In terms of business tourism, Côte d’Ivoire is in third place behind Nigeria and Morocco. However, Ivorian leisure tourism needs a new momentum.
With the “Sublime Côte d’Ivoire” program, the Ivorian government has the ambitious plan of making the land of elephants a top destination on the African continent by 2025.
According to the figures, the tourism sector experienced a flow of 4.2 million tourists, generating revenues amounting 1,500 billion Fr CFA ($2.4 billion); the share of the tourism industry in the GDP amounted to 7.3%.
The launch of this program, whose budget has reached 3,200 billion Fr CFA ($5.4 billion), aims to increase the share of tourism in GDP to 12% by 2025.
Ivorian tourism is divided into several categories:
Seaside Tourism
With its nice beaches adorned with fine sands and its lagoons, Côte d’Ivoire can boast of offering many options in terms of seaside tourism. Cities such as Grand Bassam, Sassandra, Assinie, Grand Bérébi and its Baie des Sirénes (Bay of Sirens) make the Ivorian tourism idyllic.
Ecotourism
Côte d’Ivoire has 8 national parks, 6 reserves, 17 botanical gardens with an area of 21,030 km 2 . Thanks to its different institutional reforms. Côte d’Ivoire has highlighted its natural heritage to restore its notoriety to the African “Green Tourism”.
Cultural Tourism
Côte d’Ivoire is also a melting pot of cultures with a population of nearly sixty ethnic groups. Tourists will also have the opportunity to meet locals who are hospitable. On the other hand, Côte d’Ivoire is full of tourist sites such as the mosques in the north, the Royal Court of Mossou, the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace or the Artisanal Center of Abidjan.
The PND 2021-2025 includes priority projects in the tourism sector which include:
-
The creation of the Ivory Villas
-
The “Tour de la Nation" project in the commune of Plateau, which will include a 5-star hotel with 225 rooms.
-
The creation of the tourist village in Sassandra
-
The creation of an animal park and a palace in Bingerville
English 
French