African Cities Have Competed for Business Tourism
Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, and Senegal are vying for dominance in the growing global market for international conferences.
Updated on Sept. 21, 2026 in Business Travel
Live Poll
Do you think increased competition between cities in your region improves your area's economic growth?
Cotonou, Abidjan, and Dakar have emerged as key rivals in the expanding market for international business tourism. This competition follows a 2025 performance where global business events generated $1.3 trillion in direct spending and drew 1.65 billion participants.
Why it matters
As African nations seek to diversify their economies, they are investing heavily in conference infrastructure to secure a larger share of the lucrative global business travel market. These efforts aim to stabilize tourism revenue by attracting international associations and high-profile professional events.
In 2025, the global business event industry supported 24.2 million jobs and facilitated 1.65 billion individual participations. Cities are benchmarking success against these global figures while deploying new assets like the 5,000-seat Abidjan Convention Center.
The players
Sofitel Cotonou Marina
This hotel serves as a major piece of infrastructure intended to bolster Benin's capacity for international conferences.
Emirates
This airline has entered into a strategic promotion agreement with Côte d'Ivoire to increase tourism and business connectivity.
The details
Benin is aggressively expanding its hospitality sector, notably with the 2024 opening of the 198-room Sofitel Cotonou Marina. Meanwhile, Côte d'Ivoire is leveraging regional air connectivity agreements to support its goal of welcoming 10 million international visitors annually by 2030.
Timeline
The Abidjan Exhibition Center opened in 2023.
The Sofitel Cotonou Marina launched in 2024.
Global business tourism data was collected throughout 2025.
Côte d'Ivoire signed a tourism promotion agreement with Emirates on September 14, 2026.
Senegal is scheduled to host the Youth Olympic Games from October 31 to November 13, 2026.
Travel Outlook
The regional competition between Cotonou, Abidjan, and Dakar represents a localized attempt to capture a portion of the massive $1.3 trillion global business event market. As international tourism fluctuates, these cities are building permanent infrastructure to ensure year-round traffic.
Business travelers should monitor the development of new convention facilities in West Africa, as these hubs often drive new airline routes and competitive hotel pricing. Checking local event calendars in cities like Cotonou and Abidjan is essential for those seeking to avoid peak hotel occupancy during major summits.
The takeaway
The rise of purpose-built conference centers across West Africa signals a shift toward professionalizing regional tourism markets. Travelers and corporate planners should expect improved logistics and high-end hotel capacity as these nations continue to compete for international event hosting rights.
What happens next
The Youth Olympic Games are scheduled to take place in Senegal from October 31 to November 13, 2026, while the Cyber Africa Forum is set to return to Cotonou in November 2026.
Further reading
Learn more about the latest trends in the Business Travel sector.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Ecofin Agency.
Live Poll
Do you think increased competition between cities in your region improves your area's economic growth?
