its 10th flagship ‘Emirates World’ store in Abidjan, bringing the current store count to 10 Emirates World Stores and 9 travel retail outlets globally. The airline has invested AED 174 million (USD$47.4 million) to expand its travel retail footprint and is building on this momentum with plans to introduce 29 more travel retail concepts in 2026, taking the total store count to 48 by the end of this year.
Delivering personalisation and expert support blended with an incredible lineup of its iconic onboard products and the latest immersive technologies, Emirates World retail stores meet customers where they are in a modern, welcoming environment in key cities across its network. As a result, Emirates travel retail concept stores have attracted over 1.4 million walk-in customers since 2024, underscoring their appeal and increasingly important place in the travel planning journey.
Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ deputy president and chief commercial officer, reflects: “As we accelerate the global rollout of our Emirates World Stores concept, we are cultivating opportunities for travellers and our travel partners to engage with our brand, immerse themselves in our iconic products and experiment with cutting-edge tech to imagine what their journeys could look like, as they effortlessly orchestrate their journeys with our expert consultants. With more travel retail concept stores coming online in cities around the world this year, we’re proud to welcome customers to these beautiful spaces designed for discovery, provide exceptional service and help everyone get the most out of Emirates’ latest products and services so they can truly ‘fly better’.”
The first Emirates World Store debuted in November 2022: a 3,000-square-foot space delivering the airline’s signature products and the latest experiential technologies, nestled within one of Dubai’s most dynamic neighbourhoods, Jumeirah.
The flagship Emirates World Store in Dubai became the blueprint propelling the acceleration of the airline’s retail expansion strategy with global flagship store openings in London, Nairobi, Casablanca, Manila, Cairo, Singapore, Bangkok and Riyadh. In parallel, Emirates has opened similar mid-sized concept travel stores in Paris, Karachi, Hong Kong, Accra, Geneva, Mauritius and Jakarta with plans to expand these travel retail concepts across its global network to Athens, Rome, Madrid, Istanbul, Amman, New Delhi, Mumbai, Shenzhen, Tokyo and Cape Town this year.
No two stores are exactly alike. Each store carries its own unique charm, thoughtfully localised to the customer preferences of each market, adding to the individuality of each location. In addition, strategic location assessment, foot fall patterns, and emerging consumer trends have collectively guided store concept development.
For instance, Dubai features a dedicated hub for industry networking and engagement, while Singapore, Riyadh, Cairo, and London showcase a First-Class cabin seat display. Casablanca, Hong Kong, and London offer a Premium Economy seat display, giving visitors a first-hand look at the airline’s latest cabin. Cairo and London also feature the iconic A380 onboard lounge, bringing the onboard experience to the ground.
The newest store in Abidjan features an A380 onboard lounge and a Business Class seat, reinforcing Emirates’ premium positioning and commitment to immersive retail experiences.
The airline will continue to roll out its travel retail concepts to new locations, showcasing its latest travel experiences and exceptional service from knowledgeable team members.
Emirates World stores also offer digital aficionados self-service kiosks and other digital touchpoints to streamline transactions, as well as interactive features like a selfie mirror which offers travel inspiration for visitors as they capture mementos against stunning destination backdrops.
Every location features curated, destination-specific Emirates-branded collections and premium travel accessories, offering discerning travellers sophisticated essentials that elevate their travel experience. For example, the London store carries Emirates Official Store merchandise and travel accessories inspired by in-market Emirates sponsorships like Wimbledon, Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team and Arsenal.
Visitors to Emirates travel retail stores across its network can enrol in Emirates Skywards, the airline’s award-winning loyalty programme, via the in-store self-service kiosk.
